{"id":44247,"date":"2020-12-08T02:15:08","date_gmt":"2020-12-08T02:15:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/12\/08\/us-troop-pullouts-in-mideast-raise-fears-of-iranian-attacks\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T07:09:37","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T07:09:37","slug":"us-troop-pullouts-in-mideast-raise-fears-of-iranian-attacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/12\/08\/us-troop-pullouts-in-mideast-raise-fears-of-iranian-attacks\/","title":{"rendered":"US troop pullouts in Mideast raise fears of Iranian attacks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WASHINGTON \u2014 As the Pentagon pulls troops out of the Middle East in the coming weeks, under orders from President Donald Trump, U.S. military leaders are working to find other ways to deter potential attacks by Iran and its proxies, and to counter arguments that America is abandoning the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A senior U.S. military official with knowledge of the region said Monday that Iran may try to take advantage of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2020\/11\/20\/experts-tell-lawmakers-rapid-afghanistan-withdrawal-is-a-recipe-for-another-terror-attack\/\" target=_blank>America\u2019s troop withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan<\/a>, and the planned departure of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2020\/11\/28\/nimitz-back-in-persian-gulf-iran-vows-revenge-for-killing-of-nuke-scientist\/\" target=_blank>the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz<\/a> from the Arabian Gulf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The official said as a result military leaders have determined that based on the security situation in the region, the Nimitz must remain there now and \u201cfor some time to come.\u201d In addition, the official said an additional fighter jet squadron may also be sent to the region, if needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2020\/12\/02\/militarys-top-officer-says-weve-had-a-modicum-of-success-in-afghanistan\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635671176915313055-arm-milley-gallery-5jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Military\u2019s top officer says we\u2019ve had a \u2018modicum of success\u2019 in Afghanistan<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The chairman of the Joint Chiefs gave a humble assessment of the situation in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Nimitz left the Gulf region and was set to begin heading home. But the ship was ordered to return last week to provide additional security while the troop withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan continue. A U.S. defense official said at the time that the decision would ensure that American troops could deter any adversary from taking action against U.S. forces. No timeline was given, but the U.S. military official speaking Monday made it clear that the change is open-ended, and it\u2019s not clear when the ship\u2019s crew will return home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The potential Iranian threat has become an increasing concern in recent weeks following <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2020\/11\/27\/iran-scientist-linked-to-military-nuclear-program-killed\/\" target=_blank>the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh<\/a>. Iran has blamed the death on Israel, which has been suspected in previous killings of Iranian nuclear scientists. U.S. officials are also worried about a possible Iranian retaliatory strike on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2020\/12\/03\/us-to-reduce-staff-at-baghdad-embassy-amid-regional-tensions\/\" target=_blank>the first anniversary of the U.S. airstrike<\/a> that killed Iran\u2019s top general, Qassim Soleimani, and senior Iraqi militia leaders near Baghdad\u2019s airport in early January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The military official said the U.S. is aware of Iranian attack planning and threats, and that some are more mature, while others are aspirational. A key worry, he said, is that Iranian-backed militias in Iraq may be willing to act even without the blessings or direction of Tehran.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2020\/12\/03\/how-could-us-drawdown-in-iraq-aid-isis-iran-here-are-three-ways\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP20337469247140.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">How could US drawdown in Iraq aid ISIS, Iran? Here are three ways<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">These are some possible second- and third-order effects of U.S. troop drawdown from Iraq.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The presence of the Nimitz, said the official, may cause Iran or the militias to rethink a possible attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Pentagon is mindful of the impact of the extended deployment on the Nimitz sailors and on the Navy\u2019s plan for the ship\u2019s maintenance, said the military official, who spoke to a small number of reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing troop deliberations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Pentagon announced last month that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2020\/11\/17\/acting-secdef-assures-end-of-generational-mideast-wars-in-announcement-of-partial-drawdown\/\" target=_blank>the U.S. will reduce troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan<\/a> by mid-January, asserting that the decision fulfills Trump\u2019s pledge to bring forces home from America\u2019s long wars. Under the accelerated pullout, the U.S. will cut the number of troops in Afghanistan from more than 4,500 to 2,500, and in Iraq from about 3,000 to 2,500.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Postponing the return of the Nimitz, however, will keep between 5,000-7,000 sailors and Marines in the Middle East, likely into next year. Other ships in the Nimitz strike group may remain with the carrier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The military official said that the Pentagon will look at other ways to make up for the loss of the Nimitz when the carrier does leave the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump\u2019s troop withdrawal decision got a cool reception from Republican lawmakers and allies, who warned of the dangers of reducing forces before security conditions are right. And it came despite arguments from senior military officials who favor a slower pullout to preserve hard-fought gains.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2020\/11\/19\/accelerated-us-troop-withdrawal-rattles-afghan-allies-and-adversaries-alike\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6280919.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Accelerated US troop withdrawal rattles Afghan allies and adversaries alike<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Analysts fear the accelerated withdrawal could significantly compromise the defense capabilities of Afghanistan\u2019s forces.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, top U.S. commander for the Middle East, has long argued for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2020\/02\/02\/additional-military-presence-in-region-leads-to-uneasy-quiet-in-mideast-says-top-us-central-command-leader\/\" target=_blank>a consistent aircraft carrier presence in the Gulf region<\/a> to deter Iran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Visiting the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in the North Arabian Sea in February, McKenzie told the sailors: \u201cYou\u2019re here because we don\u2019t want a war with Iran and nothing makes a potential adversary think twice about war than the presence of an aircraft carrier and the strike group that comes with it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite widespread demands for U.S. Navy ships in other parts of the world, McKenzie requested and received a much larger than usual naval presence in the Middle East region throughout the early part of this year. But over time, the numbers have declined, in recognition of the Pentagon\u2019s effort to put more emphasis on China and the Indo-Pacific.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A senior U.S. military official with knowledge of the region said Monday that Iran may try to take advantage of America&#8217;s troop withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan, and the planned departure of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz from the Arabian Gulf.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":41020,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":62,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[101,8,23,88,12,26,62],"tags":[],"coauthors":[1354],"class_list":["post-44247","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-flashpoints","category-home","category-left-column","category-news","category-newsletters","category-pentagon-congress"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"SFOE6CBVBNBRND4GS3OOT74FCA","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/your-military\/2020\/12\/07\/us-troop-pullouts-in-mideast-raise-fears-of-iranian-attacks\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>US troop pullouts in Mideast raise fears of Iranian attacks - Navy Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A senior U.S. military official with knowledge of the region said Monday that Iran may try to take advantage of America&#039;s troop withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan, and the planned departure of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz from the Arabian Gulf.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"US troop pullouts in Mideast raise fears of Iranian attacks\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A senior U.S. military official with knowledge of the region said Monday that Iran may try to take advantage of America&#039;s troop withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan, and the planned departure of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz from the Arabian Gulf.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/12\/08\/us-troop-pullouts-in-mideast-raise-fears-of-iranian-attacks\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Navy Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-12-08T02:15:08+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-08T07:09:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Lolita C. 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