Pentagon ‘comfortable’ with troop levels in Middle East ahead of review
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is keeping a close eye on the US military’s presence in the Middle East as new Pentagon leadership prepares to review the distribution of American forces across the globe.
“It’s about making sure that we have a robust enough deterrent capability in the Middle East,” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby told reporters on Friday.
“On a day-to-day basis, it’s very much on his mind to make sure that we have both the fixed and the rotational capabilities in the region to deal with the threats that are posed by Iran,” Kirby said.
The US currently has some 2,500 troops in Iraq, roughly 900 in Syria and an additional 2,500 in Afghanistan, according to the Pentagon. Thousands of additional American troops are based in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and more recently Saudi Arabia, while units continue to deploy to nearly every country in the region for partnered training.
Kirby added that Austin is “comfortable” with the current US military presence in the Middle East and that the defense secretary is in “constant communication” on the matter with the head of all US forces in the region, Gen. Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie.
Austin, who previously led Central Command during the Obama administration, has ordered a sweeping review of the distribution of US forces around the world. The Pentagon predicts it will be completed by this summer.
The assessment comes as President Joe Biden has ordered the Defense Department to review America’s national strategy toward the expected rise of China, both economically and militarily.
Previous Defense Secretary Mark Esper also initiated an assessment of US force posture during his time in office before being fired by former President Donald Trump in November.
That evaluation led top generals with responsibility in regions outside of Asia to vouch publicly for the strategic importance of their own commands, at times highlighting Russian and Chinese investments and military sales to governments in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.
Austin, who previously led Central Command during the Obama administration, has ordered a sweeping review of the distribution of US forces around the world. The Pentagon predicts it will be completed by this summer.
The assessment comes as President Joe Biden has ordered the Defense Department to review America’s national strategy toward the expected rise of China, both economically and militarily.
Previous Defense Secretary Mark Esper also initiated an assessment of US force posture during his time in office before being fired by former President Donald Trump in November.
That evaluation led top generals with responsibility in regions outside of Asia to vouch publicly for the strategic importance of their own commands, at times highlighting Russian and Chinese investments and military sales to governments in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.
The assessment comes as President Joe Biden has ordered the Defense Department to review America’s national strategy toward the expected rise of China, both economically and militarily.
Previous Defense Secretary Mark Esper also initiated an assessment of US force posture during his time in office before being fired by former President Donald Trump in November.
That evaluation led top generals with responsibility in regions outside of Asia to vouch publicly for the strategic importance of their own commands, at times highlighting Russian and Chinese investments and military sales to governments in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.
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