© Stringer/Anadolu AgencyUS President Donald Trump in Florida, US on 3 January 2019
US President Donald Trump said that he made Saudi Arabia pay the US for the increased presence of American service personnel in the region as a result of the regional tensions.
In an interview with the American TV channel Fox News, Trump said: "Saudi Arabia is paying us for [our troops]. We have a very good relationship with Saudi Arabia."
"I said, listen, you're a very rich country. You want more troops? I'm going to send them to you, but you've got to pay us. They're paying us. They've already deposited $1 billion in the bank."
Last October the Pentagon said it
approved the deployment of 3,000 additional soldiers and military equipment to Saudi Arabia after the country's state-owned oilgiant, Aramco, was
subjected in September to a missile attack, for which Yemen's Houthis
claimed responsibility. The new military equipment included Patriot missiles, THAAD system and fighting planes.
Trump has repeatedly said he would force states to pay for US protection, often in reference to Gulf states. The region has seen unprecedented upheaval since Trump's arrival to the Oval Office, with tensions between Saudi and Iran being at their peak and an ongoing nearly three year Arab
boycott of Qatar.
Comment: In a Fox News'
Ingram Angle interview Trump says Iraq
should pay US back if its troops leave country:
"I said, 'If we leave, you got to pay us,'" Trump told host Laura Ingraham. "'If we leave ... you have to pay us for the money we put in.'"
When Ingraham asked how Trump planned to collect money from Iraq, the president said: "Well, we have a lot of their money right now. We have a lot of their money. We have $35 billion of their money right now sitting in an account. And I think they'll agree to pay. I think they'll agree to pay. Otherwise, we'll stay there."
Earlier this week, Iraq's outgoing prime minister, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, called for American troops to leave the country to avoid further tensions with Iran.
Mahdi's comments came the day after Iranian Quds Force Gen. Qassem Soleimani was killed in a U.S. drone strike at Baghdad's airport. A senior Iraqi commander of an Iran-backed militia was also killed.
Trump had tweeted last week: "The United States has paid Iraq Billions of Dollars a year, for many years. That is on top of all else we have done for them. The people of Iraq don't want to be dominated & controlled by Iran, but ultimately, that is their choice. Over the last 15 years, Iran has gained more and more control over Iraq, and the people of Iraq are not happy with that. It will never end well!"
"We built one of the world's most expensive airport facilities, anywhere in the world," Trump told Ingraham Friday. "I mean, I wish we had it in New York. I wish we had it in Washington. We build runways that are 15,000 feet long ... In fact, I think they're 20,000 feet long over there ... Nobody ever built runways like this ... But we have billions of dollars into that."
The president also repeated his claim that countries like Saudi Arabia and South Korea were paying the U.S. to have American service members in the country.
"They've already deposited $1 billion in the bank," Trump said of the Saudis. "South Korea gave us $500 million ... I said, 'You got to help us along. We have 32,000 soldiers in South Korea protecting it from North Korea. You've got to pay.' And they gave us $500 million."
But, as Elijah Mangier points out, Iraq is well within its rights to ask the U.S. to leave, and
does not owe anything for enduring such a destructive "guest":
President Trump asked Iraq to pay him "billions of dollars" for the expansion of military bases to suit the US forces. Again, the US deliberately ignored article 5 of the agreement that all
"Iraq owns all buildings, non-relocated structures... including those that are used, constructed, altered or improved by the US. Upon their withdrawal, the US shall return to the government of Iraq all the facilities free of any debts and financial burdens...The US shall bear the costs of construction, alterations, or improvements in the agreed facilities and areas provided for its exclusive use."
Article 24 also states that the "US recognises the sovereign right of the government of Iraq to request the departure of the US forces from Iraq any time." Trump disregards this treaty obligation, and instead says: "Iraqi will pay if they want us out." It shows the US administration's intention to remain in oil-rich Iraq for a long time.
Comment: In a Fox News' Ingram Angle interview Trump says Iraq should pay US back if its troops leave country: But, as Elijah Mangier points out, Iraq is well within its rights to ask the U.S. to leave, and does not owe anything for enduring such a destructive "guest":