On November 18, Forward Defense and Middle East Center non-resident senior fellow Thomas Warrick wrote an op-ed for the Houston Chronicle titled “Trump gambles with national security by removing troops.” In this piece, Warrick argues that President Trump is taking significant risks by withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia, which will most likely not pay off.
I would urge that we not throw in our cards—at least not before we have started to invest more in civilian security programs that we and our allies need to turn the threat from groups like ISIS and Al-Qaida into a local law enforcement problem that can be handled without our troops.
Forward Defense leads the Atlantic Council’s US and global defense programming, developing actionable recommendations for the United States and its allies and partners to compete, innovate, and navigate the rapidly evolving character of warfare. Through its work on US defense policy and force design, the military applications of advanced technology, space security, strategic deterrence, and defense industrial revitalization, it informs the strategies, policies, and capabilities that the United States will need to deter, and, if necessary, prevail in major-power conflict.
