WASHINGTON – U.S. officials say the Pentagon is considering ways it could reduce the number of troops in the Sinai Peninsula and still perform its peacekeeping mission.
A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, said Tuesday that Defense Secretary Ash Carter has notified officials in Israel and Egypt that the U.S. is reviewing its role as part of a multinational force that has continuously monitored compliance with the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty.
Davis said the U.S. wants to discuss the mission with Egypt and Israel but is not considering withdrawing entirely. He said the U.S. now has about 700 troops in the Sinai.
Last August the Pentagon beefed up its presence with dozens of additional troops to improve protection for the force in the aftermath of a roadside bomb attack.
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