The recent departure of U.S. warships from the Pacific has left a strategic void in the crucial region as forces turn their attention to the Middle East. The USS Lincoln Strike Group, which consists of a fleet of warships and fighter jets led by the Lincoln aircraft carrier, arrived at the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operation last week after departing from the U.S. Indo-Pacific (INDOPACOM) earlier in August. The Lincoln was the last remaining aircraft carrier in the Pacific — a flashpoint for hostilities between China and several U.S allies — and there won’t be a replacement in the…