Top US general in Iraq amid protests, questions over Iran's influence

BURDEN SHARING

Milley, who is in the Middle East for the first time since taking the chairman job in September, is meeting with allies in the region. He met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday.

The United States has deployed about 3,000 additional military forces to Saudi Arabia in recent months to bolster Saudi defenses, including an air expeditionary wing and air defense personnel.

U.S. and Saudi officials are negotiating burden-sharing arrangements for the American troops in the kingdom, officials said. Riyadh could help pay for things like upgrades to a major air base, fuel and other logistics.

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said last month that Saudi Arabia had agreed to help underwrite the deployment to the kingdom, something Trump has repeatedly called for.