The United States (US) on Wednesday announced that it will reduce its troop presence in Iraq from 5,200 to 3,000 in September. Gen. Frank McKenzie, commander of US Central Command, said that the decision was made due to Washington’s “confidence in Iraqi security forces” to operate independently, but stressed that the US would continue to advise and assist Iraq in its fight to rid the country of the Islamic State (ISIS)’s influence.
The decision to pull out troops is not surprising, as American President Donald Trump attempts to deliver on his 2016 campaign promises while facing a tough re-election campaign. Additionally, calls for the complete withdrawal of American forces from Iraq peaked after the killing of IRGC Commander General Qassem Soleimani, and deputy of Iraq’s Hashd al-Shaabi, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, by a US air attack near Baghdad airport in January this year. Just a few days after the incident, the Iraqi parliament voted to expel of all foreign troops from the country, as Iran-backed armed groups vowed to avenge the killings.
Since then, the US-led coalition has pulled out from six bases and consolidated its presence to only three. In recent months, the coronavirus pandemic has also forced the US-led coalition against ISIS to pause multiple aspects of its campaign across Iraq and Syria, despite the insurgents taking advantage of the pandemic-induced instability. Iraqi officials have argued that the nature of ISIS attacks is swiftly evolving amid the COVID-19 crisis, moving from local intimidation to more complex strikes involving improvised explosive devices (IEDs), shootings, and ambushes. According to the Middle East Institute, in April this year, ISIS’ armed assaults dramatically increased by almost 200% in certain areas in Iraq, amid US military withdrawals. Last month, an Iraqi Shi’ite group also claimed responsibility for an attack on a US convoy. However, McKenzie said on Wednesday that the drawdown reflected “campaign progress” and had nothing to do with security-related concerns.
An announcement regarding troop reduction in Afghanistan is also expected in the coming days. The Trump administration has recently focused its efforts on the “realignment of US troops” to ensure that Washington has the “right forces in the right places”, which also align with its spending priorities.
In July, Trump ordered the Pentagon to withdraw almost 12,00 troops from Germany in what he called a “strategic repositioning” of American forces in Europe, redeploying an additional 6,000 soldiers to NATO allies such as Poland, Italy, and Belgium. The US has also been embroiled in a tiff with South Korea over costs relating to hosting its 28,500 troops and has hinted at favouring rotational deployments to ensure greater strategic flexibility in responding to global challenges.
US Announces Plans to Withdraw 2,200 Troops From Iraq
Military officials said that the decision was made due to Washington’s “confidence in Iraqi security forces” to operate independently.
September 10, 2020
SOURCE: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS