As US pulls back in MENA, China, Russia may step in: General

US Central Command Chief Frank McKenzie expresses concern over regional allies seeking support from China and Russia.

As the United States scales back its military presence across the Middle East, it risks giving China and Russia a chance to fill the gap and expand their influence around the Gulf, the top US commander for the region says. While travelling through the Middle East over the past week, Marine General Frank McKenzie, who heads US Central Command, fielded a persistent question from military and political leaders he met: Is the US still committed to their country and the region, and what more support can they get. From the battlefields of Syria to rocket-pummeled neighbourhoods in Iraq, regional leaders worry the US’s pivot to Asia means they will be left without the troops, ships, aircraft, and other military aid they need to battle Iran-aligned armed groups.