Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates met yesterday in Egypt with members of the Gulf Cooperation Council to “re-affirm that the Persian Gulf and the Middle East are an enduring vital interest to the United States,” Gates told reporters. In a predeparture statement, Rice said that these new efforts would “help bolster forces of moderation and support a broader strategy to counter the negative influences of al Qaeda, Hizballah, Syria, and Iran.” To bolster its security assistance in the region, the US is investing billions. Israel gets $30 billion for a new 10-year military assistance program; right now the US average contribution is $2.4 billion per year. Egypt gets $13 billion for a new 10-year military assistance program. On a less expensive note, they will begin a “serious conversation”—said Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns—with Saudi Arabia and other GCC members to address their security needs.
Space Force Is an ‘Equal Partner’ in CENTCOM, Commander Says
March 27, 2023
The Space Force's top commander for the Middle East faces a two-fold resource problem, he said March 27. But with the support of U.S. Central Command and the Space Force, Col. Christopher Putman hopes to grow his team to confront the myriad of challenges presented to the U.S. in the…