Decrease in U.S. Naval Presence in the Persian Gulf

The American newspaper Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, October 1, that the military presence of the United States in the Persian Gulf region has decreased even as the Trump administration increases pressure on the Islamic Republic. The same newspaper had reported a week earlier on the Pentagon's intention to withdraw some of its air defense and missile forces from the Middle East. The previous report indicated that the Pentagon plans to remove four Patriot missile systems from Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain this month, October. Now, the Wall Street Journal writes that the U.S. Department of Defense has recently pulled out 'ships, aircraft, and missiles that it will need in a major confrontation' from the Persian Gulf region. According to this report, since March of this year, more than six months ago, when the USS Theodore Roosevelt left the Persian Gulf for the Pacific Ocean, 'no aircraft carrier' has been present in this region on behalf of the United States. The Wall Street Journal cites military experts stating that such a long absence by the U.S. in this region has not been seen in the past two decades. The newspaper had written in its previous report that these new decisions and movements indicate a shift in the focus of the U.S. military from the Middle East towards Russia and China. The latest report also refers to a 'change in military strategy' of the U.S. as well as 'limitations' in capabilities and the need for repairs and maintenance of military vessels. In the U.S. national security strategy developed for 2018, China and Russia are referred to as the 'greatest threats.' In this context, the Pentagon's strategy report for 2018 states: 'Long-term strategic competition with China and Russia is the primary priority of this department and requires increased and sustained investment.' Meanwhile, the Donald Trump administration has described the Islamic Republic as one of the 'major threats' to U.S. national security and has increased pressure on this government day by day since withdrawing from the JCPOA. Mr. Trump dedicated a significant portion of his recent speech at the United Nations General Assembly to Iran, stating that Iranian leaders 'plunder the country's resources to enrich themselves and spread devastation throughout the Middle East and beyond. The people of Iran have the right to be angry with their leaders who have stolen billions of dollars of their assets, seized valuable shares, and looted religious endowments to fill their pockets and send their proxy groups to war.' According to the Wall Street Journal, the Pentagon has also announced that it does not have enough aircraft carriers to deploy to all corners of the world, including the Middle East, Europe, and Asia, at the same time. Out of the 11 aircraft carriers of the U.S. Navy, only two, named Carl Vinson and Harry S. Truman, have been in service throughout the year, while the others have been docked for repairs and preparations.