Pentagon surges weapons into Middle East terror fight

Jack Detsch

Master Sgt. Richard Harris, 149th Military Engagement Team, Kentucky National Guard, places Royal Army of Oman soldiers in different formations to demon-strate tactical movement for a variety of scenarios during a Mountain Warfare Information Exchange, May 9, 2017, near Salalah, Oman. (U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Atanovich, 149th Military Engagement Team) — Lt. Col. Kent Cavallini, 149th Military Engagement Team, Kentucky National Guard, demonstrates a variety of team and squad level movements using sand table demonstrations and practical application with a group of Omani soldiers during a Mountain Warfare Information Exchange May 8, 2017, near Salalah, Oman. — US Defense Department

The Donald Trump administration is giving hundreds of millions of dollars worth of weapons to US allies in the Middle East to fight the Islamic State (IS) as the militant group fans out toward Africa from its former safe havens in Iraq and Syria.

Using a little-known US legal authority established by Congress after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the Pentagon is doling out substantial arms packages to build up Jordan's and Lebanon’s air forces to take on terrorists from the air.

The Defense Department is also equipping special forces units in North African nations such as Morocco and Tunisia that face the threat of IS fighters returning to the region.

Pentagon surges weapons into Middle East terror fight

The Pentagon is using a little-known fund to give a boost to counterterrorism operations throughout the Middle East.

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE

Continue reading this exclusive analysis

Original reporting and analysis unavailable elsewhere. Subscribe to AL-MONITOR to read this story and access everything we publish

Read By