Two of the nation’s top intelligence officials told lawmakers Tuesday ground troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates would likely not be able to make a significant impact in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
“I do not assess that the Saudi ground forces would have … the capacity to take this fight on,” Lt. Gen. Vincent Stewart, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency told the Senate Armed Services Committee, The Hill reported.
He continued to say that the Emiratis had already taken on a heavy burden fighting rebels in Yemen, and said “their capacity to do more is limited.”
Last week, both Saudi Arabia and the UAE offered for the first time to send ground troops to help fight the terror group.
But on Tuesday, Lt. Gen. Stewart and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said that while the offers were welcome, they were not certain the countries’ troops would be effective.
“I certainly appreciate and value the Saudi willingness to engage on the ground, I think that would be a challenge for them if they try to take that on,” Mr. Clapper said.
Saudi Arabia has also been leading its own coalition against Houthi rebels in Yemen, which has drawn its military attention away from the conflict. Thanks to its recent victories in Yemen, Saudi offered troops to help the U.S.-led coalition in its mission in Syria ahead of this week’s meeting in Brussels of defense ministers from the coalition fighting the Islamic State.
The Obama administration has sought more help from coalition partners, especially Sunni Arab countries, to combat the Shiite terrorists. U.S. officials believe Arab coalition partners could better maintain stability in the region once the Islamic State is defeated.
But both the UAE and Saudi Arabia made their offerings contingent upon U.S. leadership, a condition which Mr. Clapper says he took to mean the countries want the Pentagon’s command and control capabilities, The Hill reported.
Lt. Gen. Stewart said he interpreted the condition as a request for more “U.S. skin in the game.”
A decision on the matter could be made at the NATO summit this week.
• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.