The plan comes despite arguments from senior military officials in favour of a slower withdrawal, especially in Afghanistan.
US President Donald Trump will cut his country’s military presence in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Pentagon has announced.
Acting defence secretary Christopher Miller said the number of US soldiers in Afghanistan will fall from 4,500 to 2,500 by the time Mr Trump leaves office early next year.
The number of troops in Iraq will be reduced from around 3,000 to 2,500.
This is expected to be completed just five days before Joe Biden takes over as president on 20 January, although President Trump has still refused to acknowledge his election loss.
The plan comes despite arguments from senior military officials in favour of a slower withdrawal, especially in Afghanistan.
It also stops short of the full withdrawal Mr Trump had perhaps been envisioning when promising to “end the forever wars” and bring home the troops.
US forces have been in Afghanistan since October 2001 and there are concerns that the Taliban is still involved in attacks on Afghan government soldiers.
