Pentagon Insists We're Not at War

"We are not at war in the Middle East."

Only in the Orwellian world of the Pentagon can it be argued that the United States is not at war in the Middle East. That’s what U.S. officials claim, arguing as well that Washington is working to avoid a regional war.

“We are not at war in the Middle East,” Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said on Tuesday. Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh took a similar position last week, saying, “We are not at war with the Houthis.” Her claim drew an incredulous response from a reporter who shot back: “We’ve bombed them five times now…If this isn’t war, what is war?”

But the U.S.’s military operations in the Middle East stretch far beyond just the Houthis: the U.S. is bombing three countries and conducting military operations from 14 total countries in the region.

After the Hamas attack on Israel, the Biden administration has done everything in its power to support the country, delivering bombs and other ammunition and materiel, and providing military and intelligence support.

Since October, the U.S. has deployed additional forces — including offensive fighter aircraft — to the region (to previously undisclosed countries, which I list here). And it has marshaled aircraft carriers and amphibious ships with Marines aboard to both the Mediterranean Sea and around the Arabian peninsula. It has even deployed elements of the secretive Joint Special Operations Command, both inside Israel and to neighboring countries.

But the U.S. doesn’t say where the ground-based aircraft or the special operators are based, with few exceptions. It also doesn’t say where the ships call at local ports. (Take, for instance, the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Since its presence began at the end of November, it has been supported by Egypt, Bahrain, and Qatar, moored in Oman, and conducted Houthi airstrikes from off the northeast coast of Eritrea.)

The U.S. is bombing the Houthis and pursuing al Qaeda in Yemen, through bombing and clandestine special operations, the aircraft and forces originating from the countries around the region, as well as from Djibouti.

The U.S. is also bombing and pursuing Iranian-linked militias and ISIS in Iraq, as well as basing personnel and special operations, and conducting drone and gunship strikes from inside the country.

The U.S. is bombing and pursuing Iranian-linked militias and ISIS in Syria, deploying forces inside the country, and conducting clandestine special operations.

The U.S. is conducting airstrikes and special operations from inside Jordan, as well as using the country for clandestine support to supply flights, reconnaissance and military deployments in supporting Israel in the Hamas war.

The U.S. is supporting special operations and airstrikes from inside Kuwait, as well as conducting the anti-Iran operation Spartan Shield.

The U.S. is conducting airstrikes from inside the United Arab Emirates.

The U.S. is conducting airstrikes and commanding regional operations from inside Qatar.

The U.S. is deploying forces and conducting clandestine operations from inside Oman.

The U.S. deploys forces in Saudi Arabia and is supporting the Hamas war and the attacks on the Houthis from inside the country, allowing aircraft overflights.

The U.S. is supporting naval forces from Bahrain.

In other words, the U.S. is currently supporting Israel’s war, bombing the Houthis in Yemen, and conducting overt and secret military operations from every country in the Middle East except Iran and Lebanon. (And even in Lebanon, it is possibly deploying “black” special operations.)

By the way, the British strikes on the Houthis originated from bases in Cyprus. U.S. bases in Greece and Turkey have also been used to support Middle East military operations, including hosting drone operations.

War is Peace.