Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Chief Warrant Officer James B. Wilke, 38, of Ione, Calif. died Oct.10, in Doha, Qatar.  He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, Fort Bliss, Texas.

For more information, the media may contact the 32d Army Air and Missile Defense Command public affairs office at 915-568-3328.

NATO Assumes Command of Libya Operations

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2011 – NATO has taken sole command of international air operations over Libya, Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced in Stockholm today.

NATO has all the assets in place for Operation Unified Protector, including forces for the arms embargo and no-fly zone and actions to protect civilians and civilian centers, Rasmussen said.

The operations are taking place under the auspices of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973.

Adm. Giampaolo Di Paola of the Italian navy, chairman of the NATO Military Committee, said the alliance has gradually taken over command of these operations from U.S. Africa Command.

“This decision followed a constructive debate among NATO political and military authorities, and has been taken by the alliance in a remarkable short lap of time,” he said.

NATO officials have directed U.S. Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, NATO’s supreme allied commander for Europe, “to launch the operation without any gaps while the transfer of assets is ongoing,” Di Paola said. The operation is under the command of Lt. Gen. Charles Bouchard of the Canadian Forces.

The NATO mission also has contributions from partner nations, including Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

“We consider regional support as fundamental, in line with the principles and core tasks highlighted in NATO’s new Strategic Concept,” Di Paola said. “I want to be clear. The focus of our mission is to protect the civilian population. We know that this is a challenging endeavor and the situation on the ground is complex. We are also aware that there is no purely military solution to the crisis.”

Alliance officials stressed that the alliance will adhere strictly to the mission delineated by the U.N. resolution.

“NATO is not engaged in Libya to decide the future of the Libyan people,” Di Paola said. “That is up to Libyans themselves. We are helping enforce the will of the international community to protect them from attacks so that they can start shaping and deciding of their future.”

Libyan Regime Forces Feel Effects of Coalition Attacks

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2011 – Moammar Gadhafi’s forces are feeling the effects of the coalition attacking command and control centers and logistics hubs, as evidenced by the progress the Libyan opposition has made, the director of the Joint Staff said during a Pentagon briefing today.

Coalition aircraft – now including Air Force A-10 Warthogs and AC-130s – have attacked regime forces threatening civilians. They also have hit command and control centers, ammunition supply points, missile sites and radars.

On March 25, regime forces were outside Ajdabiyah and the city was contested, Navy Vice Adm. William E. Gortney said. Today, opposition forces have control of Ajdabiyah and have pushed west to within 80 miles of Surt -- a strategic port on the Mediterranean.

Coalition officials believe Gadhafi’s troops are digging in and placing tanks and armored vehicles in and around the city, he said. Farther west, regime forces are digging in around Zintan, and fighting continues in Misrata.

Most of the targets hit in the last 24 hours were targets of opportunity, Gortney said. The coalition hit forces still attacking civilians and also the command and control nodes of the 32nd Brigade -- a loyal regime strike force allegedly commanded by one of Gadhafi’s sons and still attacking civilians.

The coalition flew 178 sorties over the past 24 hours with the majority being strike-related. The number of sorties continues to grow, “but the labor share [between U.S. and partner nations] is definitely evening out,” Gortney said.

Pilots from Belgium and Qatar have been flying missions, and 12 fighters from the United Arab Emirates will be joining the fight shortly, the admiral said. “U.S. military participation in this operation is … changing to one of support,” he said.

The USS Providence, a submarine that participated in the Tomahawk strikes against Libya, has finished its mission and will continue its patrol.

While the United States is still flying strike missions, “we are providing 80 percent of all air refueling, almost 75 percent of aerial surveillance hours and 100 percent of electronic warfare missions,” Gortney said.

NATO will assume command of the mission in the next few days. “The specifics are still being worked out,” he said. “The maritime embargo [transfer of command] was fairly easy and straight forward. They started taking on the no-fly mission … on Saturday morning, and we’ll see them taking the total mission, including the civilian protection mission, in the coming days.”

U.S. Africa Command chief Army Gen. Carter F. Ham is commanding now and will shift the command to Canadian Forces Lt. Gen. Charles Bouchard. None of the commanders involved are anticipating any problems with that, Gortney noted.

“One of the benefits of transitioning to NATO is we’ve been working with NATO for many years, and we understand the command structure,” he said. “We exercise together, we operate in Afghanistan together, and that’s why we have tremendous confidence that we’re not going to drop the ball.”

Gortney said they haven’t received a single confirmed report of civilian casualties caused by the coalition. “We will continue to be just as precise as we can in keeping up the pressure on regime forces while protecting innocent civilians,” he said.

Obama: Coalition Mission Succeeding in Libya

By Terri Moon Cronk

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 26, 2011 – The military mission in Libya is succeeding and preventing further atrocities against the Libyan people by Moammar Gadhafi and his forces, President Barack Obama said today in his weekly radio address.

Obama said that “because we acted quickly, a humanitarian catastrophe has been avoided and the lives of countless civilians -- innocent men, women and children -- have been saved."

The commander in chief credited the part played by U.S. troops in “Operation Odyssey Dawn,” which was launched March 19 by coalition forces to enforce a U.N. Security Council resolution to protect the Libyan people from Gadhafi’s forces.

"Thanks to our brave men and women in uniform, we’ve made important progress," Obama said, noting that he faces “no greater decision” than sending U.S. forces into harm’s way. He also said the U.S. “should not -- and cannot -- intervene every time there’s a crisis somewhere in the world."

Gadhafi’s brutality against innocent Libyan people, however, made the military action necessary, he said.

"When someone like Gadhafi threatens a bloodbath that could destabilize an entire region, and when the international community is prepared to come together to save many thousands of lives, then it’s in our national interest to act. It’s our responsibility,” he said. “This is one of those times."

Over the past week, Obama said that U.S. and coalition forces took out Gadhafi’s air defenses and stopped his forces’ advancement across the country. Libyan forces also were pushed back in Benghazi, a city of about 700,000 people, where Gadhafi threatened to show “no mercy” to the country's opposition.

"Our message is clear and unwavering," he said. "Gadhafi’s attacks against civilians must stop. His forces must pull back. Humanitarian assistance must be allowed to reach those in need. Those responsible for violence must be held accountable.”

The president said that "Moammar Gadhafi has lost the confidence of his people and the legitimacy to rule, and the aspirations of the Libyan people must be realized."

Obama explained that the role of American forces has been limited, and the U.S. is acting in concert with a multinational coalition.

“We are not putting any ground forces into Libya. Our military has provided unique capabilities at the beginning, but this is now a broad, international effort,” he said. “Our allies and partners are enforcing the no-fly zone over Libya and the arms embargo at sea."

The president noted that "key Arab partners," such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, have contributed aircraft to the effort.

Obama said this is "how the international community should work, with more nations, not just the United States, bearing the responsibility and cost of upholding peace and security.

"This military effort is part of our larger strategy to support the Libyan people and hold the Gadhafi regime accountable," he said. "Together with the international community, we?re delivering urgent humanitarian assistance. We?re offering support to the Libyan opposition."

By freezing tens of billions of dollars of Gadhafi’s assets, the needs and aspirations of the Libyan people can be better met, he said, "and every day, the pressure on Gadhafi and his regime is increasing."    

Obama said that Libyans have begun expressing their gratitude for the mission.

"Every American can be proud of the lives we’ve saved in Libya and of the service of our men and women in uniform who once again have stood up for our interests and our ideals," he said. "And people in Libya and around the world are seeing that the United States of America stands with those who hope for a future where they can determine their own destiny."

NATO Assumes Responsibility for No-fly Zone Over Libya

By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 24, 2011 – NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced today the alliance will assume command and control of coalition operations enforcing the no-fly zone over Libya authorized by U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973.

“We are taking action as part of the broad international effort to protect civilians against the attacks by the [Moammar] Gadhafi regime,” Rasmussen said in a statement released today. “We will cooperate with our partners in the region and welcome their contributions.”

All NATO allies are committed to fulfill their obligations under the U.N. resolution, Rasmussen said. “That is why we have decided to assume responsibility for the no-fly zone,” He added.

Speaking in Washington this evening after meetings at the White House, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said a wide range of nations has responded to the Libyan people’s needs.

“When the Libyan people sought to realize their democratic aspirations, they were met by extreme violence from their own government,” Clinton said. “The Libyan people appealed to the world to help stop the brutal attacks on them, and the world listened.”

Hundreds of thousands of civilians were in danger, the secretary said, and an international coalition responded. “After only five days, we have made significant progress,” she said. “A massacre in Benghazi was prevented. Gadhafi's air force and air defenses have been rendered largely ineffective. And the coalition is in control of the skies above Libya.”

Humanitarian relief is beginning to reach the people who need it, she said, noting, “At least 18 doctors and nurses from an organization funded by the United States Agency for International Development [are] in Benghazi … beginning to provide support to the city's main hospital.”

President Barack Obama stressed that the U.S. military’s actions “would be limited in time and scope,” Clinton said. “Our mission has been to use America's unique capabilities to create the conditions for the no-fly zone, and to assist in meeting urgent humanitarian needs.”

Today the United States and its NATO allies agreed to transition command and control for the no-fly zone over Libya to NATO, Clinton said.

“This coalition includes countries beyond NATO, including Arab partners, and we expect all of them to [provide] important political guidance going forward,” she said.

Arab leadership and participation is the coalition is crucial, she said.

“The Arab League showed that leadership with its pivotal statement on Libya,” Clinton said. “We are deeply appreciative of their continuing contributions, including aircrafts and pilots from Qatar.”

This evening the United Arab Emirates announced it will join the coalition and send planes to help protect Libyan civilians and enforce the no-fly zone, the secretary said.

“We welcome this important step,” she added. “It underscores both the breadth of this international coalition and the depth of concern in the region for the plight of the Libyan people.”

As NATO assumes command-and-control responsibilities, the welfare of Libyan civilians will be of paramount concern, she said.

“Our military will continue to provide support to our efforts to make sure that Security Council resolutions 1970 and 1973 will be enforced,” Clinton said. “It is an effort that we believe is very important, and we'll look forward to coordinating closely with all those nations that are participating.”

Coalition Continues to Defend Libyan Civilians

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 24, 2011 – Coalition forces continue to enforce the no-fly zone over Libya, striking air defense capabilities and regime forces that threaten Libyan civilians, Navy Vice Adm. William E. Gortney said here today.

The director of the Joint Staff said during a Pentagon news conference that the coalition enforcing the United Nations resolution continues to grow in size and capabilities.

“Today there are nine other contributing nations, to include Qatar, and thousands of coalition military personnel involved in this effort,” Gortney said. “They’re deployed across Europe and on the Mediterranean, at bases ashore and on any of one of the 38 ships at sea.”

The coalition continues to strike Moammar Gadhafi’s integrated air defense capabilities, command-and-control facilities, logistics nodes and ammunition supplies, Gortney said.

“When and where regime forces threaten the lives of their own citizens, they will be attacked,” he said. “When and where regime forces fly combat aircraft or fire at coalition aircraft, they will be attacked. And when and where regime forces attempt to break the embargo, they will be stopped.”

Gortney said the coalition message to regime forces is simple: “stop fighting, stop killing your own people, stop obeying the orders of Colonel Gadhafi.”

If they continue to attack their own people, the coalition will continue to hit them, he said.

In the 24 hours that ended at noon Eastern Standard Time, coalition ships and submarines launched another 14 Tomahawk cruise missiles at targets ashore, the admiral said. The coalition flew a total of 130 sorties, 49 of which were designed to hit a designated target. “Of those total sorties, roughly half were flown by pilots from partner nations,” Gortney said.

Partner nations flew roughly 75 percent of combat air patrol missions. “On Sunday, that figure was less than 10 percent,” Gortney said.

More than 350 aircraft are involved in either enforcing the no-fly zone or protecting the civilian populace. Only slightly more than half belong to the United States, he said.

The United States will hand Operation Odyssey Dawn over to a coalition command structure as early as this weekend, Gortney said.

The coalition flew a total of 130 sorties yesterday. Sorties are not just warplanes carrying ordnance. They encompass the range of missions including air-to-air refuelers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, airborne warning and control aircraft, combat air patrol aircraft and strike aircraft.

This makes for a busy airspace over the Gulf of Sidra, and just de-conflicting the airspace requires finesse. “That's why we have a coalition air component commander, to write that air tasking order,” Gortney said.

The air tasking order lays out the type of missions needed, where they fly, the flow of aircraft to and from the airspace and to make sure “that they don't bump,” he said.

Strikes Degrade Libya's Defenses, But Threats Remain

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2011 – While the attacks on Libya’s integrated air and missile defense system have been successful, thousands of anti-aircraft artillery emplacements and portable missile launchers still pose threats to coalition air crews, the director of the Joint Staff said today.

On the second day of Operation Odyssey Dawn, Navy Vice Adm. William E. Gortney said the coalition cruise missile strikes against selected air defense systems and facilities were successful, and that coalition ships and submarines launched 124 Tomahawk missiles against these targets.

“We judge these strikes to have been very effective in degrading the regime’s air defense capability, to include their ability to launch many of their SA-5s – their long range missiles – their SA-3s and SA-2s,” Gortney said during a Pentagon news conference.

Moammar Gadhafi’s regime has not launched aircraft, and the coalition has not detected any radar emissions from the air defense sites targeted, the admiral said.

“There has been a significant decrease in the use of all Libyan air surveillance radars,” he added. “These seem to be limited to the areas around Tripoli and Sert.”

Air Force B-2 bombers also attacked Libyan airfields, flattening the hardened shelters Libyan fighter-bombers use, Gortney said. Coalition tactical fighters also hit Gadhafi’s ground forces on the outskirts of Benghazi, where 15 U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, French and British aircraft participated in the action about 10 miles south of the opposition stronghold. “We judge these also to have been highly successful at halting the regime ground movement in this region,” Gortney said.

Libya’s fixed surface-to-air missile threat and early warning radars are gone. The threat that remains comes from mobile surface-to-air missiles -- SA-6 and SA-8 systems – as well as thousands of shoulder-fired SA-7 missile launchers, the admiral told reporters.

The coalition has not directly targeted anti-aircraft artillery, Gortney said, because many are near homes and there are thousands of these guns.

The coalition has grown and will continue to increase, Gortney said, noting that it includes the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Italy, Qatar, Belgium, Norway and Denmark. More nations will directly participate in the coalition, he said, and other nations will provide overflight rights, basing and logistics. Gortney said those nations will make their announcements at their own times.

The United States leads the coalition effort now, but that will change, the admiral said.

“Our intent is to be a part of the coalition throughout, and transfer the command to a coalition command,” he said. The United States would shift to more of a support function that would include aerial tankers; electronic warfare aircraft; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft; and logistics.

Coalition Answers Libyan People’s Call, Flournoy Says

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2011 – Operation Odyssey Dawn is a coalition effort responding to the calls of the Libyan people, Arab nations and the international community as a whole, the undersecretary of defense for policy said today.

In a BBC interview, Michele Flournoy spoke about the operation aimed at protecting the people of Libya from forces loyal to Moammar Gadhafi and establishing a no-fly zone over the nation.

Yesterday’s attacks set the conditions to establish the no-fly zone, she said.

“The first steps of establishing any no-fly zone are taking out the adversary’s air defenses,” she explained. U.S. and British warships fired 110 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Libyan integrated air and missile defense system, and American B-2 bombers attacked Libyan airfields.

To date, the countries that have announced they are part of the Odyssey Dawn coalition are the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Canada and Qatar. More are expected to announce support in the coming days.

“This is an increasingly broad international coalition that includes not only the United States and European nations, but a number of Arab nations that are stepping up to provide various forms of assistance, whether it is military participation, access, basing, financial support and so forth,” Flournoy said.

The mission does not end with establishing the no-fly zone, she said, noting that U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973 calls for the coalition to protect Libyan civilians. Gadhafi’s forces were moving on Benghazi – the opposition strongpoint in eastern Libya. Flournoy said coalition forces will use all assets “to stop Gadhafi’s forces from moving in to those urban areas, to cut supply lines, command and control and so forth.”

“We will do whatever we can to enforce the U.N.’s resolution,” she added.

The undersecretary said directing coalition air power against Gadhafi’s tanks and armored vehicles in the cities will be difficult, but time is not on Gadhafi’s side.

“The will of the international community is quite strong,” she said. “The solidarity across … the region is quite strong. He’s lost his legitimacy by attacking his own people. Time will tell the outcome of this operation.”

Flournoy would not discuss anything beyond the current operation. “It’s too early to speculate about where this is going to end up,” she said. “Gadhafi and his military are going to be under enormous pressure. I think their efforts to turn against their own population will be thwarted. We will have to see how the days play out before we will know exactly how this end game will play out.”

Mullen Continues Middle East Trip in Qatar

By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service

DOHA, Qatar, Feb. 21, 2011 – The top U.S. military officer arrived here in the Qatari capital today, continuing his weeklong trip through the Middle East after concluding what he called frank, reassuring talks with leaders in Saudi Arabia about widespread regional unrest.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters concern about violence surrounding many of the pro-democratic movements that have rippled through the region – and how Iran might exert its power in the process – dominated his talks today with Saudi political and military leaders.

The chairman emphasized that he does not believe Iran played a role in toppling the regimes of Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak or in stirring up other protest movements. “These are, by and large, internal issues, as opposed to issues fomented by some external force,” he said.

But nonetheless, Mullen said, the United States and its allies in the region are wary that Iran might use the upheaval as a chance to exert influence. He called Iran “a country that continues to foment instability in the region and take advantage of every opportunity.”

“There are always concerns in this region with Iran. Certainly the United States has them, as well as all the regional players,” he told reporters after concluding today’s meetings in Riyadh. “Certainly that was part of the discussion today with the Saudis.”

In the Saudi capital of Riyadh, the chairman met with Prince Mohammed bin Niyif, assistant interior minister for security affairs; Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, commander of Saudi Arabia’s national guard; Prince Khalid bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud, assistant defense and aviation minister for military affairs; and Lt. Gen. Qubail, deputy chief of the general staff. He also met with U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia James Smith and his staff.

Mullen said his talks focused largely on the tumult in Bahrain, where a violent weekend left many anti-government protestors dead. “Obviously the Saudis, in particular -- but everybody in the region -- is watching what’s happening in Bahrain very closely,” he said.

The Saudi government, concerned that whatever happens there could spill over to Saudi Arabia’s eastern province, has expressed support for Bahrain’s ruling Khalifa family and sent a warning to Iran.

“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia stands with all its capabilities behind the state and the brotherly people of Bahrain,” the government-run Saudi Press Agency announced in a statement. Saudi Arabia expressed “absolute rejection” of foreign tampering in Bahrain’s affairs.

Mullen credited Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa’s decision not to use force against the protestors and to begin a national dialogue to address their issues with bringing about an apparent reduction in violence iover the last 36 hours in Bahrain. “He has taken some significant, positive steps from a leadership standpoint … to resolve the grievances and the concerns,” the chairman said.

The chairman arrived here today for the second leg of a trip that also includes stops in United Arab Emirates, Djibouti and Kuwait, and possibly Bahrain.

Tonight in Doha, Mullen will be the guest of honor at a dinner hosted by Maj. Gen. Hamad bin Ali al-Attiyah, the Qatari armed forces’ chief of staff. He has meetings slated tomorrow with Sheikh bin Hamad al Thani, ruling emir of Qatar since 1995.

From there, Mullen is slated to travel to United Arab Emirates, where he will meet with leaders and attend the International Defense Exposition and Conference in Abu Dhabi. Later this week, he will visit Djibouti on the Horn of Africa, then will conclude his trip in Kuwait with ceremonies marking the 20th anniversary of its liberation during Operation Desert Storm.

Although the visit had been long-scheduled, Mullen told reporters traveling with him, its context changed dramatically in light current events. He dismissed the notion that his trip shows the United States is taking sides in regional conflicts, emphasizing the importance of peaceful resolution to the current situation in the strategically important Gulf region.

“We have a longstanding relationship with the leaders in these countries,” he said, noting his own close ties with their military leaders. “That doesn’t mean we don’t all share concern about what has happened and look to the future,” he said. “It is really important that we reaffirm the relationship” and evaluate “what has occurred and how we are going to look to the future together.”

The chairman said he would press throughout his trip for all sides in these situations to show restraint as they work through their differences.

“We certainly would like to see whatever happens happen in a nonviolent way -- that where there are differences, they be resolved nonviolently, and that governments and their people figure this out,” he said.

Meanwhile, in response to a reporter’s question, Mullen expressed no particular concern about Egypt’s decision to allow Iranian warships to pass through the Suez Canal. Noting that he has transited the canal himself more than once, the chairman said it’s an issue for Egypt, which controls the canal, to address.

“It is really for the government of Egypt and the government of Iran to work that out,” he said.

Mullen Launches Middle East Trip in Saudi Arabia

By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 20, 2011 – Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived here today for the first leg of a sweep through the Middle East to reassure friends of the U.S. commitment to regional stability, acknowledging he’s been “stunned” by the pace of the upheaval here.

“The speed with which this has happened has really taken me aback,” Mullen said of unrest that has moved through the region, domino-like, in recent weeks. “And I think this speed is going to continue.”

Mullen left Washington yesterday to confer with international and U.S. officials during stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Djibouti and Kuwait. Although the trip has been in the planning stages for some time, he said, its nature has changed dramatically based on the current tumult.

Talks are expected to address uprisings that have toppled the presidents of both Tunisia and Egypt and continue to ripple through the region. As during his trip last week to Israel and Jordan, Mullen said, he plans to “reassure our friends and just listen to what’s on their minds” about the situation and to get their views firsthand, particularly concerning Egypt.

Mullen said he comes to the region bringing no message to any particular group, but rather to reiterate the U.S. interest in seeing differences resolved peacefully. “We would certainly like to see what happens happen in a nonviolent way,” he told reporters traveling with him.

Emphasizing the importance of the Gulf region, the chairman said its stability is in everyone’s best interest.

Mullen has office calls scheduled here with Prince Mohammed bin Niyif, Saudi Arabia’s assistant interior minister for security affairs; Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, commander of the Saudi Arabian national guard; Prince Khalid bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud, assistant defense and aviation minister for military affairs; and Lt. Gen. Qubail, deputy chief of the general staff.

He also will meet with U.S. Ambassador James Smith.

The United States and Saudi Arabia have had strong military-to-military relations since World War II. U.S. advisors continue to help in training the Saudi military and national guard. The U.S. military training mission to Saudi Arabia and a U.S. program managers’ office for the Saudi Arabian national guard work to help in increasing Saudi military capabilities.

Saudi Arabia is one of the largest customers for U.S. defense goods.

The trip is expected to wrap up next weekend in Kuwait City, where a month-long commemoration is observing the 50th anniversary of Kuwait’s liberation and the 20th anniversary of Operation Desert Storm. Coalition forces liberated Kuwait from Iraqi occupation forces on Feb. 26, 1991, at the end of Operation Desert Storm. Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait Aug. 2, 1990.

The chairman’s last extended visit to the region was in February 2010, when he made stops in Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.