US removes Gulf air defense batteries amid Houthi drone strikes - report

Jerusalem Post ^ | 04.02/2021 | By TZVI JOFFRE

[EBH]

The withdrawals are part of an attempt by the administration to further reduce the US's presence in the Middle East, according to the report.

The US has removed at least three Patriot antimissile batteries from the Gulf region, despite recent waves of Houthi drone and missile strikes against targets in Saudi Arabia, as part of a move to shift military capabilities from the Middle East, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

"I am -- am not going to get into specific capabilities that are in specific places, and for how long they will be. I -- I think I need to just leave it at that," added Kirby, who stressed multiple times that he would not confirm the report, "particularly in that part of the world."

In response to a question about whether the US is moving resources to face China, Kirby stated that "it should be lost on nobody" that the secretary of defense's first overseas trip was to the Indo-Pacific region to meet with US allies and partners on tensions in the region, which he added were "in many ways, being propelled by China's aggressive activities and their excessive maritime claims and - and military modernization." Tensions between China and the US have increased in recent years, with both the Trump and Biden administrations taking a hard stance on their global rival.

In a March meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan and China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi and State Councilor Wang Yi in Anchorage, the two sides sparred with unusually blunt public remarks, according to Reuters. "We will...discuss our deep concerns with actions by China, including in Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Taiwan, cyber attacks on the United States, economic coercion of our allies," said Blinken at the time. "Each of these actions threaten the rules-based order that maintains global stability."

"The United States uses its military force and financial hegemony to carry out long arm jurisdiction and suppress other countries," said Yang. "It abuses so-called notions of national security to obstruct normal trade exchanges, and incite some countries to attack China."

[EBH]

China

As some were wondering when this was reported earlier this week.

[HighSierra5]

Byedone ain’t gonna do chit. He’ll surrender to the Chicoms in a New York minute.

[McCarthysGhost]

Iran is happy...Saudi Arabia very sad. Changes for Middle East war higher.

[pepsionice]

I wouldn’t worry...with relations growing between Saudi Arabia and Israel...air defense will be replaced within weeks.

[Candor7]

Joe effing America up its a$$.

I truly detest these Aliinsky ba$tids.

[srmanuel]

And probably with better rule of engagement, allowing the actually use the air defense system instead of just deploying it..

[Gen.Blather]

Full disclosure; I spent a well paid career working in the military industrial complex for 33 years. I worked on all sorts of equipment that, although sold to the US, was destined for a foreign power. It’s sold to the US because if something happens politically, as sometimes did when the presidency changed parties, that equipment sale was cancelled but the equipment got built and delivered to the US military. Because, ultimately, it’s not about supplying equipment to a foreign power, it’s about jobs in the US.

From the perspective of US “allies” buying us military equipment or relying on US protection is idiotic. Every four or eight years the US becomes bipolar and slaps our allies or punishes them for, say, not allowing transgender rights, or a negative report on veganism. There’s any number of reasons why the US government might suddenly stop suppling vital components that will render your super expensive high tech military items into so much dead weight.

As for any future agreements, here’s what to negotiate for. Along with the purchase you get a full technical data package and production rights along with technical help in setting up a production facility. (Here’s a big hint. South Korea has most likely obtained the entire tech package by hook or crook (mostly crook) and has already set up a line to produce exact fit, form and function spares. I know this for a fact in the Abrams spares. AND, here’s another plus, they are cheaper than the sometimes inferior* US made parts.)

* Now, you might wonder why they could be inferior. Well, in two words, welfare jobs. Many US manufacturers got significant tax breaks by employing people off the welfare roles. Having dealt with this I can attest that people given the choice of sitting home swilling Coke and taking drugs or showing up to work 40-plus hour weeks don’t take kindly to the latter. And, if they aren’t actively sabotaging the equipment, their skills are poor and their attention to their work is limited. From what I’ve seen of Korean work, that isn’t the case there.

[Joe Boucher]

I guess the Saudi’s haven’t bribed the Biden family enough where as the Iranians and ChiComs have done a great job doing so.

[Terry L Smith]

Ok, so WHERE are we going to put these toys now?

[Wuli]

To me there is another part to this story:

Either (1) the U.S. military is so bare bones thread bare it cannot leave those anti-missile batteries in place in the Middle East and provide such equipment somewhere else, or (2) it is false and maybe just a cover story to think they are being pulled because they are needed elsewhere. Either way there is zero transparency and 100% obfuscation with the Biden administration.

[AppyPappy]

I bet they buy Chinese SAMs

[bert]

“Nearly two months after the United States announced it would halt “offensive” support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, as well as “relevant” arms sales, the administration of President Joe Biden has offered little clarity on how it will define those parameters.”

“The move, though short on specifics, was welcomed by US-based advocates, who had long argued that Washington should end its backing of the coalition due to reports of widespread human rights abuses and the conflict’s punishing humanitarian toll on Yemeni civilians.”

To some it seems the Biden regime action is merely window dressing that appears to be important change but actually is not. Biden is all about appearance

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/3/advocates-see-opportunity-us-review-saudi-arms-review

[Husker24]

Biden will probably deploy them around the Capital, in case some “White Supremacists” launch pumpkins at him with a trebuchet or something.

[Truth29]

So to help the Iranians and their Hothi proxies, we withdraw defensive capabilities. The Saudi's will now turn to the Israelis or, maybe, the Russians. Biden and company have switched sizes and will be helping the terrorists now.

[RedMonqey]

“And, if they aren’t actively sabotaging the equipment, their skills are poor and their attention to their work is limited. "

My brother could attest to that. He worked a very good job at the local military installation repairing helicopters and one of his 'co-workers" fit that description. When he wasn't absent, his work product was so poor my brother would take the time to redo it so his work wouldn't look inferior. seems this 'worker' had a history of being shifted from job to job sector within the company cuz the bosses didn't want the hassle to fire this affirmative action" hire. Even other minorities hated him cuz he made their work slowdown and embarrassed he was "one of them'

My brother quit because he got tired of all the hassle.

[Ikeon]

I agree, if a person is inclined to drink crownroyal and do drugs on the government dime,is suddenly cut off from that dime and told to go to work. You can bet the work wont be worth a plug nickel. You need to start today cutting off the government support. So that FUTURE generations will learn the power of working for your wages.

[ronnie raygun]

Creating war conditions and the rhinos and rats are giddy!

[plain talk]

I am not sure the main reason they are being withdrawn is because they are needed elsewhere. This is signaling and posturing.

[null and void]

EVERYTHING obama biden does either:

a) Weakens America/Americans
b) Distances America's allies
c) Strengthens America's enemies
d) Attacks Christianity
e) Serves islam
f) Harms Israel
Or some combination of the above.

The government wants to disarm us after 244 yrs 'cuz they plan to do things we would shoot them for!

At no point in history has any government ever wanted its people to be defenseless for any good reason ~ nully's son

The biggest killer of mankind

Nut-job Conspiracy Theory Ping!

To get onto The Nut-job Conspiracy Theory Ping List you must threaten to report me to the Mods if I don't add you to the list...

biden's mind...

[bert]

——because they are needed elsewhere.——

You used the phrase signaling and posturing. you are correct. In effect the Biden regime pretended to do something while actually doing nothing

It is my thought that in the meantime, the American batteries in question were replaced by Saudi batteries.

The unknown is how many Americans remain to train and advise the Saudi military personnel manning the newly emplaced batteries?

And Oh yes. Are the American F22’s still based at Prince Sultan Air Base?