US troops across the Middle East
January 7, 2020, 4:13 pm

Infographic US troops across the Middle East

The US is reportedly withdrawing its estimated 6,000 soldiers from Iraq after the Iraqi parliament called for the removal of all foreign forces following the killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad on Friday.

While US troops are in Iraq based on an informal arrangement from 2014, the US has formal basing agreements with allied countries across the region, including for its 13,000 soldiers based in Kuwait and its Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.

With Iran vowing revenge for Soleimani’s death, US soldiers across the region are prime targets. Here is an infographic showing the US military presence across the Middle East.

Infographic US troops across the Middle East

US VP Pence to lay out Iran policy in upcoming speech Saudi Arabia's deputy defense minister meets with President Trump

Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.