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United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo comments on his country’s withdrawal from Saudi Arabia’s “Patriot batteries” air defense systems, justifying that US forces should be redeployed.
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Pompeo: withdrawing the Patriot batteries from Saudi Arabia is not putting pressure on the Kingdom
United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo emphasized that withdrawing Saudi Arabia’s “Patriot batteries” air defense systems “is not a way to put pressure on Saudi Arabia about oil issues,” noting that the Defense Department may reveal more details in this regard later.
Pompeo said: “I would like to clarify that Patriot batteries have been deployed for a time and that forces must return, and need to be relocated,” adding that “this does not mean acknowledging the decreased risk.”
While hoping that “Iran will change its behavior,” he emphasized, “but the danger remains.”
Pompeo further explained that the step to withdraw the “Patriot batteries” from Saudi Arabia is not a reduction to support the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and emphasized: “We are doing everything possible to guarantee its security and provide it with air defense systems so that the Iranians cannot threaten them. “
The US newspaper “The Wall Street Journal” quoted US officials on Thursday, saying that US authorities will withdraw “Patriot” defense systems from Saudi Arabia and are considering reducing their military capabilities in the country.
The newspaper also quoted US officials who confirmed that the United States decided to withdraw 4 batteries of “Patriot” missiles from Saudi Arabia, along with dozens of military personnel who were dispatched “after a series of attacks on Saudi oil installations last year.”
Last week Reuters quoted US sources as confirming that United States President Donald Trump spoke to Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ten days before the announcement to cut Saudi oil extraction, and what He threatened to withdraw US soldiers from Saudi Arabia if the latter failed to reduce oil production. In view of reduced demand due to Corona virus procedures.
The agency reported that Trump threatened Bin Salman that if he did not, it would be difficult for him to prevent Congress from passing a law to withdraw US soldiers from the kingdom’s territory.
It is noteworthy that tension increased in the Gulf region, especially in light of strained US-Iranian relations, as well as after the Yemeni armed forces attacked marches for oil facilities and energy supplies belonging to the “Aramco” company. in Saudi Arabia, in response to aggression by the Saudi coalition in Yemen.
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