US to Keep Two Large Afghan Bases Beyond Mid-January

General says US will keep several other smaller bases

It seems apparent that the US won’t meet its Christmas goal of having troops home from Afghanistan. Officials are still talking 2,500 troops being there on January 15, and they are detailing what that will mean to the ongoing war.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley says that the US will retain two of its main bases in Afghanistan, and will also retain several smaller satellite bases. There is no word of further drawdowns.

Milley, however, seems to be averse to the idea, saying that the troop levels will be up to the incoming Biden Administration.

Plans have reportedly been submitted, based on the troop levels, for how many troops will end up where, and which bases need to be closed. The plans were submitted to Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller, with no word from his office on where they’re going from here.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.