The United Arab Emirates has agreed to host U.S. military cargo planes as part of the effort to defend the region against Iraqi aggression, Defense Secretary Dick Cheney announced Monday.
Cheney met with crew members of Air Force C-130 cargo planes, which were already visible at the Bateen Air Base. U.S. officials did not know how many planes would be operating out of the UAE, but at least five of the camouflage-colored C-130s were seen at the air base Monday.Cheney made the announcement after meeting with the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheik Zayed Bin Sultan al-Nahyan, and a day after the gulf nation announced it had agreed to allow forces "from some Arab and friendly countries to participate in Arab and international efforts aimed at the defense of the area."
It is believed the C-130s will be used to deliver food, ammunition and weapons from the seaport at the southern end of the Persian Gulf to U.S. ground troops stationed in northeastern Saudi Arabia as part of Operation Desert Shield - the U.S. military mission aimed at deterring Iraqi aggression.
Cheney said Sunday that U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf region are now strong enough to make Baghdad "pay a price" if Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is "foolish enough" to invade Saudi Arabia.
Cheney said that he could not predict how long U.S. troops might remain in Saudi Arabia, but added the commitment was "long term" and he could not speculate on the size of the force "one or two years from now."
Asked whether Saudis or Americans control the military force, he said an agreement had been reached with Riyadh under which American constitutional requirements that the president remain supreme commander were satisfied, and Saudi concerns about sovereignty also were respected.
Cheney met troops Sunday in 104-degree heat. He was taken to see an Apache attack helicopter and a Patriot ground-to-air missile site. He also met with U.S. paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division from Fort Bragg, N.C., and F-15 pilots from Langley.
Cheney joked with most of the servicemen about the heat, and asked them if there was anything they needed that he could get them. Soldiers manning the Patriot missiles apparently wanted a mailman. Cheney accepted a packet of letters and agreed to mail them back in the United States.