Biden endorses lower troop levels in Iraq, fight against IS in interview

Sep 11, 2020

Presidential hopeful Joe Biden said he would end “forever wars” but keep some US troops in the Middle East if elected president.

Biden, the Democratic Party nominee facing President Donald Trump in the November election, gave an interview to the US Department of Defense-owned Stars and Stripes on Thursday.

In the interview, Biden said, “I support drawing down the troops.” He also said the Islamic State (IS) is still a threat, adding, “We still have to worry about terrorism.” Biden also told Stars and Stripes that the situation is complicated in Iraq and Syria and that he cannot guarantee a full withdrawal as a result.

Much of the interview focused on Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.

Biden’s endorsement of a reduced but continuous military footprint in the region is not a new policy. His campaign website says he would remove most US troops from the Middle East and that the remaining forces would focus on IS and al-Qaeda.