This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/24/world/middleeast/trump-troop-increase-middle-east-iran.html
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Trump Approves Modest Increase of About 1,500 Troops in the Middle East | Trump Approves Modest Increase of About 1,500 Troops in the Middle East |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| WASHINGTON — President Trump said on Friday that he would deploy about 1,500 additional American troops to the Middle East, “a relatively small number” to provide protection for American service members already there. | WASHINGTON — President Trump said on Friday that he would deploy about 1,500 additional American troops to the Middle East, “a relatively small number” to provide protection for American service members already there. |
| “We want to have protection,” Mr. Trump said to reporters as he left the White House to travel to Japan for a state visit. “We’ll see what happens.” | “We want to have protection,” Mr. Trump said to reporters as he left the White House to travel to Japan for a state visit. “We’ll see what happens.” |
| Shortly after Mr. Trump spoke on the White House lawn, the acting defense secretary, Patrick Shanahan, described the deployments as “prudent defensive measure and intended to reduce the possibility of future hostilities.” | Shortly after Mr. Trump spoke on the White House lawn, the acting defense secretary, Patrick Shanahan, described the deployments as “prudent defensive measure and intended to reduce the possibility of future hostilities.” |
| In a statement, Mr. Shanahan said the deployments will consist of a Patriot missile-defense battalion; additional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft; an engineer element to improve protection measures for military personnel; and a fighter aircraft squadron. | In a statement, Mr. Shanahan said the deployments will consist of a Patriot missile-defense battalion; additional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft; an engineer element to improve protection measures for military personnel; and a fighter aircraft squadron. |
| The president reached his decision after a Thursday meeting at the White House with top national security aides, and concluded that a small increase would be sufficient to address any additional security threats in the region from Iran or its proxy forces. | The president reached his decision after a Thursday meeting at the White House with top national security aides, and concluded that a small increase would be sufficient to address any additional security threats in the region from Iran or its proxy forces. |
| During a Pentagon briefing on Friday, Defense Department officials for the first time publicly accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps for attacks on tankers in the Gulf of Oman. Vice Adm. Michael Gilday, the director of the Defense Department’s Joint Staff, said American intelligence has attributed the attacks to Iran. But he disclosed no supporting evidence. | |
| The small number of troops — compared with at least 20,000 that have been under consideration — may alleviate some of the concerns from Capitol Hill. Skeptical lawmakers, most of them Democrats, this week challenged administration officials about whether the latest tensions with Iran have been caused by Tehran or Washington. | The small number of troops — compared with at least 20,000 that have been under consideration — may alleviate some of the concerns from Capitol Hill. Skeptical lawmakers, most of them Democrats, this week challenged administration officials about whether the latest tensions with Iran have been caused by Tehran or Washington. |
| And Mr. Trump himself has been in favor of shrinking the American military presence in the region, especially in Syria. | And Mr. Trump himself has been in favor of shrinking the American military presence in the region, especially in Syria. |
| Before Thursday’s meeting at the White House, officials said, the Pentagon planned to present an option for deploying up to 20,000 troops to the region. But some Defense Department officials viewed such a move as running counter to protecting American troops already there, as it could give American adversaries in the region even more of a target. | Before Thursday’s meeting at the White House, officials said, the Pentagon planned to present an option for deploying up to 20,000 troops to the region. But some Defense Department officials viewed such a move as running counter to protecting American troops already there, as it could give American adversaries in the region even more of a target. |
| The Defense Department notified Congress of the new deployment on Friday. | The Defense Department notified Congress of the new deployment on Friday. |