More than four decades after removing its troops from east of Suez, the United Kingdom is beefing up its military presence in the region, with Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson announcing plans to open a training base for ground forces in Oman next year following the opening of a naval base in Bahrain this spring.
Why it matters: Even with Britain deep in talks to leave the European Union, it can still represent European values in the region, experts say. “Britain is becoming more important in the region,” said Sigurd Neubauer, a Washington-based Middle East analyst. “It can in some ways speak for Europe broadly in the region, with the [Donald] Trump administration pursuing its own agenda.”
