You are keeping the peace. That is a very important mission for you. It is a dangerous one. The Middle East remains a high-threat area, Cohen said. Saddam Hussein's army is the largest in the region and just a few miles beyond Kuwait's border.
Troops have to be on constant alert for themselves and for their buddies.
If you stay alert, you stay alive, and you carry out the mission successfully. Cohen reviewed security measures at the base during his tour. Located near the town of al-Kharj, about 60 miles south of Riyadh, the U.S. base is actually contained within a Saudi air base. Thus, it has multiple security perimeters, and extraordinary force protection measures are in place, including observation towers, high-tech sensors and trip flares on fences. About 4,000 concrete Jersey barriers protect the airfield, and more than 300 security troops guard the base.