‘Extra-regional forces root of insecurity’ - Gayo Lues

“If we look at the history of the presence of extra-regional forces [in the Middle East], we will see that all of the insecurities, destructions, terrorist operations, and [acts of] sea piracy have increased since their coming to the region,” Deputy Head of the Iranian Armed Forces Brigadier General Mostafa Salami said on Sunday.

Salami added that foreign forces will eventually have no other choice but to leave the region as their presence has led to nothing but casualties, destruction, and dissatisfaction, and devastation of their own economies.

“If the extra-regional forces leave the region for one year only, they will see that the security will be restored to the region and that their presence was the cause of insecurity in the region,” he added.

The United States invaded Afghanistan in 2001 under the pretext of combating terrorism and toppling the Taliban regime. Insecurity continues to rise across Afghanistan despite the presence of thousands of US-led foreign forces in the country.

Meanwhile, the US, whose navy’s fifth fleet is stationed in the Bahraini capital, Manama, has provided support for the Al Khalifa despotic regime during months of crackdown on peaceful protesters in the Persian Gulf state.

The US military has had major presence in most countries of the region, including Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Azerbaijan and the United Arab Emirates, with the publicly declared objective of protecting American interests in the region.

Some Persian Gulf dictatorships, however, claim that they host the US and other military forces in their countries for security purposes.

HMV/PKH/HGH/IS