Compass Points - Golden Fleet
Navy aims to build hedge force.
Compass Points - Golden Fleet
Navy aims to build hedge force.
December 21, 2025
.
Sunday is a good day for reflection.
This Sunday marks nearly the end of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, the eight-day Jewish observance that remembers the Jewish people’s struggle for freedom.
This Sunday is also a good time to reflect on both the power and dangers of golden briefing slides.
In new briefing slides, the US is re-imagining Gaza as a golden resort.
In new briefing slides, the US Navy is re-imagining the Navy as a “golden fleet.”
.
-------------------------
-------------------------
.
A US proposal to rebuild war-torn Gaza into a high-tech, luxurious coastal destination over the next two decades has been pitched to possible donor countries, according to a report on Friday.
The project, which would cost $112 billion over the first 10 years, was developed by a team led by US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff over the past 45 days, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials.
Initially, the US would commit to “anchor” the program by providing $60 billion, while envisioning Gaza being able to self-fund parts of the proposal as it gets underway, according to the report.
The 32 pages of PowerPoint slides, labeled “sensitive but unclassified” and detailing a four-stage vision to clear the rubble, rebuild the Strip, and take Gazans out of poverty, has been shown to wealthy Gulf countries, Turkey, and Egypt, the Journal reported.
-- Times of Israel
.
-------------------------
-------------------------
.
In an article for Jane’s Defense, author Michael Fabey, reports that, “The [US] navy is looking to build a ‘Golden Fleet’ under the hedge force mindset.”
Fabey quotes US Navy CNO, Adm. Daryl Caudle, as he discusses the idea of creating the golden fleet around various naval hedge forces, including the US Marines.
.
-------------------------
-------------------------
.
Adm Caudle noted, “At its core, our navy is already a collection of ‘hedge’ forces and concepts: risk-informed decisions about where to invest and how to fight while weighing the probability of occurrence in terms of severity and loss. Naval Special Warfare is our hedge against low-intensity and irregular warfare threats. SSBNs [ballistic- missile submarines] and E-6Bs [Mercury aircraft] are our hedge that deters strategic attack with less than 8% of the navy. And our navy-marine corps team itself has and will continue to serve as the joint force’s global hedge – forward deployed, postured, and ready to respond to a variety of threats.”
-- Jane’s Navy International
.
-------------------------
-------------------------
.
The idea for a golden resort in Gaza may seem unlikely, but Gaza is almost entirely rubble, so any plan might be an improvement.
The idea for a golden Navy fleet is at least built on some real ships.
But when Admiral Caudle says Marines, “will continue to serve as the joint force’s global hedge – forward deployed, postured, and ready to respond to a variety of threats” the question becomes does Admiral Caudle understand that, because of another set of briefing slides beginning in 2019, the Marine Corps has been shorn of much of its combined arms units, equipment, and capabilities?
The Marine Corps today does not have the ability to forward deploy forces to “respond to a variety of threats.” The Nation needs Marines deployed 365 days a year in the Indo-Pacific, in the Middle East, and in the Mediterranean. Are the Marines there now? No, no, and no.
The Marine Corps does have a small Marine Expeditionary Unit off the coast of Venezuela. If a land campaign should begin in Venezuela, how will the Marine MEU be reinforced? The real strength of Marines traditionally is not in the small force that arrives first to the crisis, but in the forces that follow to reinforce. Using maritime prepositioning ships and on alert fly-in forces, the Marines in the past have been able to quickly turn a small force into a much larger force.
Over the last six years, the Marine Corps in misguided pursuit of its own re-imaging, has dangerously sliced away its crisis response capabilities.
Will the US Gaza plan actually be able to turn Gaza into a seaside resort? Maybe. Maybe not. But if the US wants a Marine Corps that “will continue to serve as the joint force’s global hedge – forward deployed, postured, and ready to respond to a variety of threats” it will take more than briefing slides and talk of golden futures. It will take a clear focus on how the Marine Corps serves the Nation and what resources it needs today to maintain put forward deployed Marines around the globe.
Fortunately, across the broad Marine community there are active duty Marines, Marines once on active duty, and friends of the Corps who continue to fight for a Marine Corps that does not need to be re-imagined, but only enhanced, upgraded, and restored.
Compass Points appreciates all readers who in their own ways are faithfully continuing to build the discussion about a stronger Marine Corps, and particularly thanks all our readers who served as seminar leaders this week by providing topics, articles, and comments. Many thanks!
.
- - - - -
.
Times of Israel - 12/20/2025
US said to pitch ‘Project Sunrise’ — $112B plan to rebuild Gaza as luxury destination
By ToI Staff
.
- - - - -
.
Jane’s Navy International - 12/18/2025
US Navy Mulls Major Concept Changes For Future Force
By Michael Fabey
Recent decisions, comments, and public posturing by US Navy (USN) leadership underscore the service’s desire to redefine its operational mindset and fleet requirements to support new concepts, including a potentially significant surface force makeover.
Let me hedge my bets. Gaza has no chance in hell of becoming a Mediterranean resort and vacation destination. The very culture of the inhabitants tells anyone that is impossible. Muslims do not build and operate resorts. If they were to build them the entire work force would be imported semi-slave labor. If one is naive enough to assume it could work why would Turkey, Greece, Italy, France and Spain welcome the competition?
The US Navy keeps looking for power point solutions and buzz word strategies to dodge the obvious. Get bigger, modernize and dominate the world’s oceans.
Let’s go back in time. Grok:Brief history of Gaza Strip. Grok:### 3,000+ Year Summary of Gaza
Gaza (the ancient city and modern Gaza Strip) has a history spanning over 4,000 years as a strategic coastal trade hub on the Mediterranean, at the crossroads of Africa and Asia. It has been conquered, destroyed, and rebuilt by countless empires and peoples.
#### Ancient Period (c. 3300 BCE – 332 BCE)
- Settlement begins around 3300–3000 BCE with an Egyptian fortress at Tell es-Sakan.
- Under Egyptian control for centuries (mentioned in 15th-century BCE records like Thutmose III).
- Conquered by Philistines (c. 12th century BCE), one of five major cities in their pentapolis (along with Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, Gath). Philistines, of Aegean origin, made it a stronghold.
- Biblical mentions: Site of Samson's exploits; part of Judah's territory but often contested.
- Assyrians, Babylonians, and Persians control it intermittently.
#### Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine Era (332 BCE – 7th Century CE)
- Alexander the Great besieges and captures Gaza in 332 BCE after a fierce battle.
- Ruled by Ptolemies (Egypt) and Seleucids (Syria); briefly under Hasmonean Jewish control (c. 145–96 BCE).
- Romans rebuild and prosper it as a port; Herod the Great governs it.
- Christianity spreads; small Christian community persists.
- Byzantines rule until Arab conquest.
#### Islamic and Medieval Period (7th Century – 1516 CE)
- Conquered by Muslim armies in 7th century; becomes part of caliphates (Rashidun, Umayyad, Abbasid, Fatimid).
- Flourishes as trade center; diverse population including Jews, Christians, and Muslims.
- Crusaders capture and lose it multiple times (11th–13th centuries).
- Mamluks rule from 13th century.
#### Ottoman and Modern Era (1516 – 1948)
- Ottoman Empire controls for four centuries; Gaza as a provincial town.
- British capture in 1917 during WWI; part of Mandate for Palestine.
- Jewish community present intermittently until 1929 riots force exodus.
- Population grows with refugees after 1948 Arab-Israeli War; Egypt administers Gaza Strip (narrow coastal enclave) until 1967.
#### Post-1948 Conflicts (1948 – Present)
- Israel captures in 1967 Six-Day War; occupies until 2005 unilateral withdrawal (evacuating settlements).
- Palestinian Authority governs briefly; Hamas wins 2006 elections and takes full control in 2007.
- Repeated wars (2008–09, 2012, 2014, 2021, 2023–ongoing) with Israel; blockade by Israel and Egypt.
- Population: ~2.3 million, mostly refugees and descendants; ongoing humanitarian challenges.
Gaza's history reflects constant contestation due to its location, with themes of trade prosperity, destruction, and resilience. Today, it's a focal point of Israeli-Palestinian conflict.