US should stop sending troops to Gulf ‘before it’s too late’ – Moscow

Deploying troops to the Persian Gulf risks igniting a powder keg in the troubled region where tension is mounting, the Russian Foreign Ministry has warned, advising Washington to stop “before it’s too late.”

FILE PHOTO: A US Navy E/A-18G Growler launches from the USS Abraham Lincoln, in Arabian Sea © US Navy / Handout via REUTERS

Russia is hoping that the US buildup in the Middle East “won’t become a spark that creates a blaze,” Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told reporters on Thursday. Otherwise, the situation will spiral out of control, he warned.

"Destabilization is such a dangerous thing, especially in this region. Anyone who undertakes such actions too easily should stop and use common sense… before it is too late."

The warning comes as the US beefs up its assets in the Gulf. Just last month, the Pentagon deployed a battery of Patriot missiles, nuclear-capable bombers, and an aircraft carrier strike group to the area. Washington cited a growing threat from Tehran to justify the buildup, whereas Iran blamed the US for eroding its own security.

Original: https://www.rt.com/news/462293-us-buildup-mideast-threat/