USA Announced to Reduce Troops in Afghanistan and Iraq
The United States (US) Government have announced on November 17, 2020 to reduce the number of US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq by January 15, 2020.
Highlights
Currently, there are 4500 US troops in Afghanistan. It will be reduced to 2500 by January 2021. While US have deployed 3000 troops in Iraq which will be reduced to 2500.
Why USA is withdrawing its troops?
The withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan is in line with the US-Taliban Agreement of February 2020. In the month of February 2020, the representatives of Taliban (Afghanistan) and the US signed an agreement and agreed upon the understated points:
- All the troops of US and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will be withdrawn within 14 months after signing of the agreement.
- Taliban agreed that it will not use Afghanistan soil as a launchpad to threaten the security of US.
- Taliban also agreed to negotiate with Afghanistan and establish peace in the region.
- Both the countries agreed upon a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire.
US troops in Iraq
The US troops invaded Iraq in the year 2003. They left the country in 2011 but returned again in the year 2014. The troops invaded Iraq again after highlighting that Saddam Hussein was developing mass weapons of destruction.
NATO troops in Afghanistan
NATO had took charges of international security effort in Afghanistan in the year 2003 after US-led coalition expelled Taliban for accommodating Osama bin Laden. Later, NATO led security forces started to provide training to the Afghan security forces since 2014. Currently, NATO has deployed 12,000 troops in Afghanistan belong to different nations.
NATO’s take on withdrawal of troops
NATO have noted that the United States is putting Afghanistan at the risk to become a platform of international terrorism again by withdrawing its troops from the country. NATO further notes that, removal of troops might lead to attack on US again.