Hundreds of troops from the mid-state have been sent to the country.
CBS 21’s Brandie Meng and David Oliver traveled half way across the world to find out why we’re in Kuwait, and for how long.
The answer is basically logistics, Kuwait serves as a staging area for our troops in and out of the Middle East, but even with our troop draw downs, we are told our presence in Kuwait will stay. That’s because both our government and the Kuwait government want it that way.
“We’ve had soldiers here performing sustaining operations in the Middle East since (19)91 and that has just continued,” stated Lt. Col. Todd Sowinski. Sowinski is the commander for the First Squadron 104th Calvary out of Fort Indiantown Gap with the 55th brigade.
Currently he is deployed to Camp Arifjan in Kuwait. He sees first hand what happens, and knows all too well what could happen.
Kuwait is a small country in the Middle East. It shares a border with Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
The United States played a big role in helping to liberate Kuwait from the Iraqi invasion back in the 90’s, but the friendship between the two countries actually goes back much further
“Many people think Kuwait and American relations started in 1990 when Iraq invaded Kuwait, but this relationship actually goes back many years back,” stated Tareq Eid al-Mezrem. “When Kuwait was nothing with no oil, Kuwait was nothing.
Tareq Eid Al-Mezrem is with the Ministry of Information, he says the relationship between the United States and Kuwait began when two American missionaries came to his country to help his people.
“In the 20′ s they came to help us as doctors to give medical support and at same time in the 1990 they came to help us liberate Kuwait this is a great indication how the United States and Kuwait have a strong relationship,” Al-Mezrem explained.
That relationship and respect has only grown stronger over the years.
“We always look at the United States as an important ally, we like the idea of American, we look at America as an important friend,” Al-Mezrem continued.
And as we were there for Kuwait, Kuwait is now there for us,
“They willingly provide us with land for bases so we can have a safe location to move our troops in and out of war zones and threatened areas our solders need to be,” explained Sowinski.
“If a conflict were to arise anywhere in the world, getting soldiers there is the easiest part,” believes Major Keith Hickox. “Getting equipped soldiers there, it takes a lot more time.”
Major Hickox is also deployed to Camp Arifjan and works with the National Guard units deployed from Central PA.
He says our soldiers are part of the overall goal in maintaining the joint forces missions between the two governments.
“There’s a lot of joint training missions that go on to develop both forces simultaneously,” Hickox addressed. “There’s always been a mutual support mutual training and a presence here in Kuwait.”
“We still have a role in sustaining soldiers, airmen and Marines that operate in the Middle East,” explained Sowinski. “And this is one of those big sustainment hubs that do that.”
There are no combat missions in Kuwait. Our military presence stays on the base and does not mix with civilian life. The Humvees only patrol the boundaries around the base and keep roaming livestock at a secure distance from the perimeter.
The United States knows the Middle East is a hot zone and anything could happen at anytime, for the U.S. it’s a strategic move to have soldiers ready to respond if needed as quick as possible.
So while small in size, Kuwait is big in friendship and plays a huge role in helping our soldiers complete their missions and stand prepared should there be a need.
We still have a strategic partnership with Kuwait, they are an ally of ours. We still manage security.
A mutual relationship that will likely continue long into the future…
“American soldiers in Kuwait are very much appreciated and part of the friendship and respect of Americans in Kuwait,” Tareq told us. “Always look at them as friends, very close friends.”
So as you can see, Kuwait is just as happy to have us there as our government is to be there.
The Kuwaiti’s are very nice and respectful of Americans and so there is no need to fear for any type of hatred or retaliation as you walk down the streets in Kuwait.
So now that we know why we are in Kuwait and know we will likely be there a while, why not the full time military? Why is our national guard still being deployed since we have so many troop draw downs?
Coming up later this week will be stories on deployed life, a family deployed together and calling home.
