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Shortly before the end of Donald Trump’s term, the time has come: US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq will be reduced. This is causing criticism and concern, even among Republican allies.
Now it’s official: By order of President Donald Trump, the United States is reducing its troop strength in Afghanistan from around 4,500 troops to 2,500 troops in mid-January. He announced the acting Secretary of Defense, Christopher Miller. Therefore, the number of soldiers in Iraq should be reduced by between 500 and 2,500 by January 15. This would mean the accelerated partial withdrawal of US troops before President-elect Joe Biden takes office. His swearing-in is scheduled for January 20. Several US media had already reported on the preparations.
The Defense Ministry kept a low profile on the number of soldiers currently stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq. According to the US station CNN, there are currently 4,500 soldiers in Afghanistan and 3,000 in Iraq.
The partial deduction follows Trump’s electoral loss to Biden. Shortly after, the incumbent president removed Defense Secretary Mark Esper, which in turn led to the replacement of high-ranking positions in the Pentagon with Trump supporters. Former Army Officer Douglas Macgregor was appointed Senior Advisor to Executive Minister Miller. Macgregor is known as a critic of the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Esper, however, had insisted on keeping a contingent of 4,500 troops in Afghanistan.
Strong criticism of NATO
Trump had already promised to bring troops home in the 2016 election campaign. In particular, he lobbied for a withdrawal from Afghanistan. According to US media reports, he has recently become increasingly frustrated with the pace of the withdrawal. The plans had drawn criticism and concern from NATO and Trump’s Republicans. The radical Islamic Taliban, currently holding peace talks with the Afghan government, are feared to regain strength.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he hoped all allies would keep their promise to leave Afghanistan in a coordinated and orderly manner only when the time is right. “We have been in Afghanistan for almost 20 years and no NATO ally wants to stay longer than necessary,” Stoltenberg stressed. The price for leaving the country too quickly or in an uncoordinated manner could be very high, Stoltenberg said.
Afghanistan threatens to become a haven for international terrorists planning attacks against NATO countries. Furthermore, the terrorist militia “Islamic State” could then establish the caliphate of terror in the country that it lost in Syria and Iraq.
Top Republicans in the United States Congress had also warned against a premature withdrawal from the country. “There is no American who does not wish that the war in Afghanistan against the terrorists and their aides has already been finally won,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. “But that doesn’t change the real decision ahead of us.” A swift withdrawal of US forces “would harm our allies and would please those who wish to harm us.”
Stagnant peace process
The war in Afghanistan is the longest in American history. US soldiers have been in the country since 2001. After the September 11 attacks of that year, US-led troops marched there. In late February, the United States signed an agreement with the Taliban Islamist militants in late February, promising the gradual withdrawal of all US and NATO armed forces by the end of April 2021. The Taliban pledged to engage in talks of peace with the Kabul government, which began in September. However, the process was stalled in the dispute over procedural issues.
It is not yet clear what effect the recent US cuts could have on the Bundeswehr’s engagement. Currently, around 1,000 soldiers are stationed in northern Afghanistan. The current Bundestag mandate provides for the use of up to 1,300.
Missile strikes near the US embassy in Iraq
Shortly after the troop withdrawal announcement, and just hours after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi, several rocket attacks were reported near the US embassy from the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. Four rockets reportedly hit the so-called Green Zone. This is where the high security government district and the embassies of the US and other countries are located. The rockets were fired from the east of the capital. There was no information on possible victims. So far, no one has confessed to the attack.
Since October last year, almost 90 deadly rocket and bomb attacks have been carried out against foreign embassies, troops and facilities in Iraq. The United States has repeatedly blamed pro-Iranian militias, such as Hezbollah’s Shiite brigades, for the attacks.
