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News > U.S.

Trump Increases US Military Presence in Saudi Arabia

  • Some of these additional forces have already arrived to Saudi Arabia, the other part will do so within weeks.

    Some of these additional forces have already arrived to Saudi Arabia, the other part will do so within weeks. | Photo: RT

Published 19 November 2019
Opinion

With the new deployment, U.S. military personnel in Saudi Arabia would reach 3,000.

United States President Donald Trump announced Tuesday the deployment to Saudi Arabia of additional military forces, including troops, radars and air defense systems with the aim of counteracting a potential "threat" from Iran.

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In a letter to Congress, Trump has referred to the deployment of U.S. Armed Forces in the Middle East as a measure taken to "protect the interests of the United States and enhance the protection of force in the region against hostile action by Iran and its forces of power."

The U.S. president accused the Persian nation of "continuing to threaten the security of the region" and of the attack on the facilities of the Saudi state oil company on Sept. 14, something that Tehran has denied in reiterated occasions. 

"With these additional forces, the total number of U.S. Armed Forces personnel in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will be approximately 3,000," Trump said, adding that "this personnel will remain deployed as long as their presence is required to carry out the missions described above.

The letter states that "the additional forces, ordered to be deployed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, include radar and missile systems to improve air and missile defenses in the region."

Also, an air expeditionary wing to support U.S. combat aircraft operation from Saudi Arabia, and two combat squadrons.

The president has noted in the letter that the first part of these additional forces has already arrived in Saudi Arabia, and the remaining forces will arrive in the coming weeks.

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