An Iraqi government spokesman announced on Monday that because of the Iraq “victory” over ISIS, US ground troops have begun withdrawing from the country, as part of a substantial drawdown.
The spokesman said that coordination with the US will be continuing, and US officials have long suggested their presence in Iraq is “permanent,” suggesting any drawdown would be limited.
Not that we’re likely to be told about it. The US issued a statement saying that they refuse to either confirm or deny any changes to troop levels, and that they would issue a statement only if forces were entirely moving out of a theater of operations.
Yet the Pentagon doesn’t even give us figures on troop levels in Iraq anymore, so large numbers of troops could likely be withdrawn and there’d still be enough troops in Iraq as to be in excess of the latest published troop levels.
The entire narrative of ISIS having been defeated might not be something the Pentagon wants to emphasize either, as it is liable to harm the justification of them keeping troops in Iraq forever.
Official troop reductions, assuming Iraq isn’t one of the places where soldiers ended up misplaced, are usually compensated for with military contractors.
Besides, Afghanistan and perhaps Syria beckon.
It is Syria where I would like to see the U.S. pull out of . At least Syria has a fighting force I can trust would fight ISIS , AL Qaida , AL Nursa or what ever name the terrorist want to morph off to be . The United States and NATO don’t seem to understand who the enemy is . AS a matter of fact the United States has been fighting on the wrong side more often than not for the last twenty years
The U.S. and NATO understand the enemy is Russia and anyone who even says ‘good morning’ to them; nothing else matters. Although China saying “Ni hao” to Russia is particularly grating to them and earned China Enemy #2 spot for-everrrrr.
Call it the curse of Halford MacKinder.
“The Geographical Pivot of History” – Wiki.