China and Russia could fill void in Middle East if US reduces its presence, senior general warns
- Leaders in the region worry that worry America’s pivot to Asia means they will be left without the troops, ships, aircraft and other military aid
- ‘Russia and China will be looking very closely to see if a vacuum opens that they can exploit,’ Marine General Frank McKenzie said
While travelling through the Middle East over the past week, Marine General Frank McKenzie, who heads US Central Command, fielded a persistent question from the military and political leaders he met: is the US still committed to their country and the region, and what more support can they get?
And if the US is slow to respond, they may look elsewhere for help.
“The Middle East writ broadly is an area of intense competition between the great powers. And I think that as we adjust our posture in the region, Russia and China will be looking very closely to see if a vacuum opens that they can exploit,” McKenzie told reporters travelling with him. “I think they see the United States shifting posture to look at other parts of the world and they sense there may be an opportunity there.”
