Trump administration announced specifics of a drawdown in Iraq on Friday. Officials say they will withdraw one-third of the troops in Iraq to be 3,500 from 5,200 in the next two to three months.
In fact, no doubt less than a third of U.S. troops will remain, as more than 5,200 U.S. troops are currently in Iraq.
5,200 troops were the most approved under the US agreement with Iraq. Yet for months, the US hasn't kept public figures at levels. While more troops have been added, the official number has stayed at 5,200.
Pentagon is not yet reporting on the drawdown
The drawdown was taking place in Afghanistan for months before the Pentagon even acknowledged that the withdrawal was taking place, or that there was an order to withdraw troops. The same sort of situation seems to be unfolding in Iraq so far.
Trump's announcement
Trump had earlier announced the withdrawal during an August meeting with the Iraqi premier. The hope is that he will achieve the withdrawal before the US presidential election this November.
The rationale for the reduction of US troops
The key aim of the American deployment to Iraq was to help fight the Islamic State (ISIS). But ISIS is now barely running having lost control of all the territories it once had. US military officials pointed out that the Iraqi military now has the capacity to execute autonomous operations against ISIS remnants.
The US really doesn't need to stay in Iraq to help fight ISIS. Possibly the US wants to retain a major presence in Iraq in order to fight Iranian influence. The Iraqi parliament passed a motion some time ago to make all foreign troops withdraw from the country but there is no indication that the US will withdraw any of its troops. The US has imposed sanctions against Iraq if it does
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