The U.S. has removed its most advanced missile defense system (THAAD) and Patriot batteries from Saudi Arabia over recent weeks, concludes the Associated Press, based on analysis of satellite photo imagery. This withdrawal occurred during the timeframe of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Official statements from the United States have insisted that this redeployment does not signify an “abandonment” of Saudi Arabia, while some Saudis perceive the change as a snub.