Special to WorldTribune.com ABU DHABI — The Gulf Cooperation Council has sought a plan to counter the threat of a leak from Iran’s nuclear energy reactor. The six GCC states convened for an emergency session on April 14 to examine options to protect against a massive radiation leak from Iran’s Bushehr reactor. On April 9, […]
Special to WorldTribune.com ABU DHABI — The United States has sustained military programs despite the Iran-backed Shi’ite insurgency in Bahrain. Diplomatic sources said U.S. Central Command has not suspended its $500 million plan to modernize its facilities in Bahrain. The sources said the Shi’ite revolt, which began in 2011, has not significantly affected construction and […]
Special to WorldTribune.com ABU DHABI — The Arab League has been urged to act against Iran, accused of undermining regional security. Arab League interior ministers heard briefings of Iranian efforts to destabilize such members as Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Several of the ministers appealed to the GCC to act against Teheran, particularly amid the […]
Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — Bahrain, amid a Shi’ite revolt, has been deemed critical to U.S. interests in the Gulf. U.S. Central Command said Bahrain, despite Iranian-aided unrest, remained important for American naval interests in the Gulf. Bahrain has been home to the sole major U.S. Navy operating base in the Middle East. “Bahrain has […]
Special to WorldTribune.com ABU DHABI — The U.S. Navy presence in Bahrain has been bracing for cutbacks. Officials said orders to the Defense Department to slash at least $85 billion would affect the U.S. Navy presence in the Gulf in a policy called sequestration. The officials said the Navy’s Fifth Fleet, with headquarters in Bahrain, […]
Special to WorldTribune.com ABU DHABI — The Gulf Cooperation Council has concluded one of its largest military exercises in years. The GCC’s Peninsula Shield ended a 17-day exercise in Kuwait that combined air, naval and ground forces. Officials said the exercise showed a high degree of performance by a range of units. “The joint activities […]
Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — Despite nearly $20 billion in orders, the Gulf Cooperation Council remains without sufficient assets to foil an Iranian missile war, a report said. The Washington Institute for Near East Policy asserted that the six GCC states have not acquired sufficient batteries and systems to defend against Iran. In a report, […]
Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — A U.S. Navy vessel has again collided with an apparent civilian boat in the Gulf. Officials said a U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarine struck a vessel around the Strait of Hormuz. They said the submarine, identified as the USS Jacksonville, did not sustain major damage in the incident on Jan. 10. […]
Special to WorldTribune.com ABU DHABI — The Gulf Cooperation Council has adopted proposals to expand its regional force. Officials said the six GCC members agreed to significantly expand the Peninsula Shield Force. They said the military would be enlarged and assigned a range of operational tasks. “This is the first real effort to make Peninsula […]
Special to WorldTribune.com ABU DHABI — Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were expected to become the first Gulf Cooperation Council states to merge amid the threat from neighboring Iran. The Eurasia Group reported that Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were working to formally join together in an effort to bolster the Sunni regime in Manama. Eurasia said […]