Donald Trump says he is considering “winding down” military efforts in the Middle East.
Trump’s statement seemed at odds with his administration’s move to send more troops and warships to the region and request another $200billion from Congress to fund the war against Iran.
Trump made the comment in a post on social media Friday evening after another climb in oil prices sent the US stock market sharply lower.
The president also made confusing statements over whether the US would police the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane. Trump had said this week that the US didn’t need help, while also complaining that other countries did not help.
Trump wrote: “We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East with respect to the Terrorist Regime of Iran: (1) Completely degrading Iranian Missile Capability, Launchers, and everything else pertaining to them.
“(2) Destroying Iran’s Defense Industrial Base. (3) Eliminating their Navy and Air Force, including Anti Aircraft Weaponry. (4) Never allowing Iran to get even close to Nuclear Capability, and always being in a position where the U.S.A. can quickly and powerfully react to such a situation, should it take place. (5) Protecting, at the highest level, our Middle Eastern Allies, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and others.
“The Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other Nations who use it — The United States does not! If asked, we will help these Countries in their Hormuz efforts, but it shouldn’t be necessary once Iran’s threat is eradicated. Importantly, it will be an easy Military Operation for them. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
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Earlier, Trump said the UK “should have acted a lot faster” in allowing America to use British bases to strike Iranian missile sites targeting the Strait of Hormuz.
Ministers agreed on Friday afternoon that UK bases could be used for US “defensive operations to degrade the missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships”.
Up until this point, the Government had allowed the US to use British bases – including the one on Diego Garcia – only to hit missile sites targeting British interests in the region.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump said: “It’s been a very late response from the UK. I’m surprised because the relationship is so good, but this has never happened before. They were really, pretty much our first ally, all over the world.”
Referring to Diego Garcia, he said: “They didn’t want us to use the island, the so called island, which for some reason they gave up rights to it. I was a little surprised in the UK, to be honest. They should have acted a lot faster.”