The Pentagon is mindful of the impact of the extended deployment on the Nimitz sailors and on the Navy's plan for the ship's maintenance, said the military official, who spoke to a small number of reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing troop deliberations.
The Pentagon announced last month that the US will reduce troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan by mid-January, asserting that the decision will fulfil Trump's pledge to bring forces home from America's long wars. Under the accelerated pull-out, the US will cut the number of troops in Afghanistan from more than 4,500 to 2,500, and in Iraq from about 3,000 to 2,500.