Rumsfeld told reporters this week that he would not rule out raising the number of forces in Iraq as the country’s parliamentary elections approach in December. “It would not be a surprise to me that the commanders would want to have some sort of an overlap there,” explained Rumsfeld.
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
