by A.P.
Christopher Miller, President Trump’s acting Secretary of Defense, announced on Tuesday that the U.S. military will withdraw a significant number of troops from both Afghanistan and Iraq by January 15, 2021.
The U.S. will cut the number of troops in both war-torn countries to just 2,500. That is half the total soldiers currently in Afghanistan and a reduction of 500 in Iraq.
Within moments of the announcement, Iraqi intelligence said at least four rockets were launched at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.
Trump has consistently said he wants American troops withdrawn from the two countries, but fellow Republican lawmakers have objected to such a quick timeline.
“I believe that these additional reductions of American troops from terrorist areas are a mistake,” Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX) said. “Further reductions in Afghanistan will also undercut negotiations there; the Taliban has done nothing – met no condition – that would justify this cut.”