US Plans To Shrink Middle East Military Footprint After Iran War: Report

The US military and intelligence agencies are reportedly discussing plans to reduce the number of troops and facilities in the Middle East if the Trump administration manages to end America's ongoing war on Iran, according to a report.The US has kept a large military and intelligence presence in the Middle East for more than 20 years. This is because of wars and counterterrorism operations that began after the September 11, 2001, attacks. Now, officials are looking at whether the US needs to keep such a large number of troops and permanent facilities in the region, according to CNN."The vulnerabilities were always known, but the US never acted on them with urgency," a US official said.Military planners have already prepared possible options for changing the US force structure as early as next year. However, officials believe some key locations will have to remain in place while the conflict continues because they are needed for military operations and air strikes.CIA officers who were sent back to the US during the most intense phase of the fighting are now being sent back to the region, according to reports.The US has around 50,000 troops in the region, along with two aircraft carriers and more than a dozen guided-missile destroyers. Iranian drones and missiles have repeatedly targeted US facilities, killing 18 American service members. The military is also looking at ways to protect the forces that stay in the region. One option would be to keep personnel and equipment in the US and send them to the Middle East only when a specific mission requires them. The US could also decide not to rebuild some facilities that were badly damaged or destroyed during the war. The cost of rebuilding is one of the factors being considered.Bahrain has traditionally been home to the US Navy's 5th Fleet, but the Navy does not expect its personnel to return there soon. "We're not getting back in there anytime soon," Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle said last week.