Coast Guard Won’t Go to Gulf

WASHINGTON — The Defense Department has decided not to use U.S. Coast Guard ships to help protect U.S. flagged and neutral ships in the Persian Gulf, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services committee said today.

Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) said he had received assurances from Defense Secretary Frank Carlucci that the Coast Guard ships would stay in U.S. waters to continue their prime mission of trying to stop illegal drug shipments. The Defense Department said last week it was considering the use of six Coast Guard patrol boats to protect shipping against small Iranian boats armed with missiles.