Discussing Middle East Security Issues

Statement

I met with officials from the Department of Defense (DOD) and the State Department on Wednesday to discuss Middle East security issues, including the sale of American-made military equipment to Saudi Arabia. The Middle East is of vital importance to United States national security and thousands of American troops are based in the region. In addition to our efforts in Iraq, the U.S. is working with friendly nations in the region to combat terrorism and to build alliances to counter the threat posed by Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons. The classified meeting gave me a better understanding of how Administration officials plan to meet these and other security challenges in this critical region of the world. While DOD and the State Department work toward these important goals, they must be sure that in pursuing them they do not put a close American ally, Israel, in danger.

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