Donald Trump pulls two thousand troops out of Iraq and plans drawdown in Afghanistan in days amid bust-up with top commanders he accused of going to war to enrich defense contractors

Daily Mail ^ | 09/09/2020 | By NIKKI SCHWAB, SENIOR U.S. POLITICAL REPORTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and ASSOCIATED PRESS

[SeekAndFind]

The Trump administration announced Wednesday that more than 2,000 troops will be withdrawn from Iraq and the administration is looking to announce a drawdown in Afghanistan in coming days.

CENTCOM Commander Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. said the reduction will go from about 5,200 troops in Iraq to 3,000 and happen this month, which he said will 'allow us to continue advising and assisting our Iraqi partners in rooting out the final remnants of ISIS in Iraq,' according to CNN.

Reporters first caught wind of the president's plan when a senior administration official discussed it with the press pool on Air Force One Tuesday night - and did so on the condition of anonymity.

The planned announcements come as the president has been trying to make the case that he has fulfilled the promises he made four years ago as he tries to secure a second term. Among them: pulling the U.S. out of 'endless wars.'

He's also several days into pushing back on an article in The Atlantic that charged that he's said disparaging things about serving in the armed forces, including that he referred to U.S. war dead as 'losers' and 'suckers.'

The White House has strenuously denied the report and Trump has derided The Atlantic as a failing magazine.

But in dealing with the blowback at a North Portico press conference Monday, Trump also suggested that the top military brass sent U.S. troops into warzones to please defense firms.

Trump suggested that while soldiers are pleased with him, 'the top people in the Pentagon probably aren't, because they want to do nothing but fight wars so that all of those wonderful companies that make the bombs and make the planes and make everything else stay happy.'

On Tuesday, the Army's most senior official rejected that notion

[montag813]

And now we see the reason for the phony Atlantic story.

[2banana]

obama generals.

[SeekAndFind]

There are more than 5,000 American troops in Iraq now.

In July, the top U.S. general for the Middle East said he believed the U.S. will keep a smaller but enduring presence in the country.

McKenzie, the commander of U.S. Central Command, said he believes the Iraqis welcome the U.S. and coalition troops, especially in the ongoing fight to keep ISIS fighters from taking hold of the country again.

Trump told reporters two weeks ago that 'we look forward to the day when we don´t have to be there.'

The comments came during an Oval Office meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi.

However, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo emphasized at that same meeting that a full withdrawal of U.S. troops would only occur once 'we can complete the mission.'

President Trump and first lady Melania Trump are photographed visiting the troops on the day after Christmas in 2018. The Trumps visited Al Asad Air Base. It was the president's first trip to a war zone since he was elected president

[cdcdawg]

It’s hilarious when liberals get mad at Trump for not waging war.

[Highest Authority]

Isn’t it within Trumps power to fire all those Obumnuts Generals?

[Big Red Badger]

Beware the
Industrialized
Military
Complex!

[allendale]

The real problem is that Trump has not been able to get control of the Federal bureaucracy and has never purged key Obama appointees or the pole climbing, non warrior, political senior officers in the military. So far the people who brought in mandatory “critical race theory” indoctrination are still in their positions.

[EagleUSA]

Yeah, the industrial/military complex will be screaming....all that lost revenues.

[Big Red Badger]

The Swamp is
A Little deeper
than first Thought,
For me anyway.

[logician2u]

Realpolitik says the "mission" will never be completed.

Reason: it was never defined. It's open-ended.

Interesting choice of words in the headline, BTW. On this side of the pond it's a dust-up.

British English differs from American English in a number of ways, doesn't it?

[tet68]

Reporters first caught wind of the president’s plan when a senior administration official discussed it with the press pool on Air Force One Tuesday night - and did so on the condition of anonymity.

How hard can it be to find out the leaker?
On Air Force One?

[LoveMyFreedom]

Isn’t it within Trumps power to fire all those Obumnuts Generals?

---

When Trump gets reelected they will be fleeing along with the Secretary of Defense.

[logician2u]

Let’s hope so.

[Lurkinanloomin]

Every Obama general needs to be sacked.

[drypowder]

Reminder: JFK was assassinated because he announced an EO to withdraw US troops from Vietnam. With that, he also announced an EO to dissolve the Federal Reserve and return the control of coining of US currency to the Congress. Upon taking over as President, LBJ immediately rescinded both EOs.

[steve8714]

He left three thousand troops there. Muhammed’s army was three thousand.

[ronnie raygun]

Needs to stop this critical race theory training within all military ranks

[euram]

Now I know why all the “reporters” at Kayleigh’s press briefing were more interested in a book by yet another liar.

[subterfuge]

So who is the leaker this time?