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DETENTE WITH IRAN RECEDES AS US STRENGTHENS GULF DEFENSES
by Guy Adams
The Independent
Monday, February 1, 2010
UK
Expansion of Patriot missile programme follows Obama's warning
to Tehran
Days after a State of the Union address that threatened "growing
consequences" if Iran continues to ignore international concerns over
its nuclear programme, the Obama administration has quietly revealed
plans to increase its military presence and step up arms sales to
friendly regimes in the Persian Gulf.
A Patriot missile is launched during an Israeli-US military excercise
in the Negev desert in southern Israel in February 2001. (Photograph:
Reuters)The US will provide new anti-missile systems to at least four
Arab countries, and help Saudi Arabia triple the size of a 10,000-man
force protecting its most important potential military targets from
attack. America's Navy will also begin deploying ships capable of
intercepting medium-range nuclear missiles off the Iranian coast at
all times.
News of the moves slipped out in a mixture of off-the-record interviews
and formal briefings over the weekend, and is likely to fuel concerns
of an arms race among mutually suspicious regimes in the region. The
United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have spent at least $25 billion
[£15.6bn] on US-built weapons in the past two years.
For President Obama they represent a tangible shift in policy:
in contrast with President Bush, he had until now hoped that quiet
diplomacy might persuade Iran to rein back its nuclear programmes.
However, his early efforts to make overtures towards Tehran have fallen
flat and international inspectors have yet to be granted access to
the country's nuclear development facilities.
That appears to have prompted the new, tougher line from the
Obama administration. "As Iran's leaders continue to ignore their
obligations, there should be no doubt: they, too, will face growing
consequences," said the President, in his State of the Union address
last week.
Iran continues to insist that its nuclear ambitions are civilian
rather than military. After meeting allies in London last week,
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters that the US now
hopes to convince the international community to increase sanctions
against its government, and warned China that its opposition to that
move was "short-sighted."
In an effort to sidestep allegations of warmongering, the Obama
administration is eager to stress that all of its new deployments
are entirely defensive in nature. They form part of an updated global
ballistic missile defence policy that will be put to Congress today.
Outlining some details of the new US policy, General David Petraeus,
the Central Command chief responsible for the Middle East, told a
conference at the Institute for the Study of War in Washington that
new systems being supplied to the region consisted of "eight Patriot
missile batteries, two in each of four countries".
Those countries are thought to be Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE and Bahrain,
which will join Saudi Arabia and Israel in possessing the equipment.
Adding that Patriots are capable of shooting down short-range offensive
missiles, General Petraeus said: "Iran is clearly seen as a very
serious threat by those on the other side of the Gulf front."
He also revealed that the United States Navy will now be keeping
Aegis cruisers on patrol in the Persian Gulf at all times, vessels
which are generally equipped with radar systems that are designed to
intercept medium-range missiles.
Accepting US military support can present political problems for
Arab countries, and the White House did not formally comment on any
of the moves.
by Guy Adams
The Independent
Monday, February 1, 2010
UK
Expansion of Patriot missile programme follows Obama's warning
to Tehran
Days after a State of the Union address that threatened "growing
consequences" if Iran continues to ignore international concerns over
its nuclear programme, the Obama administration has quietly revealed
plans to increase its military presence and step up arms sales to
friendly regimes in the Persian Gulf.
A Patriot missile is launched during an Israeli-US military excercise
in the Negev desert in southern Israel in February 2001. (Photograph:
Reuters)The US will provide new anti-missile systems to at least four
Arab countries, and help Saudi Arabia triple the size of a 10,000-man
force protecting its most important potential military targets from
attack. America's Navy will also begin deploying ships capable of
intercepting medium-range nuclear missiles off the Iranian coast at
all times.
News of the moves slipped out in a mixture of off-the-record interviews
and formal briefings over the weekend, and is likely to fuel concerns
of an arms race among mutually suspicious regimes in the region. The
United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have spent at least $25 billion
[£15.6bn] on US-built weapons in the past two years.
For President Obama they represent a tangible shift in policy:
in contrast with President Bush, he had until now hoped that quiet
diplomacy might persuade Iran to rein back its nuclear programmes.
However, his early efforts to make overtures towards Tehran have fallen
flat and international inspectors have yet to be granted access to
the country's nuclear development facilities.
That appears to have prompted the new, tougher line from the
Obama administration. "As Iran's leaders continue to ignore their
obligations, there should be no doubt: they, too, will face growing
consequences," said the President, in his State of the Union address
last week.
Iran continues to insist that its nuclear ambitions are civilian
rather than military. After meeting allies in London last week,
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters that the US now
hopes to convince the international community to increase sanctions
against its government, and warned China that its opposition to that
move was "short-sighted."
In an effort to sidestep allegations of warmongering, the Obama
administration is eager to stress that all of its new deployments
are entirely defensive in nature. They form part of an updated global
ballistic missile defence policy that will be put to Congress today.
Outlining some details of the new US policy, General David Petraeus,
the Central Command chief responsible for the Middle East, told a
conference at the Institute for the Study of War in Washington that
new systems being supplied to the region consisted of "eight Patriot
missile batteries, two in each of four countries".
Those countries are thought to be Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE and Bahrain,
which will join Saudi Arabia and Israel in possessing the equipment.
Adding that Patriots are capable of shooting down short-range offensive
missiles, General Petraeus said: "Iran is clearly seen as a very
serious threat by those on the other side of the Gulf front."
He also revealed that the United States Navy will now be keeping
Aegis cruisers on patrol in the Persian Gulf at all times, vessels
which are generally equipped with radar systems that are designed to
intercept medium-range missiles.
Accepting US military support can present political problems for
Arab countries, and the White House did not formally comment on any
of the moves.