US President Donald Trump's administration is considering deploying up to 1,000 American soldiers to Kuwait to serve as a reserve force in the fight against Islamic State, US officials say.
Proponents of the option say it would provide US commanders on the ground greater flexibility to quickly respond to unforeseen opportunities and challenges on the battlefield.
It would also represent a step away from standard practices under President Barack Obama's administration by leaving the ultimate decision on whether to deploy some of those Kuwait-based reserve forces in Syria or Iraq to local commanders.
"This is about providing options," said one US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The officials said the deployment would differ from the existing US troop presence in Kuwait.
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It's unclear whether the proposal has the support of US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.
Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis declined to comment .
The decision on whether to create a more rapidly deployable Kuwait-based force is part of the ongoing review of the US strategy to defeat Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, where around 6,000 US troops are deployed, largely in advisory roles, the officials said.
