There are Fewer U.S. Troops in Afghanistan
The Claim
There are more U.S. troops in Afghanistan now than before.
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Emerging story
On October 15, 2020, Presidential hopeful Joe Biden discussed policy and answered questions at a town hall event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At one point in the discussion, he stated: “You have Americans, bounties on American military’s heads in Afghanistan. They have more people there now, by the way, than when we left.” This information was then shared and challenged on social media.
Misbar’s Analysis
According to an investigation conducted by Misbar, at the end of the Obama administration, there were approximately 10,000 troops in Afghanistan, down from a peak of approximately 100,000 in 2011.
According to the U.S. Department of Defense, in late February of 2020, the U.S. and the Taliban signed an agreement that includes, eventually, the complete withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan. Since the signing of that agreement, the U.S. has reduced forces to 8,600. Based on the current conditions in Afghanistan, the Defense Department expects there will be fewer than 5,000 U.S. military service members in that country by the end of November.
In a recent tweet, President Trump said all troops from Afghanistan will be home by Christmas. According to some, the United States very quickly would lose the kind of intelligence it needs to carry out counterterrorism strikes, or prevent another 9/11-style attack on the homeland, if troops levels drop below 8,000 in Afghanistan, former officials say.
The claim by Joe Biden at the town hall event concerning troop numbers was false. Troop numbers in Afghanistan have been reduced and more soldiers are coming home next month despite some who warn against it.
