If the Trump administration succeeds in resolving the ongoing conflict with Iran, steps could be taken to reduce the US military and intelligence presence in the Middle East. Quiet discussions are currently underway at various levels within the US military and intelligence agencies to this end. Six reliable sources disclosed this information to the US news outlet CNN.
Implementing this plan would alter Washington’s long-standing posture in the region. US administrations have promised to reduce their military involvement in the area for over two decades; however, that goal has never been fully realized due to wars, conflicts, and geopolitical calculations.
Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, the US established an extensive military and intelligence infrastructure across the Middle East—spanning Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, Libya, and Iran—under the pretext of the “War on Terror.” That massive presence, built up over more than twenty years, is now facing a re-evaluation.
However, the recent conflict with Iran has exposed significant vulnerabilities in that infrastructure. Throughout this protracted conflict, various US bases have been targeted by repeated Iranian missile and drone strikes, resulting in the deaths of 18 American service members so far.
Officials involved in the discussions state that they are working on potential options by anticipating the decisions President Donald Trump might make in a post-conflict scenario. Sources claim that Trump has not yet articulated a clear strategy regarding the Middle East in the aftermath of the conflict.
Currently, approximately 50,000 troops are deployed in the Middle East, alongside substantial military capabilities that include two aircraft carriers and more than a dozen guided-missile destroyers. A source also indicated that CIA officials who had left the region during the height of the conflict are now being brought back.
The Pentagon is also considering new plans to bolster the security of US troops who will remain in the Middle East even after the conflict concludes. At the same time, they are seriously considering relocating certain military installations underground to protect them from missile and drone attacks.
According to CNN reports, top US military officials recently warned President Trump that the likelihood of achieving stated objectives in a conflict with Iran is very low. Instead, Trump is now focusing on a strategy to weaken the Tehran government by increasing economic pressure.
Many analysts believe that Iran’s current leadership is prepared to withstand prolonged economic pressure and is unlikely to yield in the short term.
A source told CNN that the Pentagon generally intends to maintain several large, permanent military bases in the Middle East. However, whether these bases are redeveloped will depend largely on the extent to which Middle Eastern nations are willing to shoulder the costs.
