We have had forces in Germany since the end of WWII (70 years and counting)
but we had to pull out all troops from Iraq.
As I’ve said elsewhere, I was there during 2005-06, as documented right here on FR.
My unit alone lost over 200 troops and allies in a twelve-month period. There was no real “bad period” that stood out - the WHOLE YEAR was non-stop. We were under attack in one form or another every day during the rotation.
And there was no safe place - we had guys dying in the chow line, the motor pool, even the latrines - to say nothing of the convoys, the outposts and the missions outside the wire.