Hostile questions baffle US army official [View All]

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THE US' most senior military official in the Gulf yesterday said he had been left baffled by hostile questioning of his country's intentions in the region on the opening day of the Manama Dialogue.

Commander of US Central Command Admiral William J Fallon told the GDN that the strongly-worded questions posed by Arab delegates to US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates on whether the large US military presence in the Gulf is in the region's best interests overlooked the important role played by his country.

"I think Secretary Gates did a masterful job today, particularly with the questions. Some were clearly hostile questions, and you scratch your head at some of the thinking," said Admiral Fallon, who has responsibility for US military operations in the Middle East, East Africa and Central Asia.

"I just reject out of hand the premise of some of the comments we heard - we are a force for peace in the world and we engage here for the purpose of trying to make this a better world, and I think the record pretty much speaks for itself."

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