Insight into the Trump administration’s plans in the Middle East
O
n the surface, they seem disconnected, but two developments last Friday are in fact deeply intertwined and give us insight into the Trump administration’s plans in the Middle East.
First, the White House announced its decision to send an extra 1,500 soldiers to the Middle East, after the Pentagon arrived at the conclusion that Iran was behind the mysterious wave of naval sabotage in the Persian Gulf over the last few weeks.
Hours earlier, the administration sidestepped Congressional oversight to sell offensive weapons — including bombs, missile systems, and drones — to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, invoking the president’s emergency authority to protect national security interests.
Most read the move as yet another effort to counter Iran. By supplying Saudi Arabia, Iran’s chief Gulf foe, with powerful new weapons, the White House is sending Tehran a clear signal about its intentions. That said, President Trump has insisted he is not interested in a war with Iran, especially after he has made it a policy to withdraw troops from the Middle East.
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