How many US military bases and how many troops are there in the Middle East region?

The Middle East has always been the hot spot of the world throughout the entire human existence. For thousands of years, this region has been the focus of various empires and passed from hand to hand, as if those who controlled the area were seen as if they could rule the entire world, and so it has been. In particular, Jerusalem, which is the hearth and Kaaba of various holy religions (including the first Kaaba of Muslims), passed judgment on the world in whose hands it was.

Even today, the Middle East is a hot spot that many people are interested in. Even the United States, thousands of kilometers away from the Middle East, on the other side of the world, has been trying to control and control the region. It is no coincidence that there are dozens of US military bases and thousands of soldiers in this region, where blood and tears are shed every day, every hour, especially after the overthrow of the Ottoman Empire.

US military bases abroad

As of September 2022, there are 171,736 US military personnel in more than 80 countries, and 75-85% of the world's military bases are accounted for by America.

Most of them were placed in Japan (53,973), Germany (35,781) and South Korea (25,372). 120, 119, and 73 US military bases operate in these three countries, respectively.

There are about 750 U.S. military bases in at least 80 countries, but Al Jazeera believes the number "could be much higher as not all information has been released by the Pentagon."

Most of the US military bases were built after World War II, and the United States has demonstrated its "position as a world leader and peacemaker" by having the largest number of military bases in Germany and Japan, its main rivals. The Cold War and the Korean War also allowed the US to expand its global military expansion.

How much do military bases cost the US?

Maintaining military bases abroad is a huge expense. From October 2001 to September 2020, US taxpayers paid $6.4 trillion to the federal government for the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Pakistan. In addition to direct wars, a military presence in the region is not cheap. According to Foreign Policy, the US spends up to $50 billion annually on military spending in the Persian Gulf alone.

The United States spends $2,169 per person on the military. Overall, the US spends about 12% of its total military spending, compared to 4.79% in China. For example, in 2022, the United States spent $877 billion on its military, which is more than the combined military expenditures of China, Russia, India, Saudi Arabia, Great Britain, Germany, France, South Korea, Japan, and Ukraine. According to the report, this number includes $19.9 billion in military aid to Ukraine.

In 2023, these costs amounted to $858 billion, while the 2024 budget was set at a record $886 billion (+3% or $28 billion more). Most of these costs are, of course, directed to the organization of military bases abroad. In particular, 14.7 billion dollars will be directed to "restraining China" in the Indo-Pacific region.

What is the situation in 2023?

In 2023, the US increased its military presence in the Middle East and South China Sea as tensions increased.

For example, since October 7, the USA has been providing a large amount of military aid to Israel and has sent more troops to the entire Middle East against the background of Israel's large-scale genocide in the Gaza Strip.

The US has announced that it will send additional forces to its bases in the Middle East after the Israeli-Palestinian war began to spread to the region, with attacks on dozens of US military bases in Iraq and Syria.

Tensions have also increased in the South China Sea between China and Taiwan since the beginning of the year. Taiwan's Defense Minister Chiu Kuo Cheng said China maintains sovereignty over the self-ruled island for nearly 75 years and may step up its efforts following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Although the US does not officially recognize Taiwan, US law requires Taiwan to provide self-defense equipment.

In February, the US and the Philippines signed an agreement allowing US troops access to four additional military bases in the Philippines; Two of these are located near Taiwan, giving the US access to a total of nine military bases. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has told China that the military bases available to the US military will not be used for any "offensive" purposes, but only to help the Philippines.

Military bases in the Middle East

As of June 2023, more than 30,000 US military personnel are stationed in the Middle East alone.

List of US military bases in the Middle East:

In Iraq, about 2,500 US military personnel are spread across several installations in the country and other bases in Iraqi Kurdistan (Al Anbar, Al Harir, Balad Air Bases, Erbil International Airport, Habbaniya Camp, etc.). They are also used as training bases for Iraqi and Kurdish forces and conduct operations against targets in Iraq and Syria.

Kuwait has 13,000 troops and the Kuwait airport is the largest logistics hub for the US.

Bahrain : Sheikh Isa Naval Base (7000 soldiers). The US Coast Guard Command's Southwest Asia Patrol Force is also based in this country.

Four bases in the UAE : Jabal Ali, Al-Fujairah, Abu Dhabi, Al-Dhafra Air Base (5,000 troops).

Qatar is home to the largest American base in the Middle East (Al Udayd Air Base), with more than 13,000 troops serving there.

Saudi Arabia: The Al Amir Sultan base houses more than 3,500 soldiers, air defense systems and special forces.

There are several US military bases in Syria , most of them in Deir ez-Zor and Hasakah. According to official data, there are more than 5,000 US troops in the country, and these numbers, according to various estimates, may be much higher. The bases are mainly located near oil fields in northeastern Syria.

Djibouti : Lemone base (2000 soldiers).

More than 2,000 soldiers are serving at several American military bases near Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia .

Located in Turkey bases that the US can use within NATO, they are Kyurechik radar station, Incirlik air base and Izmir airfield.

Prepared by Sanjar Saeed