Reuters: U.S. to maintain long presence in Gulf region -Gates

[Eugene]

U.S. to maintain long presence in Gulf region -Gates
Fri Dec 22, 2006 8:46 AM GMT

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - An increased U.S. naval presence in the Gulf is not a response
to any action by Iran but a message to all countries that the United States will
keep its regional footprint "for a long time", U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates
said on Friday.

CBS News reported on Monday that a projected naval buildup was intended to
discourage what U.S. officials view as increasingly provocative acts by Tehran
pressing for a nuclear program and support for Shi'ite militias in Iraq.

"I don't think it's a response to anything anyone else has done," Gates told reporters
during a three-day visit to Iraq.

"I think the message that we are sending to everyone, not just Iran, is that the United
States is an enduring presence in this part of the world. We have been here for a long
time. We will be here for a long time and everybody needs to remember that - both our
friends and those who might consider themselves our adversaries," he said.

-snip-

Full article: http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-12-22T084607Z_01_L22889691_RTRUKOC_0_UK-IRAN-USA-GATES.xml

[Sherman A1]

1. Well we have had a very long presence in the Gulf

and one would expect that to continue. This is no huge surprise. Moving naval units around to re-inforce that concept is just a quick method of reinforcing that thought.

[IndianaGreen]

6. Until one of our carriers is sunk by an Iranian missile, or

our colonial fleet finds itself trapped behind a blocked Hormuz Strait.

Ironically, it is our removal of Saddam that will bring down all those Sunni regimes that are still friendly to the US.

[OneBlueSky]

2. this is an always has been the reason for our invasion and occupation of Iraq . . .

to establish a permanent base of operations in the region in order to control the oil . . . everything else is just bullshit . . .

[izzie]

3. I think it is called capitalism. Gun boats always

seems to go with that. That is just off from the democracy thing but our fearless leaders do not get those small points. Few gun boats up the river always do the trick or does it? I wonder if changing all the laws in Iraq has anything to do with all these mad bombers that have turned up in the Middle East? Seems to me, if I recall, Germany, England and the USA had some trouble in China when they sent in boats and army to fix business in that country. Is not that how the Boxer got so up tight? England I believe took over the East Indian Co. and India for the same reason. Capitalism, which I really like, is not democracy and that seems to be some thing a lot of people do not see.

[blues90]

4. This is crap

They are not bringing any ships or carriers back as some have suggested , they are sending more and more carriers to the gulf .

This tells me only one thing , they have intentions of doing something in Iran .

[IndianaGreen]

5. Someone ought to tell this fool that the era of gun boat diplomacy ended

a century ago. In which rat hole did they find Gates hiding, the British Colonial Office?

Gates makes Rumsfeld look lucid!

[Morgana LaFey]

7. well, isn't ThAT a helpful message to send to the region?

in direct contradiction to one of the Iraq Study Group's recommendations.