Biden Orders Removal of Missiles, Forces Around Persian Gulf

A report issued last Thursday by the Wall Street Journal cites officials from the Pentagon indicating that President Biden has issued orders to remove Patriot anti-missile systems, miscellaneous military hardware, and troops from the area of the Persian Gulf, to deploy them elsewhere to be used against Russia and China, two countries which the Pentagon sees as its primary global competitors. 

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According to the report, the military capabilities to be redeployed include three Patriot systems, among them one located in Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan Air Base, an aircraft carrier, surveillance systems, and other military hardware. 

Part of the rationale for moving the equipment is that the Pentagon wants Saudi Arabia, a Persian Gulf ally, to assume more of the burden of defending its own territory, the report said.

U.S. officials consider proposals to pull additional military equipment out of the region, including a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD anti-missile system, surveillance drones, and antimissile batteries.

Toward that goal, the Pentagon has assembled a "tiger team" of officials to explore ways to help the kingdom protect its facilities and oil installations. Options under discussion include sales of missile interceptors, expanded intelligence sharing, and additional military training, the report said.