The Rump has no idea where the US has bases, and no idea what he said ten minutes ago.The Pentagon on Tuesday said it could not square President Trump’s tweets about Qatar and terrorism with its own statement about the country’s enduring commitment to regional security.
“I can’t help you with that,” Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis said in response to a question about reconciling the president’s social media remarks and Department of Defense comments about the U.S. ally. “I will only tell you that we have, with regard to our bases there, continued presence in our operations.”
Trump shocked much of Washington on Tuesday when he took credit for the decision of Saudi Arabia and several other Arab nations to break off diplomatic relations with Qatar.
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The Pentagon on Tuesday commended Qatar for hosting U.S. forces and its “enduring commitment to regional security.”
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Davis also insisted that the dispute between Qatar and its Arab neighbors has not impacted operations at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar’s capital of Doha.
“We hope for a quick resolution and we have no intention of altering our current operations, not only in Qatar but anywhere in the [Gulf Cooperation Council]. That includes important bases we have around the region, Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain,” Davis said.
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The president’s comments were strikingly different in tone and substance from the message sent a day earlier by Defense Secretary James Mattis and other U.S. officials.
They appeared to double down on Saudi concerns that Qatar was supporting extremist groups such as Hamas and al Qaeda. This despite the fact that Qatar hosts a U.S. military base that includes about 10,000 troops.
The comments also appeared out of line with remarks Trump made during his visit to Saudi Arabia last month, when he described Qatar as a "crucial partner" in the region.
The Hill
...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.
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