US officials quietly discussing cutting troops in Middle East: Report
What's the story
US military and intelligence officials are reportedly considering a reduction of their presence in the Middle East if the Trump administration succeeds in ending its conflict with Iran. The discussions come even as 50,000 troops and several military assets remain deployed in the region, including two aircraft carriers and over a dozen guided-missile destroyers, CNN reported. The potential cuts would be a major shift for an area that has seen an expansion of American military and intelligence facilities since 9/11.
Presence
Pre-9/11 and post-9/11 military presence in the Middle East
Post-9/11, the US had ramped up its military presence in the Middle East, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Yemen and Libya. The number of active-duty troops in the region increased from around 27,000 in 1998 to an estimated 250,000 during Iraq's invasion.
Even after major withdrawals under President Barack Obama in the years following 2011, when troop levels hovered between 30,000 and 60,000, the US maintained a significant presence due to ongoing threats from Iran.
Defense review
Protecting troops from Iranian attacks
However, the ongoing conflict with Iran has highlighted vulnerabilities in American infrastructure, which have been targeted by repeated Iranian attacks.
The CIA's outpost in Riyadh was destroyed and installations in Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait were damaged by Iranian drones and missiles.
Pentagon officials have sought to downplay the impact, but one of the sources told CNN that rebuilding these installations may depend on host nations' willingness to bear costs, which would likely be in the billions of dollars.
Historical context
Moving some installations underground
Amid these setbacks, discussions on reducing troop presence continue as officials try to gage what might be acceptable to President Trump, who has previously focused on reducing overseas forces, CNN said.
The US military is also looking to strengthen defenses for troops who are likely to stay in the region after the war ends.
One of the proposed strategies includes moving some installations underground to better protect them from missile and drone attacks.
Strategic warning
No clear timeline for economic pressure to produce results
CNN reported that top US military leaders recently told President Trump that escalating conflict with Iran may not achieve his goals.
Instead, the president is instead opting to focus on ramping up economic pressure in hopes of crippling the regime.
However, there's no clear timeline for this strategy to produce results, as analysts believe Iran's current leadership may withstand months of economic pain without capitulating in the near term.