The decisions follow the outgoing President’s shakeup of the Pentagon last weekThe Trump administration is expected to cut the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan almost in half to 2,500 by Jan. 15, a U.S. official said Monday. The Pentagon also expects to cut the number of troops in Iraq to 2,500, a reduction of more than 500. The decisions follow Mr. Trump’s shakeup of the Pentagon last week in which he installed loyalists who share his frustration with the continued troop presence in the Middle East. It would give Trump an accomplishment in his final weeks in office even as he refuses to concede his election loss to Joe Biden. There are between 4,500-5,000 troops in Afghanistan now, and more than 3,000 in Iraq.

Source: The Hindu November 16, 2020 19:41 UTC