Earlier this week, President Donald Trump ordered one of the largest troop withdrawals since the Iraq and Afghanistan conflict began over 18 years ago. Since his campaigning days in 2016, President Trump has vowed to end what he referred to as the “forever wars.” This latest troop withdrawal raises a lot of questions about the overall stability of the region. This article will discuss what the US withdrawal will look like. We will also show what the future holds for the region and the fate of our allies still on the ground.
One Step Closer to Ending the Forever Wars
On Tuesday, November 17th, Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller announced the latest move in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflict. Over the next several months, the total number of troops in Afghanistan will be reduced from 4,500 to 2,500. America’s presence in Iraq will go from 3,000 to 2,500. Also, Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller ordered the withdrawal of over 700 service members currently fighting in Somalia.
Reactions at Home and Abroad
Shortly after Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller announced the withdrawal, critics in America and the world raised concerns. Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate Majority Leader, stressed that leaving in such an unorganized manner would cause instability in the region. Mr. McConnel had this to say, “The consequences of a premature America exit would likely be even worse than President Obama’s withdrawal from Iraq in 2011, which fueled the rise of ISIS and a new round of global terrorism.”
The reaction to the announcement overseas was much more aggressive. Within hours of the announcement being made, rockets were reported to have hit near the US Embassy in Baghdad. Also, An unnamed Afghan official told Vox News that they were given no warning of the withdrawal, and government officials in Afghanistan were scrambling to develop a plan of action.
What the Future Looks Like
The future of America’s role in Iraq and Afghanistan is currently on shaky ground. In Iraq, the role of American troops focuses on the education and training of Iraqi soldiers. Individuals familiar with these training practices believe this latest troop withdrawal will have little to no effect on the overall mission.
Afghanistan however, is much more complicated than Iraq. At the moment, America has two simultaneous missions in Afghanistan. The first mission is to educate and train Afghani troops to help them combat ISIS and other threats. America’s second mission is to conduct military operations to reduce the threat of ISIS and al-Qaeda in the region. Jonathan Schroden, an analyst at the CNA think tank in Washington DC, believes this latest troop reduction will severely hamper America’s efforts in Afghanistan. According to Mr. Schroden, America will most likely have to abandon their effort to train Afghani soldiers and solely focus on military operations.
With Donald Trump entering the final months of his presidency, President-elect Joe Biden will decide what happens next in Iraq and Afghanistan’s ongoing conflict. Arwa Ibrahim, a journalist for Aljazeera, believes that Biden will be more willing to work with Iraq and Afghanistan to develop a cohesive plan of action.
Bibliography
Ibrahim, Arwa. “Joe Biden and the Future of Iraq-US Relations.” Middle East | Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 10 Nov. 2020, www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/11/9/biden_and_the-_future_of_us_iraq_relations.
Rasmussen, Sune Engel, and Ehsanullah Amiri. “Afghanistan Braces for Worst as U.S. Troop Withdrawal Accelerates.” The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 19 Nov. 2020, www.wsj.com/articles/afghanistan-braces-for-worst-as-u-s-troop-withdrawal-accelerates-11605799305.
Ward, Alex. “Trump's Just-Announced Troop Drawdown from Afghanistan and Iraq, Explained.” Vox, Vox, 17 Nov. 2020, www.vox.com/21571264/trump-afghnistan-iraq-troop-withdrawal-2500.
