US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, left, greets Saudi Arabia Deputy Minister of Defense Prince Salman bin Sultan, before a meeting at the Radisson Hotel, on December 6 in Manama, Bahrain. AP
MANAMA鈥擳he United States is committed to maintaining a 35,000-strong force in the Gulf region regardless of a nuclear deal with Iran, Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel said Saturday in Bahrain.
The United States has an armada of ships and aircraft in place and 鈥渨ill not make any adjustments to its forces in the region 鈥� or to its military planning鈥� as a result of the interim agreement with Iran,鈥� said Hagel, according to a prepared text of a speech.
In a trip meant to reassure Gulf Arab allies worried about America鈥檚 diplomatic opening with Iran, Hagel enumerated a list of US weaponry and resources that will remain deployed in the region.
鈥淲e have a ground, air, and naval presence of more than 35,000 military personnel in and immediately around the Gulf,鈥� he said, according to the text released in advance of his speech in Manama.
The military footprint includes 10,000 US Army troops with tanks and Apache helicopters, roughly 40 ships at sea including an aircraft carrier battle group, missile defense systems, advanced radar, surveillance drones and warplanes that can strike at short notice, he said.
鈥淲e have deployed our most advanced fighter aircraft throughout the region, including F-22s, to ensure that we can quickly respond to contingencies,鈥� Hagel said.
鈥淐oupled with our unique munitions, no target is beyond our reach,鈥� said Hagel, in an apparent reference to 鈥渂unker buster鈥� bombs designed to penetrate deeply buried targets.
Some of Iran鈥檚 most sensitive nuclear sites are believed to be located underground and Washington has publicized the development of weapons capable of striking buried bunkers.
Speaking at an annual security conference in Manama organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Hagel also noted investments in minesweeper ships and a $580 million construction project for the US Fifth Fleet headquarters, the naval command in Bahrain that oversees vessels across the Middle East.
US not in 鈥榬etreat鈥�
A senior US defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told reporters the speech was intended to send a message of solidarity to Gulf allies while also conveying a warning to adversaries 鈥渢hat any sort of mythology of American retreat is just wrong-headed.鈥�
The remarks came a day after Hagel told sailors on the USS Ponce docked in Bahrain that he would 鈥渁ssure our partners that we鈥檙e not going anywhere鈥� despite the diplomatic gambit with Iran.
Gulf allies, especially Saudi Arabia, are concerned over a November 24 interim accord between world powers and Iran that offers limited sanctions relief in return for Tehran rolling back elements of its nuclear program.
Washington鈥檚 reluctance to intervene against Syria鈥檚 President Bashar al-Assad, a staunch ally of Tehran, as well as budget pressures and a US 鈥渞ebalance鈥� to Asia have raised doubts among Gulf governments and Israel about America鈥檚 influence in the region.
The details of the US military鈥檚 presence around the Gulf are not new. But by having the defense secretary lay out the details of the military鈥檚 deployment in a high-profile manner in a Gulf state, US officials hoped to ease strains with its longstanding partners.
Although the Pentagon faces the prospect of steep budget cuts, the large US presence in the Middle East would remain a top priority and largely shielded from major spending reductions.
In addition to keeping a robust US force in place, Hagel vowed to bolster the military strength of Gulf states while pursuing major joint exercises and training.
He proposed a new initiative that would allow the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), that includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, to qualify to purchase US weapons as an organization.
The idea is to encourage closer security cooperation among the Gulf states, especially on missile defense, Hagel said. Washington for years has tried to persuade the Gulf governments to forge a common missile defense networks to counter Iran鈥檚 growing missile arsenal but the effort has produced mixed results.
The Pentagon 鈥渨ill work with the GCC on better integration of its members鈥� missile defense capabilities,鈥� Hagel said.
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