Post by whitehorse on Jan 5, 2020 12:07:07 GMT
US sending thousands of Fort Bragg troops to Middle East in response to Iran threat
More Marines will reinforce Baghdad embassy
By Boston Herald Wire Services |
WASHINGTON — The U.S. is deploying around 3,500 additional soldiers from Fort Bragg, N.C., to the Middle East to protect American personnel, bases and interests after Iran promised to retaliate for the Thursday drone strike that killed one of its top generals.
The troops are from the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division Global Response Force brigade. The brigade is specialized to have its first units deploy within 18 hours in response to any threat and have the full complement of forces deploy within 96 hours.
Iran’s leader on Friday pledged retaliation against U.S. interests for the death of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, leader of the Quds Force, which has been responsible for escalating attacks against U.S. facilities and personnel in Iraq, as well as the deaths of hundreds of U.S. service members during the Iraq War.
The forces will be based in Kuwait but will be able to pivot to many of the high-tension areas in the region where the U.S. has had to defend against Iranian threats, such as the Strait of Hormuz, where Iranian forces have targeted container ships.
The U.S. also will send more troops to protect the embassy compound penetrated by militias and their supporters in Baghdad on Tuesday and does not plan an evacuation, the Pentagon and State Department said.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the U.S. has taken actions to “ensure the safety of American citizens, military personnel and diplomats” and to “ensure our right of self-defense. We are sending additional forces to support our personnel at the Embassy.”
The extra force will consist of a small additional detachment of Marine security guards, two defense officials in Washington said. They would be from the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group, which is trained specifically to provide security at U.S. diplomatic missions. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be identified.
“U.S. personnel are secure,” added an official from the State Department. “There are no plans to evacuate Embassy Baghdad.” This official also was not authorized to be cited by name.
Dozens of Iraqi Shiite militiamen and their supporters broke into the U.S. Embassy compound, smashing a main door, setting fire to a reception area and drawing tear gas fired by embassy guards. The mob was angered over deadly U.S. airstrikes that targeting the Iran-backed militia on Sunday.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. is deploying around 3,500 additional soldiers from Fort Bragg, N.C., to the Middle East to protect American personnel, bases and interests after Iran promised to retaliate for the Thursday drone strike that killed one of its top generals.
The troops are from the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division Global Response Force brigade. The brigade is specialized to have its first units deploy within 18 hours in response to any threat and have the full complement of forces deploy within 96 hours.
Iran’s leader on Friday pledged retaliation against U.S. interests for the death of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, leader of the Quds Force, which has been responsible for escalating attacks against U.S. facilities and personnel in Iraq, as well as the deaths of hundreds of U.S. service members during the Iraq War.
The forces will be based in Kuwait but will be able to pivot to many of the high-tension areas in the region where the U.S. has had to defend against Iranian threats, such as the Strait of Hormuz, where Iranian forces have targeted container ships.
The U.S. also will send more troops to protect the embassy compound penetrated by militias and their supporters in Baghdad on Tuesday and does not plan an evacuation, the Pentagon and State Department said.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the U.S. has taken actions to “ensure the safety of American citizens, military personnel and diplomats” and to “ensure our right of self-defense. We are sending additional forces to support our personnel at the Embassy.”
The extra force will consist of a small additional detachment of Marine security guards, two defense officials in Washington said. They would be from the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group, which is trained specifically to provide security at U.S. diplomatic missions. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be identified.
“U.S. personnel are secure,” added an official from the State Department. “There are no plans to evacuate Embassy Baghdad.” This official also was not authorized to be cited by name.
Dozens of Iraqi Shiite militiamen and their supporters broke into the U.S. Embassy compound, smashing a main door, setting fire to a reception area and drawing tear gas fired by embassy guards. The mob was angered over deadly U.S. airstrikes that targeting the Iran-backed militia on Sunday.
