U.S. Planning Troop Buildup in Gulf After Exit From Iraq

[lib2DaBone]

MacDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — The Obama administration plans to bolster the American military presence in the Persian Gulf after it withdraws the remaining troops from Iraq this year, according to officials and diplomats. That repositioning could include new combat forces in Kuwait able to respond to a collapse of security in Iraq or a military confrontation with Iran.

With an eye on the threat of a belligerent Iran, the administration is also seeking to expand military ties with the six nations in the Gulf Cooperation Council — Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. While the United States has close bilateral military relationships with each, the administration and the military are trying to foster a new “security architecture” for the Persian Gulf that would integrate air and naval patrols and missile defense.


Another part of the administration’s post-Iraq planning involves the Gulf Cooperation Council, dominated by Saudi Arabia. It has increasingly sought to exert its diplomatic and military influence in the region and beyond. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, for example, sent combat aircraft to the Mediterranean as part of the NATO-ledwhile Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates each have forces in Afghanistan.

At the same time, however, the council sent a mostly Saudi ground force into Bahrain to support that government’s suppression of demonstrations this year, despite international criticism.


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/30/world/middleeast/united-states-plans-post-iraq-troop-increase-in-persian-gulf.html?pagewanted=2&_r=4&icid=maing-grid10|htmlws-main-bb|dl7|sec1_lnk2|108617

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We're not leaving any time soon. $40 Billlion per month while our roads crumble at home.

[Arctic Dave]

1. You mean to tell me those who said they would just shuffle the troops

around were right?

Where are all those who called us cynics and jaded for thinking that Obama the Holy would never do that and we were just mad about not getting our ponies?





Yeah, fuck those guys.

[Angry Dragon]

2. One only had to look at the 1.5 mile square embassy in Iraq

and know we were not leaving

[G_j]

3. kick and rec

[jwirr]

4. I do not like this betrayal but if it happens I prefer our troops on a

ship somewhere in the ocean/gulf than on the ground getting killed.

[City Lights]

5. K&R. eom