Special to WorldTribune.com

ABU DHABI — The U.S. Army has praised the role of Kuwait in the withdrawal from neighboring Iraq.

The U.S. Army has honored the Kuwait National Guard for protecting transports by American ground forces.

The United States has deployed 23,000 soldiers in Kuwait amid the
pullout from Iraq. Officials said the U.S. Army was preparing to host a
combat force that could stage rapid response missions in Iraq and throughout
the Gulf.

On Oct. 31, the army awarded a medal
to the National Guard’s police squad for coordinating in convoy missions.

“This illustrates the expertise of the Kuwait National Guard in
emergency situations,” U.S. Army Lt. Col. Kevin Hill said.

At a ceremony, Hill praised the level of cooperation between Kuwait and
the United States. The colonel said the National Guard facilitated missions
by the U.S. Army in Kuwait, deemed the logistics base for the Gulf and
Afghanistan.

“Our goal is to promote stability and we expect to continue to have
strong military-to-military relations with countries in the region including
Iraq, to include Kuwait, to include others,” U.S. Defense Department
spokesman George Little said.

Officials said Kuwait would play a major role in U.S. military policy in
the Gulf in 2012. They said the number of U.S. troops in Kuwait and other
Gulf Cooperation Council states has not yet been determined.

“We’re still working through the decision process,” Deputy Assistant
Defense Secretary John Kirby said. “There’s been no final decision made on
any additional force presence anywhere.”

  000 troops for rapid response ops, Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary John Kirby, Kuwait gets high marks as U.S. deploys 23, Kuwait National Guard, Lt. Col. Kevin Hill, U.S. Army