In the latest reversal to his campaign promise to bring American troops home, the Trump administration is considering "significantly expanding" the US military footprint in the middle east, by sending as many as 14,000 additional troops, along with military hardware and a dozen ships to the Middle East, the WSJ reported.
If confirmed, the deployment would double the number of US military personnel who have been sent to the region since the start of a troop buildup in May. The decision whether to send thousands more American soldiers into harms way is expected to be made as soon as this month.
John Rood, the Pentagon’s senior policy official, on Wednesday hinted at an expanded deployment to counter Iran. Mr. Rood said no decision has been made on additional capabilities but that the situation is expected to remain fluid.“Deterrence is dynamic, our response is going to be dynamic,” he said at a breakfast with reporters.
Should Trump approve the plan, the additional US troops would join the roughly 14,000 service members already in the region since May, when American intelligence analysts "identified a threat" from Iran and the U.S. Central Command commander, Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, requested additional ships, missile-defense platforms and troops.
So far that threat has failed to materialize in anything more than an occasional staged false flag attack on some tanker sailing through the gulf.
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