US DoD Statement - Saudi Arabia Deployment

[RAFEngO74to09]

2 x F-15 squadrons

1 x Expeditionary Air Wing

1 x Terminal High Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) system

2 x Patriot batteries

https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/1987575/dod-statement-on-deployment-of-additional-us-forces-and-equipment-to-the-kingdo/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=8&v=UQF2e9aUBn0

[k3k3]

I must have missed the reports of Saudi's on the beaches of Normandy in 1944.

[pzu]

as per above

PZU - Out of Africa (Retired)

[Ascend Charlie]

Defending Saudi against Yemen??

Wasn't Forrest Trump saying something 2 days ago about getting out of stoopid middle east wars?

Let them fight it out between themselves.

[etudiant]

Given that Bin Laden's stated beef with the US was the presence of infidel US troops on Saudi soil, does this deployment not bump up the chances of another such?

[NutLoose]

But isn't that simply down to that the fact US in the past agreed to defend Saudi in return for Saudi using the Dollar as the currency it sells oil for, so all the US has to do to buy it is to print paper. if it was to suddenly change currencies the US would be stuffed, something Saddam was threatening, hence that little excursion for the US military.

[weemonkey]

Shouldn't this be the deployment to protect the Kurds??

[Asturias56]

I'm afraid the Kurds (once again) have outlived their usefulness ...............

[Easy Street]

What did anyone think the end state was going to be for the Kurds? A new state would have been highly unlikely to have won UN recognition as its leaders would have been portrayed as US-backed opportunists. Even if by some miracle it had emerged into statehood it would have been in a weak strategic position and lucky to last a generation before getting carved up between its neighbours. It would have needed to be propped up indefinitely, to what benefit for any external power?

Perhaps their best chance was to pursue a settlement with Assad for an autonomous region within Syria, affording the protection against Turkey that was so obviously going to be needed. That would have meant letting the Syrian Government reassert its territorial rights east of the Euphrates straight away after the defeat of IS, which regrettably they didn’t do.

I can’t really fault Trump’s determination to reduce the US’s exposure in the Middle East. If the US is to be criticised, it would have to be for giving the Kurds reason to think that they might be able to carve out a state. They have now overreached, just as they did in Iraq.

[Lonewolf_50]

I get the idea that this deployment has to do with the presumed Iranian involvement in the recent attack on Saudi oil production facilities. I suspect (but cannot prove, I am long out of the loop) that there will be a significant operational restriction vis a vis Yemen with this deployed group.

[Big Pistons Forever]

I get the idea that this deployment has to do with the presumed Iranian involvement in the recent attack on Saudi oil production facilities. I suspect (but cannot prove, I am long out of the loop) that there will be a significant operational restriction vis a vis Yemen with this deployed group.

/\ What he said, only not just Yemen but anywhere outside Saudi

It is all about the ROE. My guess is the ROE will be so restrictive that the pilots won't be able to take an in-flight piss without Sec Def's personal chop.

[BVRAAM]

I get the idea that this deployment has to do with the presumed Iranian involvement in the recent attack on Saudi oil production facilities. I suspect (but cannot prove, I am long out of the loop) that there will be a significant operational restriction vis a vis Yemen with this deployed group.

The impression I got was that the deployment was there to protect U.S. service personnel who may or may not be stationed in-country that are fighting Daesh. That would make the most sense, given that even 30+ years ago, Trump was openly vocal against defending Saudi Arabia and not getting anything back. He still has the same view...

[TBM-Legend]

BVRAAM is right. This deployment is about protection of US interests. It is interesting that DT gets caned for withdrawing US forces from Syria. They only amount to 1000 including logistics and others and are monitoring the situation. If they stayed it could be deadly for them and If DT sends 10,000+ troops to really change the game with associated air and boys and girls start coming home in body bags he will be criticised for getting involved!

Leave the Russians to manage Assad and protect Israel's flank [remember most Israelis have old family connections to Russia and the Eastern block mob so its in their interests to see nothing happens to the Jews] Same as Turkey who now threaten to work with Russia. This is a master stroke by Trump!