Pentagon chief seeks to reassure concerned Middle East allies
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[November 20, 2021]
By Idrees Ali
MANAMA (Reuters) -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.
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"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.
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![](../images/112021pics/news_r67.jpg)
U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin attends a NATO Defence Ministers
meeting at the Alliance headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, October
21, 2021. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol/File Photo
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"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.
(Reporting by Idrees Ali; Additional reporting by Alexander Cornwell
and Ghaida Ghantous in Dubai; Editing by William Mallard and David
Clarke)
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