“The ability to quickly move forces into, out of and around the theater to seize, retain and exploit the initiative is key to deterring potential aggression.”
– Lt. Gen. Greg Guillot, U.S. AFCENT commander. @USAFCENT #WinToday AirPowerhttps://t.co/bwWD8cse6N pic.twitter.com/4kuACwal4M— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) November 21, 2020
The exact destination of these warplanes was not revealed, although the Central Command has in the past deployed them at Al Udeid base in the State of Qatar. US bombers had already been deployed in the region earlier this year and the year before, following skirmishes between arch foes the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran.This step came while the US Secretary of State was touring the region that included Turkey and Qatar.
The surprise mission was announced on the same day that Mike Pompeo was visiting Doha and meeting Taliban leaders amid efforts to reach an Afghan peace agreement between the movement and the government in Kabul.
And before all of that, this show of mother’s muscles coincides with intense tension between Tehran and Washington, especially after news attributed to the outgoing President Donald Trump nominated a project that his aides had aborted and indicated the Republican administration’s intention to launch a military strike on Iran before the beginning of next year, the date President Joe Biden took the helm of power in Washington.
