Bilateral Meeting with Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister al-Sabah

Remarks as Delivered by Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Sept. 7, 2017

Welcome Your Excellency Minister, Ambassador, military officers, members of the delegation. You are most welcome at the Pentagon today as a special ally. Your Excellency, it is good to see you again after meeting during my trip to Europe, I think in February.

It is good to see you because our two nations share a meaningful history of security cooperation and understanding. Since the intervention to oust Saddam Hussein’s army from your sovereign territory in 1991, our countries have maintained a highly productive military relationship.

As I mentioned in front of Your Highness and the President today, I fondly recall the 50 Kuwaiti soldiers who served bravely in my Marine Infantry Battalion during our assault through minefields – your young Air Force NCOs fighting together with us.

Now our militaries remain bonded by shared security concerns, which I felt was highlighted in today’s earlier meeting. Our views on these concerns mirror almost to the letter.

Regional stability is strengthened by Kuwait’s robust commitment to fighting terrorism. In light of our common counterterrorism cause, our countries maintain a very close military relationship. In recent years, we have partnered in joint training and exchange programs focused on enhancing counterterrorism at the local unit level.

In addition, we greatly appreciate your Emir’s leadership and tireless efforts to mediate the recent rift between Qatar and other countries in the GCC. Kuwait stepped forward in its usual way – it was a difficult situation for your Emir, and we appreciate his leadership.

I look forward to discussing how we can further advance our countries’ military partnership in the coming months and years, in particular, by exploring ways to increase Kuwait’s involvement in the D-ISIS campaign.

Your Excellency, members of the delegation, thank you for coming. You are most welcome here.

DoD Leans Forward to Support Preparation and Response Efforts for Hurricane Irma

The Department of Defense is fully engaged with federal, state, territorial and international mission partners and remains postured to respond to requests for assistance to territories and states affected by Hurricane Irma.  General Lori Robinson, Commander, U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), is the lead for DoD’s domestic response.

DoD brings unique military capabilities that are effective in disaster relief efforts.  The following is an update of DoD efforts:

• The Governors of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Florida activated National Guard personnel to support state search and rescue and evacuation operations.  There are 5,242 National Guard members available in Puerto Rico; 596 available in U.S. Virgin Islands; and 8,052 in Florida.

• The USS Kearsarge and the USS Oak Hill with 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and FEMA staff embarked, will support response operations in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico starting on September 8.  The USS Iwo Jima and USS New York are preparing to provide additional support.  The USS Wasp, along with U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), are executing patient evacuation operations in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

• USNORTHCOM is providing urban search and rescue capabilities in the Caribbean to assist with life-saving and life-sustaining efforts.  The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is providing generators, fuel, food, water and other life sustaining commodities to first responders and survivors.  Specifically, DLA is providing 50,000 gallons of unleaded gasoline and 50,000 gallons of diesel to Warner Robbins AFB, Ga. in support of potential requirements.

• USNORTHCOM is developing logistics support solutions and has identified incident support bases at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., Fort AP Hill, Va., Moody AFB, Ga., Fort Bragg, N.C. and Warner Robbins AFB, Ga., to support response operations.

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is prepared to conduct port surveys and dredging missions to reopen ports after the storm passes.  USACE has deployed power teams and debris removal experts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to conduct assessments and restoration activities.  In Florida, USACE is closely monitoring the levels of Lake Okeechobee and the surrounding Herbert Hoover Dike. 

• U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) and USNORTHCOM remain in close coordination with USAID, through the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), which leads and coordinates all U.S. government international disaster assistance. While no requests for assistance have been received from USAID, OFDA civilian-military coordinators are at USSOUTHCOM, USNORTHCOM and U.S. Embassy Haiti to plan for any potential requests.

Northcom Begins Support for Hurricane Irma

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo., Sept. 7, 2017 — U.S. Northern Command began supporting the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Hurricane Irma response today as the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp arrived in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Wasp's helicopters are conducting medical evacuations for critical care patients from St. Thomas to St. Croix and conducting damage assessment in support of the government. The Wasp, the first Navy ship to arrive in the U.S. Virgin Islands, is providing medium and heavy lift helicopters to transport people and supplies.

The amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge, with the embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and the dock landing ship USS Oak Hill are also en route to the area after initially preparing to assist in the recovery efforts following Hurricane Harvey.

The combined aircraft on all three ships include three Marine Corps UH-1Y Venom helicopters, three Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters, five Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey aircraft and nine Navy MH-60S Seahawk helicopters.

These ships are capable of providing medical support, maritime civil affairs, maritime security, expeditionary logistic support, medium and heavy lift air support, and bring a diverse capability including assessment, security, route clearance and water purification.

Additionally, U.S. Transportation Command is providing a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft to assist with the relocation of hospital patients from St. Thomas.

DoD Response

The Defense Department is also leaning forward to support states that may be impacted by Hurricane Irma. Northcom has identified incident support bases at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama; Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey; Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia; Moody Air Force Base, Georgia; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; and Robins Air Force Base, Georgia; to support response and recovery operations for the East Coast.

In Texas, active-duty service members continue to conduct a wide array of support missions. For example, DoD trucks and helicopters continue to be actively engaged in life-sustaining commodity distribution, and DoD continues to provide fuel, generators, personal flotation devices, shelf-stable meals and bottled water to the Texas area.