Former Counterterrorism Official Advocates Immediate US Military Exit from Middle East

Joe Kent, who previously served as a director at the National Counterterrorism Center, has renewed his appeal for the United States to withdraw its military personnel from the Middle East. His renewed call comes amidst escalating tensions and recent casualties involving American service members in the region.

"Get our troops out now before we suffer a mass casualty attack. Break the escalation trap. Trump still has the political strength at home to declare victory & have it resonate, that ability will be lost if we suffer more casualties. Now is the time to leave, immediately," Kent stated on Sunday via social media platform X.

Kent's remarks were made as he shared an update from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) detailing recent incidents.

Recent Casualties Prompt Urgent Appeal

CENTCOM reported on Sunday the deaths of two U.S. service members and the disappearance of another in Jordan, following an Iranian attack on July 17. Subsequent search efforts led to the discovery of unidentified remains at the site, with verification processes currently underway.

Separately, a U.S. service member was killed in action on July 18 in northern Iraq. This occurred during the controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian one-way attack drone. Another service member sustained a minor injury in the incident and is receiving medical care.

Kent's Stance and Strategic Rationale

Earlier this year, Kent resigned from his government counterterrorism role, citing his opposition to the conflict with Iran as the primary reason.

In his resignation letter, he explicitly stated, "Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby."

Elaborating on his strategic vision in a Saturday social media post, Kent argued for a different approach to regional stability. He wrote:

"We restore order by ending the conflict on our terms: deprive Iran of military targets to strike by removing our troops, bases, & naval forces from the area. Our bases in the region are liabilities & relics of the past—abandoning them is not retreat, it’s strategic adaptation to modern warfare. This move removes Iran’s primary justification for disrupting shipping in the SOH and for attacking its neighbors. We can then offer the carrot: sanctions relief in exchange for freedom of navigation in the SOH."

He contends that American military installations in the Middle East are vulnerabilities and outdated relics, and that their removal would constitute a strategic adaptation rather than a retreat. According to Kent, such a move would eliminate Iran's primary rationale for interfering with shipping in the Strait of Hormuz (SOH) and targeting neighboring countries. This, he suggests, would then open the door for offering sanctions relief in exchange for guaranteed freedom of navigation in the Strait.