Drawing lessons from the Iranian attack on two U.S. bases in Saudi Arabia (mainly Ain al-Asad) last January, the U.S. is deploying Patriot air defense batteries to Iraqi bases to protect American troops operating in the country, without the “spontaneous approval” from the Iraqi government: the Patriots were requested in January, and US generals, including CENTCOM commander Kenneth McKenzie and Pat White, have implemented a solution.
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| U.S. soldiers from Battery C, 1st Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, begin a missile reload operation in U.S. Central Command, March 7 (Picture source: U.S. Army/Sgt. Zach Mott) |
