Posted on 10/11/2019 1:47:51 PM PDT by tkocur
Roughly 1,800 U.S. service members, as well as several dozen fighter jets and other air defense implements, will be sent to Saudi Arabia to help protect the Kingdom amid heightened tensions with Iran, the Pentagon announced Friday.
Officials said the U.S. is set to ship two F-15 squadrons, two Patriot missile batteries, one anti-missile defense system known as THADD and other planes.
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said he informed Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman earlier Friday about the additional troops “to ensure and enhance the defense of Saudi Arabia.”
"Saudi Arabia is a longstanding security partner in the Middle East and has asked for additional support to supplement their own defense and defend the international rules-based order," Esper told reporters at the Pentagon.
The Pentagon’s announcement came just hours after Iranian officials said two missiles from an undetermined source hit one of its oil tankers that was traveling through the Red Sea about 60 miles off the coast of Saudi Arabia.
The explosions from the missiles damaged two storerooms aboard the oil tanker – identified as the Sibiti – and caused a brief oil leak into the Red Sea. The leak was later plugged, Iranian state television reported.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Really object to any tax dollars directed to protect the 9/11 Saudis. Too bad Trump is surrounded by globalist fools who will willingly shed the blood of decent Americans. If he simply followed his instincts, the country would be far better off.
“If I were to follow Thomas Wictor’s logic these might be to back fill Saudi GSC troops up in Syria.....”
That - the Saudi forces - was temporarily in southern Syria, and they have left. And they - the Saudis - are not with our forces with the Kurds in northern Syria.
Why not pull the troops out of Afghanistan and move them to Saudi Arabia where they are at least welcomed and not seen as an occupational army? The afghans hate foreigners —they still grumble about the last person to conqueror them with any success—Alexander the Great—and he married Roxanne, an Afghan Princess. “Alexander conquered us, but we conquered his heart.” By all account the famed Greek did seem to love Roxanne and she gave him a son. Imperial England tried to take it and failed, The Soviet Union tried and failed, now we gave it a wack and failed. In the future China my try.
Why not pull the troops out of Afghanistan and move them to Saudi Arabia where they are at least welcomed and not seen as an occupational army? The afghans hate foreigners —they still grumble about the last person to conqueror them with any success—Alexander the Great—and he married Roxanne, an Afghan Princess. “Alexander conquered us, but we conquered his heart.” By all account the famed Greek did seem to love Roxanne and she gave him a son. Imperial England tried to take it and failed, The Soviet Union tried and failed, now we gave it a wack and failed. In the future China my try.
I understand why the Kurds need our help and I know how heroically they worked with us in Syria, and Iraq. But tell me again why the Saudis - the richest country in the Middle East - are incapable if fighting for themselves.
I am for this. We are the strongest country on earth. We do not need to run away. We need to be in control or else Iran and Russia will be happy to.They are not afraid.
Well, China is taking control of Africa. Do you want our young men and women to occupy Africa, too? Where and when does it end? Bring the troops home. Enough.
I know how often we have been an ally for the Saudis. I don’t know any occasion they have been an ally for us.
Something is going on.
Well we owe them for all the support they gave us after 9/11
/s
Why?
The SAAF are one of the best-funded defence forces in the world. Saudi Arabia has the world’s third largest defense budget.
International Institute for Strategic Studies estimates in 2017 listed a total of 127,000 personnel (75,000 RSLF; 13,500 Navy; 20,000 Air Force; 16,000 Air Defence; and Strategic Missile Forces 2,500). The RSLF figure is quite possibly inflated. The National Guard, with 100,000 personnel, many tribal and only-available-on-callup, and 24,500 paramilitary personnel round out the figures.
I would wait for all the (usual) knee-jerk reactions until we find out what’s going on over there.
Horse Manure, the Saud Royals knew exactly the policies and actions bin Laden espoused, and they agreed with his plan to impose Sharia outside Saudi Arabia. They just tried to force him to follow Royal orders in doing it.
When bin Laden went rogue they allowed him to escape to Afghanistan, keep his wealth, add to it, set up shop with al Qaeda, and plan and execute 9-11 with Saudi financial support.
The Saudis had authority to imprison and execute bin Laden under Saudi Law early on. They chose to let him go and supported him for years.
bUT REMEMBER, “THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMY IS MY FRIEND
(Sorry, the all caps were accidental, afterwards it looked like too much to retype it.)
Iran is our enemy and the enemy of the Saudis too.
Right now the focus is to get Iran contained and not allow them to start a major war.
I thought those missiles happened a couple days ago.
+1
I don’t believe the Saudis were with us at Normandy. Doesn’t that preclude our sending troops there?
I don’t know if it means anything but the local TV station announced that there will be unusually heavy F-22 traffic out of Eglin for the next few days and not to worry about the noise.
Just a training mission and I imagine that is the truth.
Don’t start me talking
I could talk all night
My mind goes sleepwalking
While I’m putting the world to right
Called careers information
Have you got yourself an occupation?
Oliver’s army is here to stay
Oliver’s army are on their way
And I would rather be anywhere else
But here today
There was a checkpoint Charlie
He didn’t crack a smile
But it’s no laughing party
When you’ve been on the murder mile
Only takes one itchy trigger
One more widow, one less white nigger
Oliver’s army is here to stay
Oliver’s army are on their way
And I would rather be anywhere else
But here today
Hong Kong is up for grabs
London is full of Arabs
We could be in Palestine
Overrun by a Chinese line
With the boys from the Mersey and the Thames and the Tyne
But there’s no danger
It’s a professional career
Though it could be arranged
With just a word in Mr. Churchill’s ear
If you’re out of luck or out of work
We could send you to Johannesburg
Oliver’s army is here to stay
Oliver’s army are on their way
And I would rather be anywhere else
But here today
And I would rather be anywhere else
But here today
And I would rather be anywhere else
But here today, oh oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh
https://youtu.be/LrjHz5hrupA
Oh.
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