Today's D Brief: No DOD farewell for Trump; US forces shrink in Iraq, Afghanistan; 20K Guardsmen to protect DC; New N. Korean weapons; And a bit more.
By Ben Watson
January 15, 2021 10:56 AM ET
The U.S. military has drawn down to outgoing POTUS45’s ordered levels in Iraq and Afghanistan, Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller said in separate statements this morning.
Let’s be clear: This is a significant adjustment to America’s military posture in and around the Middle East. However, U.S. operations are expected to continue as they had before outgoing President Donald Trump ordered those drawdowns in the wake of his failed re-election bid in November.
By contrast, more than 20,000 American troops are en route to Washington, D.C., to protect the nation’s Capitol and surrounding government buildings from right-wing extremists in the days leading up to President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration next Wednesday.
https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/01/the-d-brief-january-15-2021/171437/
