{"id":68618,"date":"2020-09-09T12:25:17","date_gmt":"2020-09-09T12:25:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/09\/09\/centcom-boss-says-us-cutting-troops-in-iraq-to-3000-this-month\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T13:59:25","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T13:59:25","slug":"centcom-boss-says-us-cutting-troops-in-iraq-to-3000-this-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/09\/09\/centcom-boss-says-us-cutting-troops-in-iraq-to-3000-this-month\/","title":{"rendered":"US withdrawing thousands of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 The United States will pull thousands of troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan<\/a> by November, the top American commander for the Middle East said Wednesday, as President Donald Trump tries to make good on his campaign promise to get America out of \u201cendless wars.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During a visit to Iraq, Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, the commander of U.S. Central Command, said the reduction in Iraq \u2014 from about 5,200 troops to about 3,000 \u2014 reflects the Trump administration\u2019s confidence in the ability of U.S.-trained Iraqi security forces to handle the militant threat from the Islamic State group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later, McKenzie said troop levels in Afghanistan would drop to 4,500 by November. He made the statement in a telephone call with a small group of reporters, according to officials at his Central Command office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re on a glide slope to be at 4,500 by the November time frame \u2014 October, late October, November time frame,\u201d he said, according to a transcript made available by his office. He said the path to 4,500 would be determined in part by the military\u2019s ability to get equipment out of the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. presidential election is Nov. 3.<\/p>\n\n\n\t