Pentagon chief seeks to reassure concerned Middle East allies
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin sought on Saturday to
reassure allies in the Middle East that President Joe Biden's administration
was committed to the region despite Washington increasingly turning its
attention towards countering China.
It was unclear how much impact Austin's speech would have
with Washington's allies in the Middle East, since it was not backed by any
announcements of further deployments or new weapon sales in the region.
Gulf Arab states, heavily reliant on the U.S. military
umbrella, have expressed uncertainty about Biden's focus on the region,
especially after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. They are now closely
watching efforts to revive a global-powers nuclear pact with Iran.
In a speech in Bahrain during a trip to the Gulf, Austin
acknowledged concern in the region and globally that the United States was
solely focussed on China's challenge.
"Let's be clear: America's commitment to security in
the Middle East is strong and sure," Austin said.
He said the United States was committed to countering Iran,
even as Washington works to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.
"We remain committed to a diplomatic outcome of the
nuclear issue. But if Iran isn't willing to engage seriously, then we will look
at all the options necessary to keep the United States secure," Austin
said.
The Pentagon chief said that Washington would be coming to
the indirect negotiations on reviving the deal starting on Nov. 29 in Vienna in
good faith.
"But Iran's actions in recent months have not been
encouraging - especially because of the expansion of their nuclear
programme," he Austin said.
Gulf states have asked for any deal to address what they
call Iran's ballistic missile programme and destabilising behaviour in the
region.
'IMPENDING AMERICAN ABANDONMENT'?
While a number of U.S. administrations have tried to move
the focus away from the Middle East and towards the Pacific, Biden in August
ended the longest U.S. war, in Afghanistan.
"There's dismay that the United States is on its way
out the door. I'm not sure messaging addresses that sense of impending American
abandonment," said Jon Alterman of the Washington CSIS think-tank.
A senior U.S. defence official, speaking on condition of
anonymity, said Austin was not expected to make new commitments in the region
during his trip.
Saudi Arabia, one of Washington's closest regional allies,
has been frustrated by the approach of Biden's White House, which has pressed
Riyadh to improve its human rights record and end the war in Yemen.
Former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki al-Faisal,
attending the Manama security forum, welcomed verbal assurances but said
"demonstrative actions are equally important".
He cited the need to prevent Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis
from obtaining arms. Washington is pressing Riyadh to lift a coalition blockade
on Houthi-held areas, a condition from the group for ceasefire talks.
Austin was set to visit Saudi Arabia in September but the
trip was postponed at the last minute. He will not be visiting Riyadh on this
trip.
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