Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — The U.S. military has been planning for a smaller
presence in the Middle East.

Officials said Central Command has been ordered to prepare for
significant cuts in military manpower in the Middle East. They said the
directive for the Defense Department to reduce the budget by $80 billion
over the next year would impose changes in the U.S. military presence,
particularly in trading combat infantry assets for a larger naval presence.

“A tailored, lighter footprint supported by access to infrastructure
that enables rapid reinforcement is the foundational concept for future
military posture in the region,” outgoing Centcom chief Gen. James Mattis
said. “The U.S. Centcom military presence will continue to become more maritime in character, supported by expeditionary land forces and have strong air enablers.”

In testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee on March 5, Mattis
did not elaborate. But committee members pointed to the Pentagon decision to cancel plans for a second aircraft carrier group in the Gulf because of a budget shortfall.

Mattis said the military’s smaller footprint in the Middle East must
require greater intelligence resources to counter such threats as Iran and
its proxies. He said Centcom would require additional assets in human
intelligence and counter-intelligence capabilities.

“I anticipate the need to sustain maritime defense, anti-fast attack
craft capabilities, amphibious ships and mine-countermeasure capability and
intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities,” Mattis said. “I
see the need for growth in our counter-intelligence and human intelligence
capacities across the region.”

The intelligence capability would press Centcom to enhance cooperation
with Middle East allies. Officials cited an expanded partnership with such
countries as Jordan, Turkey and Gulf Cooperation Council states.

“We will need strong strategic relationships with our partners to enable
the presence required to deter adversaries and reassure our friends,” Mattis
said.

  Gen. James Mattis, Gulf Cooperation Council states, Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. presence in Mideast to ‘become more maritime’ amid massive budget cuts