More U.S. troops to leave Iraq, Afghanistan

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Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller speaks at the Pentagon in Washington on Tuesday. Associated Press/via Defense.gov

More U.S. troops to leave Iraq, Afghanistan

Some 2,000 American troops will withdraw from Afghanistan and another 500 from Iraq by mid-January, Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller announced Tuesday. The United States will still respond if conditions in Afghanistan or Iraq deteriorate, he added.

What prompted the withdrawal? Miller said it reflects President Donald Trump’s longstanding policy to end the wars and to bring American service members home. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell warned against a precipitous drawdown of U.S. troops and said, “It is extremely important here in the next couple of months not to have any earthshaking changes in regard to defense or for policy.” Trump has not conceded to Joe Biden as lawsuits over the vote continue.

Dig deeper: Read my World Tour report on the progress of peace talks in Afghanistan.

Onize Ohikere

Onize is WORLD’s Africa reporter and deputy global desk chief. She is a World Journalism Institute graduate and earned a journalism degree from Minnesota State University–Moorhead. Onize resides in Abuja, Nigeria.

@onize_ohiks