Good afternoon. Im chris miller, acting secretary of defense and im here today to update you on president trumps plan to bring the wars in afghanistan and iraq to a successful and responsible conclusion and to bring our brave Service Members home. From kabul to kandahar and fallujah. Hundreds of thousands of americas sons and daughters who answered the call to serve in our Armed Services have brought us to this point. Us to this point. Their efforts and sacrifice will go down in history as showing the strength, commitment of a force that is unlike any the world has ever seen. Just last night, i joined Vice President pence and chairman of the joint chiefs of staff to have the soldiers who perished in the middle east. This was a somber and hum bling moment that reminded us of the tremendous sacrifices of the men and women of the United States military of our Armed Services take an oath to defend the constitution of the United States. They serve not for personal gain but for the protectio
Also stay the same, as well. 41 counties in california are now in the most restrictive purple tier. The vast majority of our students are still in Distance Learning right now. Reporter under the purple tier, any class that resumed in person as of tuesday can continue, but for the majority of California School districts still doing Distance Learning be reopening plans are now on hold, until conditions improve or the school gets a waiver. Primarily this has the largest impact on districts that were putting their plans in place for a return in 2021. Reporter margaret represents 77 teachers from a School District in Contra Costa County, which is doing Distance Learning, but was consider league opening january 22nd. Thats not gonna happen. Reporter the Teachers Union president said the next opportunity to make a decision is in march, and she plans to push for not reopening at all this school year. Thats moving to the purple mix, even a stronger argument that we should not consider going bac
Military leaders and u. S. Allies and the senior figures in trumps. Republican policy have all warned of the dangers of putting too many troops out before the conditions are right. I think its extremely important here in the next couple of months. Not to have any earth shaking changes with regard to defense and foreign policy. Think up or ship, it is drawdown, and either afghanistan or iraq would be a mistake. Well, lets not get the view from iraq al jazeera somehow to feltons and back that the reduction of u. S. Troops in iraq to 2500. 00 is not that significant in light of the drawdown that already took place earlier this year. In january, there were 5000. 00 troops present in country that number was reduced to 3000 as of september and of course, the political and security context that precipitated this reduction was rather complex. Back in january, we had the u. S. Assassination of iranian general custom still in miami, as well as other iraqi officials, which prompted the parliament
Help them and manage its financial problems. The u. S. Says its pulling out additional troops from afghanistan and iraq by mid january. Thats going to leave around 2 and a half 1000 soldiers in each country just before president truong leaves office with senior figures in the military and Trumps Republican Party say its a mistake and a risky move aljazeera. As alan fischer reports from the white house, donald trump campaigned in 2016 and ending americas wars abroad. In the final days of his presidency, hes acting to cut numbers in both iraq and afghanistan. From 4500 in afghanistan, the number will drop to 2500. It will be the same number in iraq where there are currently more than 3010 or so now this is consistent with our established plans and strategic objectives supported by the american people. And does not equate to a change in u. S. Policy or objectives. In the stern is the us is longest war. Its lasted 1000 years. More than 2300. 00. Soldiers have died. Its cost more than 19300
States armed forces remain committed to protecting the safety and security of the American People and supporting our like minded allies and partners worldwide. Well, just minutes after that announcement, several rockets hit baghdads green zone. Some landed near the u. S. Embassy. Others were intercepted by ed offense, estens. A child was killed and at least 5 people injured. Trump has fired the top u. S. Election security official, who had refused said the president s unsubstantiated claims of ford. Chris krebs was the head of the department of homeland security, is agency that monitors election security. If your peers government says its troops have achieved significant victories in the conflict with forces in the Northern Tier gray region. As strikes have been launched to the regional capital mckelway, thats the main base for the to great Peoples Liberation front which governs the 3, former prodemocracy politicians have been arrested in hong kong. Police are questioning ted at each y