00:02Reports suggest the United States is quietly moving troops and military
00:07equipment out of parts of the Middle East. When President Donald Trump was
00:12asked whether American forces were being moved out of Bahrain, Kuwait, or other
00:18parts of the region, his answer was brief. I don't want to comment on that.
00:23There's a report that you're moving US troops out of Bahrain and Kuwait. Are troops
00:27being moved out of the Middle East? That single response has fueled fresh
00:32speculation about Washington's military strategy, as tensions with Iran remain
00:38extremely high. But the bigger story is now unfolding in Jordan. In a rare and
00:44extraordinary development, hundreds of Jordanian political leaders, retired
00:49military officers, academics, lawyers, tribal chiefs, and other prominent public
00:55figures, have signed an open letter with one clear demand. They want American
01:01troops to leave Jordan. This is a remarkable development, because public
01:06criticism of Jordan's security relationship with the United States is
01:11extremely rare. Strict cybercrime laws and repeated crackdowns have made public
01:17dissent risky. Even so, many of the people who signed the letter admitted they could
01:22face consequences, but said the issue was too important to remain silent. So why is
01:29this happening now? Supporters of the petition say Jordan is not a party to the
01:34Israel-Iran conflict, and should not be drawn into a war because of the presence of
01:40nearly 4,000 American troops. In recent months, Iranian missiles and drones have
01:48repeatedly targeted American military facilities inside Jordan. Some attacks
01:53reportedly caused American casualties. Others triggered air raid sirens and forced
01:58Jordanian air defenses to intercept incoming threats. For many Jordanians, this has
02:05changed the security situation completely. They argue that hosting American forces has
02:11turned Jordan from a relatively stable country into a potential frontline target. The concerns are
02:17not limited to security. Tourism, one of Jordan's most important industries, has already been
02:24affected by growing regional instability. Critics say the country is paying both an economic
02:30and security price for a conflict it never chose. Jordan's government sees the situation
02:37differently. Officials say the American military presence is part of a long-standing security
02:43partnership under the 2021 defense agreement, not a network of permanent U.S. bases. They also point
02:50out that the United States provides around $1.65 billion in annual assistance, making Washington one of
02:59Jordan's most important strategic partners. Meanwhile, reports indicate another major shift is taking place
03:06in Iraq. According to multiple reports, most American personnel and heavy equipment have now left
03:13northern Iraq, under an agreed withdrawal timetable. U.S. Central Command has declined to comment on active
03:20troop movements. However, the timing has raised new questions. American facilities in northern Iraq have
03:27faced repeated drone and missile attacks since the latest Israel-Iran conflict intensified. Reports also
03:35claim that Patriot air defense systems, which protected both American forces and nearby Kurdish areas,
03:42have now been removed. If those reports are accurate, parts of Iraqi Kurdistan could become more vulnerable
03:49to future attacks. Officially, Washington says the withdrawal is simply part of an existing agreement
03:56with Baghdad. But strategically, Iran and its allies may see a very different picture. After years of
04:04sustained attacks, they could argue that increasing military pressure is forcing the United States
04:10to reconsider where it maintains its military presence and which allies it can continue to defend.
04:17That is why President Trump's refusal to answer a simple question has drawn so much attention,
04:24because across Jordan, Iraq, and the wider Middle East, one question is becoming increasingly
04:30difficult to ignore. Is the United States carrying out a routine military realignment,
04:36or is the balance of power in the Middle East beginning to shift in a way that could reshape the
04:42region
04:43for years to come?
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