Harris falsely claims that no U.S. troops are currently deployed in combat zones

09/13/2024 / By Laura Harris

Vice President Kamala Harris falsely claimed that no active members of the United States Armed Forces are currently deployed in active combat zones.

During the first presidential debate hosted by ABC News, moderators asked Harris whether she felt any responsibility for how the controversial 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan was handled. The question specifies the attack that claimed the lives of 13 U.S. service members during the chaotic exit.

In response, Harris stood firmly by the decision made by President Joe Biden to bring U.S. troops home after two decades of conflict.

“Four presidents said they would and Joe Biden did,” Harris said. “And as of today, there is not one member of the United States military who is in active duty in a combat zone, in any war zone around the world, first time this century.” (Related: NO SUBSTANCE: Kamala Harris to focus on personal attacks against Donald Trump in upcoming debate.)

Harris made her claim while criticizing Trump for negotiating the deal that led to the withdrawal. “He bypassed the Afghan government. He negotiated directly with a terrorist organization called the Taliban,” she said.

News sites and experts debunk Harris’ claim that there are no U.S. troops deployed in combat zones to date

Shortly after Harris made her claims, several news sites and experts conducted fact-checking and found the assertion was inaccurate.

According to Antiwar, 2,500 U.S. troops remain deployed in Iraq and 900 in Syria as part of the international coalition combating the remnants of the Islamic State (ISIS). They are actively participating in combat operations to date.

Additionally, thousands of U.S. personnel have been deployed to the Middle East following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023. Less than two weeks ago, seven U.S. troops were wounded in a raid against a suspected ISIS hideout in Iraq.

Similarly, the Council on Foreign Relations estimated that several thousand U.S. service members are stationed across multiple foreign countries and on ships at sea in the Middle East, many within the recognized combat zones.

In recent weeks, U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria have faced a surge in drone and rocket attacks, with American forces suffering injuries. In January, a drone attack killed three U.S. Army Reserve soldiers at Tower 22, a secretive U.S. base in Jordan on the Syrian border, and injured 34 others. In August, a drone attack in Syria wounded eight service members, while seven more were injured in a raid targeting Islamic State militants.

“An aspect of military service includes serving in locations where hostile actions may occur,” a Department of Defense official said. “Those locations are designated by executive order and/or the Secretary of Defense. However, it’s important to note that just because a service member is in one of these locations does not mean they are engaged in war.”

Moreover, experts argue that Harris’ use of the “combat zone” is misleading and downplays the complexities of active-duty military service overseas. The Internal Revenue Service, which tracks combat zones for tax purposes, defines them as “hostile areas where [the] military may serve.” These areas include actual combat areas, direct combat support areas and hazardous duty areas.

Currently, the IRS recognizes combat zones in locations such as the Sinai Peninsula, Afghanistan, Kosovo and the Arabian Peninsula.

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