Trump, Pentagon Agree to Troop Escalation in The Middle East
The Middle East is again bracing for turbulence this week after a number of yet-unpunished acts of aggression perpetrated by Iran draw attention to the region.
Such turmoil is nothing new in this particular corner of the globe, where religious and political tensions run high seemingly nonstop. The escalation this week comes to us courtesy of Iran, who are being blamed for two attacks on the Saudi Arabian oil infrastructure.
The first fracas took place on the high seas where underwater drones acting as torpedoes “sabotaged” several Saudi oil tankers. Mere hours later, an airborne drone caused a disruptive explosion to a Saudi-owned pipeline.
US President Donald Trump has maintained his hope for staying uninvolved throughout the incidents, but it looks like at least some American military members will be headed to the region.
“We’re going to be sending a relatively small number of troops,” the president told reporters outside the White House on Friday. “Mostly protective. Some very talented people are going to the Middle East right now. And we’ll see what happens.”
No large military units, such as U.S. Army brigade combat teams, are expected to deploy. Instead, senior military leaders want to deploy an additional Patriot anti-aircraft missile battery, a defensive weapon system. They also want to deploy another warship or submarine to the region, more surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft and potentially more Air Force fighter jets.
The total number of troops being deployed is said to be around 2,000.
The drama between the US and Iran has been growing ever-more severe since President Trump effectively nullified America’s involvement in an Obama-era “nuclear deal” between the two nations.
