Roughead, appointed in September 2007, has toured the Gulf in efforts to
increase U.S. cooperation with GCC states. Several GCC navies have been
participating in the current U.S.-led naval exercise in the Gulf.
"The purpose of my visit at this time is to gain perspective from my
Gulf region counterparts on important naval issues of mutual interest,"
Roughead told the Abu Dhabi-based Gulf News.
Roughead has sought to increase intelligence exchange on naval threats
in the Gulf. The U.S. Navy maintains its Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.
The admiral's visit took place amid a renewal of Iranian confrontations
with the U.S. Navy in the northern Gulf. Officials said Iran's Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps has been responsible for the encounters.
"What I would like to see of the Iranian naval Revolutionary Guards is
for them to act in a more responsive and mindful way regarding the
importance of communicating intentions and movements," Roughead said.
Much of the U.S. Navy presence is in Bahrain, with more than 3,000
personnel. On April 20, a female U.S. sailor was found dead in her residence
at the base in Manama. In October 2007, two women sailors were killed by
another sailor on the base.