The United States on Thursday announced that it would be removing four Patriot missile batteries and retracting dozens of its troops deployed to Saudi Arabia. These military assets were stationed in Saudi Arabia after the September 2019 missile attack on Saudi Arabia’s Aramco oil facility, which both Washington and Riyadh blamed on Iran.
In addition to recalling its Patriot systems and troops, the US has also relocated two fighter jet squadrons, and is considering scaling down its naval presence in the Persian Gulf. While the withdrawal is currently underway, some officials have reportedly said that it is due to the belief that “Iran no longer poses an immediate threat to American strategic interests.”
“The underlying pressure on Iran and the propensity to act out militarily as their only outlet of trying to relieve that pressure still exists with the maximum pressure campaign,” an anonymous official told The Wall Street Journal. “As long as the maximum pressure campaign continues, there’s a feeling that we need a strong deterrent to prevent Iran from acting out in the region.”
It is not clear whether the ongoing oil crisis and price war with Saudi Arabia has hastened the US’ decision to unplug its systems from the Kingdom, but many believe that these economic tensions cannot be ignored. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, also recently indicated that while Iran’s antagonism towards the States has not subsided, there is a shift in focus towards protecting the country’s oil assets. Other officials have also stated that the Pentagon believes its military strength will be better utilized if deployed elsewhere to combat challenges like China’s increasing Asian influence.
In December 2019, Riyadh had paid Washington $500 million to cover a part of the cost to station their troops in the Kingdom as the “first contribution” in their burden-sharing partnership to support regional security. This move has the potential to cause a strain to the US’ bilateral military partnerships with other countries in the GCC, spare perhaps for Qatar, whose military and defence loyalties largely lie with Saudi Arabia.
Image Source: BBC
US Announces Removal of Patriot Missiles and Troops From Saudi Arabia
May 8, 2020
