Islam Times - Trump administration adopts Israeli foreign policy

Islam Times - US President Donald Trump’s plan to deploy 1,500 troops to the Middle East over the escalating tensions with Iran reflects his ambivalence towards the political environment of the region, says an American academic and analyst.

James Fetzer, a retired professor of philosophy at the University of Minnesota, said Trump’s foreign policy advisers such as National Security Adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are hawks on Iran and deeply influenced by Israel.

“And of course, we have had many reasons to be concerned that Donald Trump himself was adopting an Israeli foreign policy,” Fetzer said.

Fetzer also noted that Iran has not made any efforts to threaten the United States and has only asserted its own right to self-defense as a matter of national sovereignty.”

Trump on Friday announced the deployment of 1,500 troops to the Middle East, claiming it was an effort to bolster defenses against Iran.

"We want to have protection in the Middle East. We're going to be sending a relatively small number of troops, mostly protective," Trump told reporters as he left the White House for a trip to Japan.

The Pentagon said only about 900 of the 1500 troops will be newly deployed. It said the other 600 are already in the Middle East region and will be extended.

Earlier on Thursday, acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan confirmed that the Pentagon was considering deploying additional American troops to the Middle East.

Last week, Iran voiced concern about "adventurism by foreign players" to disrupt maritime navigation in the Persian Gulf region, describing the incident as "lamentable" and "worrying" and calling for thorough investigations.

The Trump administration has been stepping up pressure against Iranians in the wake of Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal.

The White House has also tightened economic sanctions against Tehran and blacklisted the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).