Pentagon downplays reports of Mideast buildup - 15,000 troops in Kuwait

The Pentagon can downplay all they want, I don't buy it.

Pentagon downplays reports of Mideast buildup

www.reuters.com...

(Reuters) - The Pentagon said on Friday that Iran's "destabilizing behavior" was a factor in its planning in the Middle East but sought to discourage speculation the U.S. military was quietly building up forces in the region to counter any perceived threat.

The number of U.S. forces in Kuwait has grown to about 15,000 in recent weeks, including two combat brigades, as troops have withdrawn from Iraq following the end of the war there.

In that article the Pentagon defends the military presence due to ship tour rotations but they also say the Iranian situation is another reason to be there.

The U.S. force there has expanded temporarily because a brigade deployed to Iraq at the end of the war had been shifted to Kuwait to finish its deployment, he said. Force numbers in any given location shift regularly depending on needs, Kirby said.'

Makes sense but they are also there because of the increased tensions with Iran, lets be honest.

U.S. troops quietly surge into Middle East

Sfgate

The Pentagon has quietly shifted combat troops and warships to the Middle East after the top American commander in the region warned that he needed additional forces to deal with Iran and other potential threats, U.S. officials said.

Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis, who heads U.S. Central Command, won White House approval for the deployments late last year after talks with the government in Baghdad broke down over keeping U.S. troops in Iraq, but the extent of the Pentagon moves is only now becoming clear.

US stations 15,000 troops in Kuwait

rt.com...

The latest deployment, which was ushered in without much presentation to the public, adds a huge number of troops aligned with America’s arsenal that are now surrounding Iran on literally every front. In late 2011, the US equipped neighboring United Arab Emirates with advanced weaponry created to disrupt underground nuclear operations. In adjacent Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq, American military presence has long been all but enormous.

Say word?

Soldiers in Kuwait to serve as a response force

www.stripes.com...

About 15,000 U.S. soldiers who are currently deployed to Kuwait will remain in the country for the time being, according to to Army officials quoted in an Army Times report Saturday.

The exact number of troops and their makeup are details that are still being negotiated by the U.S. and Kuwaiti authorities.

Two months ago, the Kuwaiti defense minister was quoted as saying U.S. forces would only use his nation as a staging point. Now it appears that is likely to change, with the United States maintaining a force capable of responding to various contingencies should the need arise.

As of last week, the U.S. contingent consisted of soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas, and the 34th Infantry Division of the Minnesota National Guard, among others. Both belong to the 1st Brigade Combat Team. Also in the mix is the 29th Combat Aviation Brigade of the Maryland National Guard.

A spokeswoman for the brigade was quoted in the Army Times story as saying the combat team would serve as a response force for U.S. Central Command.

In any case, America is ready for battle.

Iran's "destabilizing behavior"

So now defending yourself is destabilizing

reply to post by BanMonsanto


I know right? Don't ya just love the word play? Was the recent killing of the Iranian scientist classified as a terrorist attack? This last scientist was the 4th to bite the dust.