The US has decided to pull out missile defense systems, soldiers and other military hardware and personnel from Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East, as it realigns its forces to confront threats posed by China and Russia, according to a new report by the Wall Street Journal.
According to the report, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin instructed the commander of US Central Command, which oversees the Middle East region, to remove the forces this summer.
Pentagon spokeswoman Cmdr. Jessica McNulty said some of the military capabilities and equipment will be returned to the United States for much needed maintenance and repair while other assets will be redeployed to other regions.
“This decision was made in close coordination with host nations and with a clear eye on preserving our ability to meet our security commitments. It’s about maintaining some of our high demand, low density assets so they are ready for future requirements in the event of a contingency,” McNulty…
Source: Linda Ikeji
