So serious? The U.S. Defense Secretary said the withdrawal of U.S. forces from some military bases cannot be ruled out.

The monarchies of the Persian Gulf are also unwilling to associate with dangerous neighbors.

June 3, "Russia Today" published an article.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the withdrawal of U.S. forces from certain military bases—those previously attacked by Iran during the Gulf War—cannot be ruled out.

"Regarding this matter, it will be up to President Trump to decide, but it will depend on which path we choose. We maintain a positive view of our partnerships in the region. These decisions will be made based on the outcome of the conflict," the Pentagon chief said.

How serious can this be? Has Iran achieved its goal?

Hegseth's statement once again confirms that the ceasefire agreement reached between the U.S. and Iran on April 8 was neither arbitrary nor out of goodwill, but rather because their largest base in the Middle East indeed suffered considerable damage.

The Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar hosts the forward headquarters of the U.S. Central Command, with approximately 10,000 personnel stationed there.

Bahrain’s Jufair base also has around 10,000 personnel, serving as the primary base for the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet.

In Kuwait, there are 13,500 U.S. personnel—second only to Germany, Japan, and South Korea in terms of U.S. troop presence worldwide, ranking third.

There are also Saudi Arabia’s Ali Salem Air Base and Al-Jawf Base.

This means that Iran’s drones and ballistic missiles have indeed precisely targeted these locations.

Now having to withdraw U.S. troops from these areas indicates that Iran has inflicted significant losses on its adversary—a key reason behind the ceasefire agreement.

Another point: The monarchs of the Persian Gulf have realized that U.S. military bases are less about protecting them and more about bringing trouble.

Because the targets of attacks are not just U.S. bases but also other facilities within these countries, given that American military installations are located nearby. From natural gas fields and oil refineries to skyscrapers in Dubai housing branches of the CIA headquarters.

They have come to realize the consequences of the risky operation launched on February 28.

The White House certainly does not want to restart all this, as war is clearly unpopular among the American public.

Americans may now adopt a rather cunning strategy, deceiving Iran and the world into believing that the U.S. has resolved the Iranian issue, feels somewhat exhausted, and wants to close the case.

Since the Americans haven’t achieved anything substantial yet, they will likely take very shrewd actions.

U.S. military forces will continue to remain stationed in the Middle East.

If they were to pull all their troops out, this would effectively mark the end of America’s geopolitical influence.

Does Trump want this?

Iran has deepened the increasingly severe crisis within the West, making people realize that the United States is not an invincible hegemon—and that one can and should engage with the U.S. in this manner.

Isn't this a geopolitical blow? Of course it is.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866931495981255/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.