U.S. military has enough capability in Middle East for now

U.S. Defence Secretary Mark Esper said he believed the U.S. military had sufficient capability in the Middle East for now to deter conflict, dismissing a media report that a major troop increase was under consideration amid tension with Iran.

Esper, speaking to a small group of reporters, did not rule out rotations of forces or even minor increases in the future.

“But nothing in terms of the numbers – 14,000 – it’s just a completely false report,” Esper said as he flew to California a defence forum at the Reagan Library.

He added that he regularly reviews requests but stressed that “right now, there is no 14,000-person request to deploy forces.”

Esper’s remarks on the issue were the most extensive since the Pentagon on Wednesday strongly denied a Wall Street Journal report that the United States was considering sending as many as 14,000 additional troops to the region.

Via Reuters