Expert outlines why U.S. troops likely to remain in Persian Gulf
Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani, an expert on the West Asia region, has said that the U.S. Pentagon is carrying out a military plan in the Persian Gulf that benefits Saudi Arabia and other U.S. allies in the region.
“That the Pentagon is seeking conduct a ‘plan of rapid deployment’ of U.S. forces to the Persian Gulf is rooted in an old strategy that benefits Saudi Arabia and Washington’s partners in the Persian Gulf,” Ardestani said an exclusive interview with ILNA, adding that Iran is facing such a strategy.
Commenting on the reasons why the U.S. is pursuing this strategy, the expert said, “The macro and long-term strategy of the United States clearly shows that these bases do not have only military functions, but through these bases, the United States tries to somehow convey its political positions as well as its security messages to the countries of the region and its competitors, including China and Russia.”
He added, “In the meantime, I believe that the American foreign policy team and the President of the United States went in the direction of distancing Saudi Arabia from China, Russia, and even Iran in any way possible, and even in the meantime, they want Riyadh to put a turn in Israel's favor on its agenda.”
The expert continued, “They are trying to make America's presence in the Persian Gulf appear because of Iran's threats, but the reality is that the current military and political structure of America is trying to somehow keep Saudi Arabia satisfied on the eve of the 2024 presidential elections.”
He noted, “Based on this, I believe that the issue of the deployment or continued deployment of American troops to the Persian Gulf should be considered as a form of encouragement for Saudi Arabia, which shows that Biden's team still needs the support of the Saudis on the eve of the elections.”