Carter Hits Gulf Allies for Prioritizing Air, Not Ground, Forces

[GhostZ06]

WASHINGTON — Gulf Arab allies have focused too much on building up airpower and not enough on training and equipping competent ground forces, hindering the ability to go after the Islamic State group, US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter warned Congress Tuesday.

Carter, appearing before the House Armed Services Committee to talk about the fight against the group, which is also commonly known as ISIS or ISIL, also hit the Gulf nations, Turkey and European allies for not doing more in Syria and Iraq.

"The natural force in particularly the Sunni areas of Syria and Iraq would be Sunni Arabs, and a more effective and insightful kind of force," Carter said during his testimony. "They have been unwilling to field such forces."



In response to a question about why the Gulf nations are not doing more, Carter diverged into the topic of prioritization of defense equipment.

"I'm going to be very candid with you: Many of the Gulf States weigh air capabilities, air forces and so forth over ground forces and special operations forces," Carter said.

"If they want to — as we would wish them to — wield more influence in the Middle East and do more to secure this part of the world in which they live, they're going to need to do more of that on the ground," he continued. "Buying our airplanes is fine, and we provide them, but when it comes to ground forces and special operations forces, there is no question they need to build those forces and wield them."

"They frequently complain to me, for example, about how capable the Iranians are, to which I say 'yes, and you're not in the same game, an effective game on the ground,'" he said.

Turkey, Europe Must "Do More"

At various points in his testimony, Carter also poked at Europe and Turkey in an attempt to get those partners more involved in the operation, with all involved needing to "do more."

Carter acknowledged that the Nov. 13 attacks in Paris are driving the French to step up operations, and also noted that the United Kingdom is currently debating whether to engage in direct strikes in Syria. He said that the Germans, meanwhile, "appear certainly capable of doing more."

"We want them to do more," he said.

http://www.defensenews.com/story/de...gulf-allies-jets-turkey-europe-isis/76616400/



lol@ gulf state allies.

 

[ShoelessRye]

Nobody wants to get their hands dirty and risk troop capture with boots on the ground. Everybody loves using fighter jets because it's safe - and they can pretend like they're doing something.

 

[djacobox372]

But there's a lot more money to be made by private companies when they use 60 million dollar planes dropping $100k bombs.

How can corporations make money off from soldiers? Selling boots? LOL

 

[Islam Imamate]

My understanding is they purposefully keep their military rather small and limited to try and keep a lid on it and prevent coups which plagued the Middle East and Africa in the 20th century.

 

[Diamond Jim]

I thought they already had troops on the ground called Isis.

 

[GhostZ06]

Nobody wants to get their hands dirty and risk troop capture with boots on the ground. Everybody loves using fighter jets because it's safe - and they can pretend like they're doing something.

please, europe is starting to step up. middle east is a bunch of bitches