Dynamite News Pentagon pulling out missile defense, military hardware from Saudi Arabia, Middle East
Headquarters of the US Department of Defense, the Pentagon is pulling missile defense systems and other military hardware and personnel from Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East.
Washington: Headquarters of the US Department of Defense, the Pentagon is pulling missile defense systems and other military hardware and personnel from Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East.
Citing CNN, The Frontier Post reported that the US pulled out of the region to realigns its mission and forces to confront China and Russia, said a defense official.
The change reflects a broad shift within the Defense Department to focus its efforts on countering China and Russia as the threats of the future, moving away from the wars of the past in the Middle East.
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Austin is nearing the completion of a global review of US forces. Underpinning the review is the assessment that China is the "pacing challenge" to the United States military, reported The Frontier Post.
The Pentagon's China Task Force recently completed its work and submitted its recommendations, which will influence US strategy moving forward, including the global posture review.
"These initiatives, some of which will remain classified, are designed to focus departmental processes and procedures and better help department leaders contribute to whole of government efforts to address the challenge of China," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said last week at a press briefing.
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US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin instructed the commander of US Central Command, which oversees the region, to remove the forces this summer, reported CNN.
Some of the military capabilities and platforms will be returned to the United States for much-needed maintenance and repair, said Pentagon spokeswoman Cmdr Jessica McNulty, while other assets will be redeployed to other regions.
"This decision was made in close coordination with host nations and with a clear eye on preserving our ability to meet our security commitments. It's about maintaining some of our high demand, low density assets so they are ready for future requirements in the event of a contingency," McNulty said in a statement, adding that the Pentagon would not disclose where the military assets would be going or when.(ANI)