Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent is renewing his demand for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces from the Middle East as conflict with Iran continues.
Kent urged an exit before American troops suffer a mass casualty attack, arguing that breaking the escalation trap now preserves the ability to declare a strategic victory.
He made the comments while sharing a statement from U.S. Central Command regarding recent casualties in the region.
According to the command, two U.S. service members were confirmed dead and one was reported missing in Jordan following an Iranian attack on July 17, with unidentified remains later recovered at the site.
A separate incident in northern Iraq on July 18 resulted in the death of a U.S. service member during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian drone, while a second sustained minor injuries.
Kent resigned from his government post earlier this year, citing opposition to the war with Iran.
In his resignation letter, he asserted that Iran presented no imminent threat to the United States and that military action began under external pressure.
He has argued that removing troops, bases, and naval forces eliminates Iranian justification for disrupting shipping and attacking neighboring states.
Kent proposes pairing the withdrawal with conditional sanctions relief in exchange for guaranteed freedom of navigation in strategic waterways.
