Of course Fifth Fleet won’t be moved – Bahrain positioning vital to Israeli, US, Saudi military strategy against Iran

US denies any plan to move Fifth Fleet from Bahrain
Omar Karmi – Jul 22, 2011

WASHINGTON // The US Department of Defence yesterday denied reports that it was considering moving its Fifth Fleet from Bahrain.

A spokesman, via e-mail, said there are no intentions to move the fleet and that reports suggesting otherwise “do not reflect the views of the Defence Department.”

A report in The Times newspaper in London yesterday said the US administration was mulling relocating the fleet in part because its continued presence in Manama could be seen as condoning the government crackdown on opposition parties.

The move, according to an unnamed source quoted by the newspaper, was first raised in February, when demonstrations gathered force. The idea has gained ground in recent months. The US military is reported to be against a move allegedly promoted by the US State Department.

However, a State Department official yesterday also denied the report, saying the US has “no intention to relocate the Fifth Fleet”.

There is no obvious alternative to Bahrain as the fleet’s host in the short term. In The Times’s report, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar were touted as the most likely alternatives, though it would take years before either had ports equipped to host a fleet of the size currently based in Manama.

The fleet comprises some 30 vessels and 16,000 US Navy personnel. It operates in the Arabian Gulf, the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and the east coast of Africa. …more