US troop reduction from the Middle East will serve only Trump's interests

The announcement that the US aims to pull thousands of troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan by November has more to do with President Donald Trump’s desire to win re-election than it does with any tangible improvement in the overall security situation.

Mr Trump has made no secret throughout the course of his presidency of his desire to tackle America’s involvement in “endless wars” that have cost the American taxpayer, according to the President’s estimate, around $7 trillion – money that he believes could be better spent on improving the lives of ordinary Americans.

Indeed, Mr Trump’s “America First” policy has already seen Washington announce a number of premature troops withdrawals, such as the decision to abandon the Kurds in northern Syria and the removal of significant numbers of American forces in Afghanistan before the long drawn-out negotiations with the Taliban had been concluded.

So this week's announcement by US Marine General Frank McKenzie, the commander of US Central Command, that Washington intends to make significant reductions to its troop strength in both Iraq and Afghanistan in time for November's US presidential election is entirely in keeping with Mr Trump's promise.

This will mean that American forces in Iraq will reduce from their current level of around 5,200 troops to around 3,000, while in Afghanistan troop levels are expected to fall to around 4,500.

In an attempt to justify the move, Gen McKenzie said the reductions were a reflection of the Trump administration’s confidence in the ability of US-trained Iraqi security forces to tackle any future threats the country might face.

As for Afghanistan, Gen McKenzie said that maintaining a force of around 4,500 would be sufficient to protect American interests in the region. “We don’t want to be an occupying force in this country,” he explained. “But we do have strategic interests, vital interests, that compel us to be certain that these entities, such as Al Qaeda and ISIS, can’t be guests there to attack the United States.”

Obtaining guarantees from the Taliban, the extremist movement that originally allowed Al Qaeda to establish bases in Afghanistan, that the country will no longer be used by militants to launch attacks against the US, such as the September 11 attacks in 2001, has been one of the central demands of the negotiations aimed at bringing the country’s long-running civil war.

But while Taliban negotiators have intimated that they are willing to commit themselves to such an undertaking in return for Washington ending its military involvement in the country, the negotiations between the US and the Taliban have stalled over the vexed issue of releasing an estimated 5,000 Taliban fighters from being held by the Afghan authorities.

The Afghan government of President Ashraf Ghani was initially excluded from the negotiations when an outline deal was agreed in March, and the Afghan government’s qualms about releasing Taliban fighters accused of launching attacks against Afghan security forces meant it was reluctant to meet the group’s demands, thereby prompting a new round of violence throughout the summer.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the leader of the Taliban delegation, signs an agreement with Zalmay Khalilzad, US envoy for peace in Afghanistan, at a signing agreement ceremony between members of Afghanistan's Taliban and the US in Doha, Qatar February 29, 2020. Reuters
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo walks ahead of the signing of an agreement between members of Afghanistan's Taliban delegation and the US government in Doha, Qatar. Reuters
Members of Afghanistan's Taliban delegation speak to the media ahead of an agreement signing between them and US officials in Doha, Qatar. Reuters
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu walks ahead of the signing of an agreement between members of Afghanistan's Taliban delegation and the US government in Doha, Qatar. Reuters
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg attends a joint press conference with Afghan President Ghani and US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper on the declaration of a peace deal to be signed between the US and the Taliban, at the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan. EPA
US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper attends a joint press conference with Afghan President Ghani and NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg on the declaration of a peace deal to be signed between the US and the Taliban, at the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan. EPA
Members of the Taliban delegation gather ahead of an agreement signing between them and US officials in Doha, Qatar. Reuters

Under pressure from Washington, though, the US finally persuaded the Afghan authorities to release the majority of Taliban captives, thereby paving the way for the Afghan government to participate in the peace talks for the first time.

Announcing a significant reduction in the number of American troops at a critical stage in the negotiations therefore represents a significant gamble on the part of the Trump administration. Indeed, concerns that the US might be sacrificing its national security interests simply to achieve Mr Trump's desire to end Washington's overseas military involvement has already provoked controversy when former defence secretary James Mattis resigned over the issue in late 2018.

Taliban leaders have long believed that Washington will eventually tire of its long-standing military commitment to Afghanistan which, at the time of the US-led coalition’s attempt to bring stability to the country, saw in excess of 100,000 American troops based there.

The fact that the Trump administration's priority now is to reduce America's military presence will certainly raise fears among the Afghan authorities that Washington is abandoning the country to an uncertain fate at the hands of the Taliban. It is a similar story in Iraq, where the recently formed government of Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi is still finding its feet after more than a decade of misrule.

Apart from battling Iran’s malign influence in Iraqi politics in recent years, Mr Al Kadhimi is committed to ending the corruption and sectarianism that have characterised the running of successive governments since the overthrow of former dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Iraq’s security forces are also having to contend with a revival of ISIS activity in the country in recent months, a challenge that is not helped by the fact that Iran’s continued support for proxies in Iraq and neighbouring Syria is making the task of defeating ISIS immeasurably more difficult.

Speaking during an online discussion hosted by the US Institute of Peace last month, Gen McKenzie conceded that Iran’s continued meddling in the Middle East was “an impediment to the enduring defeat of ISIS". He also warned that ISIS continued “to aspire to regain control of physical terrain” in Iraq and Syria. “Without sustained pressure, they have got the potential to do so in a relatively short period of time,” he said.

Consequently, while Mr Trump’s primary focus is winning November’s election, reducing Washington’s military presence in the Middle East could ultimately prove to be counter-productive in terms of defending Washington’s vital long-term interests.

Con Coughlin is a defence and foreign affairs columnist for The National

It's up to you to go green

Nils El Accad, chief executive and owner of Organic Foods and Café, says going green is about “lifestyle and attitude” rather than a “money change”; people need to plan ahead to fill water bottles in advance and take their own bags to the supermarket, he says.

“People always want someone else to do the work; it doesn’t work like that,” he adds. “The first step: you have to consciously make that decision and change.”

When he gets a takeaway, says Mr El Accad, he takes his own glass jars instead of accepting disposable aluminium containers, paper napkins and plastic tubs, cutlery and bags from restaurants.

He also plants his own crops and herbs at home and at the Sheikh Zayed store, from basil and rosemary to beans, squashes and papayas. “If you’re going to water anything, better it be tomatoes and cucumbers, something edible, than grass,” he says.

“All this throwaway plastic - cups, bottles, forks - has to go first,” says Mr El Accad, who has banned all disposable straws, whether plastic or even paper, from the café chain.

One of the latest changes he has implemented at his stores is to offer refills of liquid laundry detergent, to save plastic. The two brands Organic Foods stocks, Organic Larder and Sonnett, are both “triple-certified - you could eat the product”.

The Organic Larder detergent will soon be delivered in 200-litre metal oil drums before being decanted into 20-litre containers in-store.

Customers can refill their bottles at least 30 times before they start to degrade, he says. Organic Larder costs Dh35.75 for one litre and Dh62 for 2.75 litres and refills will cost 15 to 20 per cent less, Mr El Accad says.

But while there are savings to be had, going green tends to come with upfront costs and extra work and planning. Are we ready to refill bottles rather than throw them away? “You have to change,” says Mr El Accad. “I can only make it available.”

Know your Camel lingo

The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home

Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless

Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers

Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s

Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival

More from Con Coughlin

The thorn in the side of Biden's foreign policy team

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

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Tips on buying property during a pandemic

Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.

While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.

While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.

Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.

Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.

Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.

Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.

Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.

TV: World Cup Qualifier 2018 matches will be aired on on OSN Sports HD Cricket channel

While you're here

National Editorial: Why is a Muslim Brotherhood-linked app still on Apple and Google Play?

Damien McElroy: Europe's response to Islamist extremism is encouraging but not enough

Con Coughlin: How extremists are using Zoom and other tools to exploit this pandemic

THE LIGHT

Director: Tom Tykwer

Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger

Rating: 3/5

Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000

Available: Now

More from our neighbourhood series:

Catch of the day at Ajman Fish Market

Shiite district of Abu Dhabi proves tolerance is 'not just a UAE catchphrase'

The village community hidden among the skyscrapers of Dubai

How has net migration to UK changed?

The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.

It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.

The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.

The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.

UK’s AI plan

AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
£10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
£100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
£250m to train new AI models

The biog

Name: Younis Al Balooshi

Nationality: Emirati

Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn

Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:

Ajax 2-3 Tottenham

Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate

Final: June 1, Madrid

Results:

Men’s wheelchair 200m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 27.14; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 27.81; 3. Rheed McCracken (AUS) 27.81.

What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE

Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.