Tue May, 2021, Age: 2 years
Maring General Frank McKenzie, who leads U.S. Central Command, said on Sunday that as the U.S. scales back its military presence in the Middle East to focus on great power competition with China and Russia, it risks giving its competitors a chance to fill the power gap and expand their influence around the Gulf region. He highlighted weapons sales as one need that China and Russia could both easily exploit. But in meetings with Saudi leaders who were “very concerned” with the ongoing U.S. military posture review, McKenzie stressed that the U.S. would continue to have a presence in the region. “I think we’re going to play a very smart game…to leverage what we have,” he said. “The United States is the partner of choice. IT’s only when that option is not open are countries going to hedge and seek other opportunities.”
