This is the US Fifth Fleet. Bahrain wants them out of the area. I don't blame them. The entire Persian Gulf is dominated by USA warship traffic and I am confident it's over kill over there.
The USA has overstayed it's welcome.
By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
Published: January 05, 2008, 23:09
Manama: President George W. Bush has dismissed reports that the US would shut down its military facility in Manama and pull the Fifth Fleet out of Bahrain as "untrue."
"Bahrain is a very hospitable place for our Navy and other Armed Forces, and that in itself should be a signal to people that we view Bahrain as a stable, strong country, which is all part of tracking investment," Bush yesterday told a group of Arab journalists at a roundtable meeting at the White House.
Bush, who will be in Bahrain next Saturday and Sunday for the first time as president, said that he would inform King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa about the US appreciation of his country's contributions.
Bahrain, a major non-Nato ally, has been the headquarters of US naval activity in the Gulf since 1947. However, a 2004 order by US Central Command to 650 US military dependents to leave Bahrain on grounds of possible terror attacks has sparked concerns that the base would be relocated.
Although Pentagon officials have often insisted that the mandatory departure was not an evacuation but rather a "temporary relocation", the non-return of the military dependents has perpetuated speculation about the possible closure of the base.
"It won't take long for me to allay concerns about pulling the Fifth Fleet out of Bahrain. As a matter of fact, I'm looking forward to not only dealing with the Bahraini officials and His Majesty, of course, but to talk to our troops there in Bahrain. I'm looking forward to thanking them for their service to the country," Bush said.
Bush's entourage said that he would visit US troops at Camp Arifjan, near Kuwait City, and the US Naval Facility in Juffair, in the Manama outskirts. Qatar, where the US has a major military base, is not included in the trip.
Describing his forthcoming trip to the Middle East as "substantive", Bush said that he would use it to "talk to friends and allies about the US strong commitment to regional security" and to confirm that "the United States is engaged and will remain engaged in the security of the region."
Non-official aspects of the Bush trip include delivering a speech in Abu Dhabi about "progress of freedom in the region, emerging economic progress, and how regional security is important for both continued economic growth and for the spread of freedom." He will also hold a roundtable discussion on democracy and development with Kuwaiti women.
Manama: President George W. Bush has dismissed reports that the US would shut down its military facility in Manama and pull the Fifth Fleet out of Bahrain as "untrue."
"Bahrain is a very hospitable place for our Navy and other Armed Forces, and that in itself should be a signal to people that we view Bahrain as a stable, strong country, which is all part of tracking investment," Bush yesterday told a group of Arab journalists at a roundtable meeting at the White House.
Bush, who will be in Bahrain next Saturday and Sunday for the first time as president, said that he would inform King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa about the US appreciation of his country's contributions.
Bahrain, a major non-Nato ally, has been the headquarters of US naval activity in the Gulf since 1947. However, a 2004 order by US Central Command to 650 US military dependents to leave Bahrain on grounds of possible terror attacks has sparked concerns that the base would be relocated.
Although Pentagon officials have often insisted that the mandatory departure was not an evacuation but rather a "temporary relocation", the non-return of the military dependents has perpetuated speculation about the possible closure of the base.
"It won't take long for me to allay concerns about pulling the Fifth Fleet out of Bahrain. As a matter of fact, I'm looking forward to not only dealing with the Bahraini officials and His Majesty, of course, but to talk to our troops there in Bahrain. I'm looking forward to thanking them for their service to the country," Bush said.
Bush's entourage said that he would visit US troops at Camp Arifjan, near Kuwait City, and the US Naval Facility in Juffair, in the Manama outskirts. Qatar, where the US has a major military base, is not included in the trip.
Describing his forthcoming trip to the Middle East as "substantive", Bush said that he would use it to "talk to friends and allies about the US strong commitment to regional security" and to confirm that "the United States is engaged and will remain engaged in the security of the region."
Non-official aspects of the Bush trip include delivering a speech in Abu Dhabi about "progress of freedom in the region, emerging economic progress, and how regional security is important for both continued economic growth and for the spread of freedom." He will also hold a roundtable discussion on democracy and development with Kuwaiti women.
