Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel sought to reassure Persian Gulf region allies during his recent Bahrain visit that the U.S. is committed to security in the Middle East, Reuters reported Friday.
David Alexander writes Middle East leaders have expressed concern about U.S. response to the civil war in Syria and the temporary deal with Iran meant to limit parts of the country’s nuclear program for sanction relief.
“Our commitment to our partners in this area speaks for itself and I will assure our partners that we’re not going anywhere,” Hagel told troops on Friday during a tour of the USS Ponce, an anti-mine warship .
He also said the military’s strategic plans in Asia do not signify departure from other parts of the world, Reuters reports.
