![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7DMIUAIGXXBOLJWR6INBDGZWH4.jpg?smart=true&auth=9ce3945c248918e56aaaa9d06c0f4064919c9dbbf8df76f1225db410b02b4d77&width=400&height=225)
US soldiers are seen during a handover ceremony of Taji military base from US-led coalition troops to Iraqi security forces, in the base north of Baghdad, Iraq on August 23, 2020. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XDGEB5WD6PIFUVLCI6PH7T6IJ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=4cf6dd5b9a8cccd1847a2846b3fa733a8f369c13c9c75af5bc787fff5fb4293c&width=400&height=225)
US Marines keep watch as unseen Afghan National Army soldiers participate in an IED (improvised explosive device) training exercise at the Shorab Military Camp in 2017. AFP
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US troops patrol at an Afghan army Base in Logar province on August 7, 2018. Reuters
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US soldiers patrol a street in central Kabul December 11, 2004. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4FCWV6CG2CV6EQXTVMUJSOKP5E.jpg?smart=true&auth=ba6e82f2e68c5697e1487bd57d40aba501f4ecea0624e56cea72343b227113bf&width=400&height=225)
US troops under Afghanistan's International Security Assistance Force, and Afghan National Army soldiers conduct a joint security patrol in the centre of Kandalay village. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SJKHIVXU43TMSI4MIEMW22VXGI.jpg?smart=true&auth=2cfd94f1038c0c88a8af75a06b173a95e44401ac387d8721226324c62c5a4355&width=400&height=225)
US troops patrol at an Afghan National Army (ANA) base in Logar province, Afghanistan in 2018. Reuters
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US Army soldiers patrol in the village of Chariagen in the Panjwai district of Kandahar province southern Afghanistan in 2011. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MKH767B5LAXEXH3BUWHYRJCWQE.jpg?smart=true&auth=f356aabeafcd400b25cdc108496e3e23db9cc9e20d3ccc5d71c7e5082c1af77f&width=400&height=225)
Afghan residents chat with US. Army Lieutenant Steven Gibbs as he patrols with his platoon in Pul-e Alam, a town in Logar province, eastern Afghanistan in 2011. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/L5A7JHBQ42AG7QA2A4C2VS7SJQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=eecdf2c30f18153caee5388b2ce2d5eef7cb11497113a49dfd187925dcd1903e&width=400&height=225)
US soldiers gather during an exercise at the Kandahar airbase in Afghanistan in 2005. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4DPEKKVG6447A2PPW32KSAV7CI.jpg?smart=true&auth=6262160b4ab5b4ea6043ef23e9467b65c2b399c17509d6f1354f5a2a29bb4074&width=400&height=225)
U.S. Army soldiers with 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division stand near their armored vehicles before they start their journey home at Contingency Operating Site Kalsu, south of Baghdad, Iraq. AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DCEKB5LRZQQH44FIGJVFQQFCVU.jpg?smart=true&auth=d2bbb3f719fd36d5f7ddc2f691ee62fe879945a2512c7fef44d1003730c77b0e&width=400&height=225)
A handout photo made available by the US Marine Corps shows US Marines inside the perimeter of Al Asad Air Base in Iraq. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/Q3CI25FNDVME2GYG2CA43KS7PY.jpg?smart=true&auth=912d45082e70b9382f77dfa006862209aab7b1aa231113e9679d9b1f0f056112&width=400&height=225)
A US soldier is seen during a handover ceremony of Taji military base from US-led coalition troops to Iraqi security forces, in the base north of Baghdad, Iraq August 23, 2020. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PYSH4DYT22OAMNXEADYUQ4BFZ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=29bb8d81adbdc697a56d817f64bc55fcec3d602ead71965d8c60bef8386a7c91&width=400&height=225)
US soldiers have been in Iraq for nearly two decades. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7DMIUAIGXXBOLJWR6INBDGZWH4.jpg?smart=true&auth=9ce3945c248918e56aaaa9d06c0f4064919c9dbbf8df76f1225db410b02b4d77&width=400&height=225)
US soldiers are seen during a handover ceremony of Taji military base from US-led coalition troops to Iraqi security forces, in the base north of Baghdad, Iraq on August 23, 2020. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XDGEB5WD6PIFUVLCI6PH7T6IJ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=4cf6dd5b9a8cccd1847a2846b3fa733a8f369c13c9c75af5bc787fff5fb4293c&width=400&height=225)
US Marines keep watch as unseen Afghan National Army soldiers participate in an IED (improvised explosive device) training exercise at the Shorab Military Camp in 2017. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WC3KNGWXZJTJEMC76BCHIDFCPM.jpg?smart=true&auth=5e6c001bb1bcd8610ae1a0d99bcb56d19151048ee80c4ac626839967ecdcfd91&width=400&height=225)
US troops patrol at an Afghan army Base in Logar province on August 7, 2018. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DHDMMB2ZZQFNJTYONTIDR5RAPE.jpg?smart=true&auth=4e7e1607b28353cc430515a983ba280637b411f9b19b0a6e57e128fa188daf4c&width=400&height=225)
US soldiers patrol a street in central Kabul December 11, 2004. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4FCWV6CG2CV6EQXTVMUJSOKP5E.jpg?smart=true&auth=ba6e82f2e68c5697e1487bd57d40aba501f4ecea0624e56cea72343b227113bf&width=400&height=225)
US troops under Afghanistan's International Security Assistance Force, and Afghan National Army soldiers conduct a joint security patrol in the centre of Kandalay village. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SJKHIVXU43TMSI4MIEMW22VXGI.jpg?smart=true&auth=2cfd94f1038c0c88a8af75a06b173a95e44401ac387d8721226324c62c5a4355&width=400&height=225)
US troops patrol at an Afghan National Army (ANA) base in Logar province, Afghanistan in 2018. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UMXWD3QUU42MDERIPTHC47HDVQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=6f58aa8f8c0300e0f3201ffb971515a9515f3fd440e736fadb571cf72061ba29&width=400&height=225)
US Army soldiers patrol in the village of Chariagen in the Panjwai district of Kandahar province southern Afghanistan in 2011. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MKH767B5LAXEXH3BUWHYRJCWQE.jpg?smart=true&auth=f356aabeafcd400b25cdc108496e3e23db9cc9e20d3ccc5d71c7e5082c1af77f&width=400&height=225)
Afghan residents chat with US. Army Lieutenant Steven Gibbs as he patrols with his platoon in Pul-e Alam, a town in Logar province, eastern Afghanistan in 2011. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/L5A7JHBQ42AG7QA2A4C2VS7SJQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=eecdf2c30f18153caee5388b2ce2d5eef7cb11497113a49dfd187925dcd1903e&width=400&height=225)
US soldiers gather during an exercise at the Kandahar airbase in Afghanistan in 2005. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4DPEKKVG6447A2PPW32KSAV7CI.jpg?smart=true&auth=6262160b4ab5b4ea6043ef23e9467b65c2b399c17509d6f1354f5a2a29bb4074&width=400&height=225)
U.S. Army soldiers with 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division stand near their armored vehicles before they start their journey home at Contingency Operating Site Kalsu, south of Baghdad, Iraq. AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DCEKB5LRZQQH44FIGJVFQQFCVU.jpg?smart=true&auth=d2bbb3f719fd36d5f7ddc2f691ee62fe879945a2512c7fef44d1003730c77b0e&width=400&height=225)
A handout photo made available by the US Marine Corps shows US Marines inside the perimeter of Al Asad Air Base in Iraq. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/Q3CI25FNDVME2GYG2CA43KS7PY.jpg?smart=true&auth=912d45082e70b9382f77dfa006862209aab7b1aa231113e9679d9b1f0f056112&width=400&height=225)
A US soldier is seen during a handover ceremony of Taji military base from US-led coalition troops to Iraqi security forces, in the base north of Baghdad, Iraq August 23, 2020. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PYSH4DYT22OAMNXEADYUQ4BFZ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=29bb8d81adbdc697a56d817f64bc55fcec3d602ead71965d8c60bef8386a7c91&width=400&height=225)
US soldiers have been in Iraq for nearly two decades. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7DMIUAIGXXBOLJWR6INBDGZWH4.jpg?smart=true&auth=9ce3945c248918e56aaaa9d06c0f4064919c9dbbf8df76f1225db410b02b4d77&width=400&height=225)
US soldiers are seen during a handover ceremony of Taji military base from US-led coalition troops to Iraqi security forces, in the base north of Baghdad, Iraq on August 23, 2020. Reuters
Former US Generals lambast Trump’s Afghanistan withdrawal plans as ‘political’
Retired General Allen said there is 'no tactical, operational or strategic merit' to the move which plays into Taliban hands
![Joyce Karam](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F3b1ad2cf-40b7-4247-ab31-8e60b10e7525.png?smart=true&auth=bd74d2f7bd05cfece38768999da889e0f0cbe6cfd0eb7c4e1860b00aa3c00df8&width=70&height=70)
Joyce Karam
19 November, 2020
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