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Pentagon ‘comfortable’ with troop levels in Middle East ahead of review

Whether the United States pulls forces from the Middle East to counter China may well depend on the success of Biden's diplomacy with Iran
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Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is keeping a close eye on the US military’s presence in the Middle East as new Pentagon leadership prepares to review the distribution of American forces across the globe.

“It’s about making sure that we have a robust enough deterrent capability in the Middle East,” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby told reporters on Friday.

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