Israel-Iran fray: How much military does Uncle Sam have in West Asia?
United States President Donald Trump's see-saw statements on Iran have now swung more towards military force in West Asia. A month ago, he claimed at a conference in Qatar that the US and Iran were in serious negotiations to resolve their nuclear dispute for long-term peace.However, on June 17, he posted the words 'unconditional surrender' in all caps on his TruthSocial account. And now, he's dithering over whether the US will get involved directly in the Iran-Israel conflict. Nevertheless, US actions seem to be more decisive now as it's been moving some of its military might closer towards Iran since Israel's first attack on Iran on June 13.advertisementThe US has deployed fighter aircraft, including the F-16, F-22, and F-35, as well as 30 refuelling aircraft, mainly KC-135R Stratotankers and KC-46A Pegasus tankers, in several locations across Europe and West Asia. It already has the USS Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group warships stationed close to Oman. And now, the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group is reportedly sailing from East Asia towards the West. Both can hold about 7,500 personnel and 75 aircraft, including fighter jets.
The US military has a sizeable presence in West Asia, going back more than five decades. Currently, it has more than 40,000 troops deployed at 19 sites. Usually, there are about 30,000 troops in the region, though the number surged to 43,000 in October 2023 after the Hamas attack in Israel and the continuous attacks by Houthis on ships in the Red Sea.advertisementThe largest concentrations of US forces are located in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. Here's a look at the most prominent ones:Al Udeid Air Base (Qatar): At 60 acres and with almost 10,000 troops, it is the largest US military installation in West Asia. It functions as the forward headquarters for US Central Command, also known as CENTCOM, and can house nearly 100 aircraftNaval Support Activity, Bahrain: Located in Manama, it is the headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet. It hosts approximately 9,000 personnelCamp Arifjan (Kuwait): Established in 1999, it hosts a sizeable proportion of the 13,500 American forces stationed in KuwaitAl Dhafra Air Base (United Arab Emirates): This strategic air base hosts 5,000 US military personnel and advanced aircraft, such as F-22 Raptor stealth fightersPrince Sultan Air Base (Saudi Arabia): More than 2,700 American forces are stationed here. Recent deployments to this facility have included F-16 fighter jets relocated from ItalyMuwaffaq Salti Air Base (Jordan): This base hosts approximately 3,000 American troops and is reported to have several MQ-9 Reaper drones, crucial for intelligence and strike missionsTrump, in his most recent statement today, said that he will allow two weeks for further negotiations before deciding on striking Iran. Americans are hoping that in the meantime, Iran will relent and agree to terms it had rejected earlier, including abandoning its enrichment of uranium.advertisementRussia on Thursday also warned the US not to take military action against Iran. Moscow is one of Tehran's most important allies. "We would like to particularly warn Washington against military intervention in the situation," Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said. Though Trump has reportedly rejected Russia's offer to broker peace.On the sidelines, foreign ministers from France and Germany, and the European Union's high representative, Kaja Kallas, are meeting Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Geneva today to find a diplomatic solution for Tehran's nuclear programme.Tune InMust Watch
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