Iran presents potential new risks for US troops : Politico
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The Pentagon is now concerned about any potential risks that the current tensions may pose to American the thousands of US troops positioned in the region.
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Infantry Marines from the 26th Expeditionary Unit stand next to an armored vehicle on the USS Bataan in the Aegean Sea, Greece, on January 19, 2024 ( AP)
According to Politico, the Pentagon is prepared for potential new threats to American occupation troops in the Middle East following Iran's retaliatory strike against "Israel."
A senior administration official anonymously noted that none of the drones launched by Iran were a direct threat to US troops, but the the size and scope of the US' response to an Iranian strike go well beyond anything seen in the decades-long standoff between both countries.
One US defense official told The Washington Post that "additional assets" were being moved to "bolster regional deterrence efforts and increase force protection for U.S. forces."
The Pentagon is now concerned about any potential risks that the current tensions may pose to American the thousands of US troops positioned in the region.
DOD officials reported seeing no immediate danger, but the situation is fluid — and much will rely on what "Israel" does next.
Dana Stroul, who served until December as the Pentagon’s top official overseeing Middle East policy told Politico that despite US officials secretly informing Iran they had no connection to "Israel" attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, "Iran believes the United States has so significantly and strategically backed and enabled the IDF that it does not draw distinction and seeks to impose costs."
Stroul added, “If Israel responds against Iran in a way that escalates the situation, U.S. forces will inevitably be included in Iran’s response."
Gen. Frank McKenzie, the former commander of U.S. Central Command stated that another worry is that US troops could be hit by accident.
In addition, more US troops are on their way to begin working on a temporary port on Gaza's coast for aid deliveries, exposing them to air or ground attacks.
The ships delivering and lodging the troops would be stationed many miles off the Gaza shore, but the Pentagon is ready for a variety of threats, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said in an interview Friday, before Iran's strikes.
“There are many different measures being put in place, and it’ll be Navy, Army, Israeli Defense Forces, all working together — this has been looked at in extreme detail," she stated.
