US down to 2,500 troops each in Afghanistan and Iraq, as ordered by Trump January 15 U.S. Army Capt. Bradley D. Rager, assigned to the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 1st Armored Division, helps secure the helicopter landing zone as a CH-47 Chinook helicopter prepares to land at an Afghan military base Dec. 14, 2019, in southeastern Afghanistan. (Master Sgt. Alejandro Licea/Army) The drawdown in Afghanistan “brings U.S. forces in the country to their lowest levels since 2001,” said acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller in a media release. “The drawdown of U.S. force levels in Iraq is reflective of the increased capabilities of the Iraqi Security Forces.“
Nearly a dozen ex-military members among those arrested in connection with Capitol riot
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US Capitol riots: Tracking the insurrection
On Jan. 6, rioters coming from a pro-Trump rally broke into the U.S. Capitol, resulting in deaths, injuries, arrests and vandalism.Win Mcnamee/Getty Images
Retired military servicemen are turning up in alarming numbers on wanted posters and in charging documents as federal agents continue their sweep of arrests tied to the deadly riot at the Capitol last week, a trend that has experts increasingly concerned about the dangerous allure of extremist and paramilitary groups.
So far at least nine of those arrested for participating in the riot have been confirmed to be former members of the U.S. military, ABC News has confirmed through court files, lawyer statements, and military records.
JAN. 15, 2021 | BY JIM GARAMONE, DOD NEWS
Troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan have dropped, acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller announced today.
There are now 2,500 U.S. service members in Iraq and 2,500 in Afghanistan. It is the lowest number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan since operations started there in 2001.
The reductions were longtime goals of the Trump administration.
The drawdown of U.S. forces in Iraq follows the successful Iraqi military campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
“The drawdown of U.S. force levels in Iraq is reflective of the increased capabilities of the Iraqi security forces,” Miller said in a written statement. “We have long anticipated that the force level required to support Iraq’s fight against ISIS would decrease as Iraq’s capability to manage the threat from ISIS improves. Our ability to reduce force levels is evidence of real progress.”