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There are articles on the Internet that say that the US is withdrawing to focus on the great powers competition (basically China). It doesn’t have the extra res
by babesh 5y ago
There are articles on the Internet that say that the US is withdrawing to focus on the great powers competition (basically China). It doesn’t have the extra resources to burn on Afghanistan and Iraq anymore. The US has also drawn down troops from Iraq.
- Retric 5y agoThe drawdown from Afghanistan started 10 years ago. The last remnants leaving are largely symbolic from a cost and manpower standpoint. US soldiers killed in Afghanistan is a reasonable proxy for number of soldiers actively engaged, 2009: 310, 2010: 496, 2011: 412, 2012: 301, 2013: 120, 2014: 2014, 2015: 22, 2016: 14, 2017: 17, 2018: 15, 2019: 22 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_casualties_in_the_War_in_Afghanistan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_casualt... Looking at just combat fatalities and the difference is even more obvious. 440 KIA in 2010 down to 11 in 2015.
- babesh 5y agoI don’t think this dismisses the cost and the strategic implications. The US/China rivalry was recognized even 10 years ago.