The Patriot Files Forums  

Go Back   The Patriot Files Forums > Warfare > Warfare

Post New Thread  Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 12-10-2020, 10:50 AM
Boats's Avatar
Boats Boats is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sauk Village, IL
Posts: 21,784
Exclamation U.S. military on alert for potential Iranian attack in Middle East

U.S. military on alert for potential Iranian attack in Middle East
By: Lara Seligman - Politico News - 12-10-20
Re: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/1...-attack-444313

Photo link: https://static.politico.com/dims4/de...3759367773.png
The Pentagon announced that it flew a pair of B-52 bombers from their base in Barksdale, La., to the Middle East and back. | Ahn Young-joon/AP Photo

The Pentagon is concerned that Tehran could take advantage of the presidential transition and U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The U.S. military is on heightened alert and shoring up its forces in the Middle East to respond to a potential Iranian attack, a military official told POLITICO.

Specifically, the Pentagon is closely watching “troubling indicators of potential attack preparations” from Iranian militias in Iraq, the official said.

Pro-Iranian groups have recently resumed rocket attacks there, nearly a year after Iran launched ballistic missiles at the Ayn al Asad air base in western Iraq. More than 100 U.S. service members suffered brain injuries in that attack.


The Pentagon announced Thursday that it flew a pair of B-52 bombers from their base in Barksdale, La., to the Middle East and back to "deter aggression" in the region. The military has also taken other steps in recent weeks, including sending the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz back to the Middle East and dispatching an additional fighter jet squadron from Europe.

The moves are designed to deter Iran from taking any aggressive action against U.S. and coalition forces in the region, said the military official, who asked not to be named in order to discuss the moves. The Pentagon is concerned that Tehran could take advantage of the presidential transition and U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the upcoming anniversary of the U.S. killing of Iranian leader Qassem Soleimani, the official said.

“All those are factors that make it prudent to have a strong defensive posture right now in the region,” the official said, stressing that the moves are “not offensive in nature.” “There is no plan here to act, there is a plan to portray a strong defensive posture that would give a potential adversary pause.”

Most recently, the “short-notice, non-stop” bomber flight this week was designed to show the military’s commitment to other countries in the region, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command.

"The ability to fly strategic bombers halfway across the world in a non-stop mission, and to rapidly integrate them with multiple regional partners demonstrates our close working relationships and our shared commitment to regional security and stability," said Central Command chief Gen. Frank McKenzie.

The drawdowns in Iraq and Afghanistan will not negatively affect the military’s ability to respond to an Iranian attack, the official said, noting that moving troops out of the region decreases the number of potential targets.

"We do not seek conflict," McKenzie said, "but we must remain postured and committed to respond to any contingency or in opposition to any aggression."


FILED UNDER: MILITARY, AFGHANISTAN, AIR FORCE, PENTAGON, IRAQ, IRAN,
POLITICO
__________________
Boats

O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"IN GOD WE TRUST"
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

All times are GMT -7. The time now is 10:02 PM.


Powered by vBulletin, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.