Alaska Oil Field Development and U.S. Troop Withdrawal... Trump's 'Driving the Final Nail'

Trump Administration Pushes Policies Ahead of Next President's Inauguration in January Next Year

President Donald Trump [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] The Donald Trump administration, refusing to accept the results of the U.S. presidential election, is accelerating efforts to "drive the final nail" by pushing through its policies before the inauguration of the next president in January next year, making them difficult to reverse. By expressing its determination to proceed with the development of oil fields in Alaska and the withdrawal of U.S. troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan until the end, it appears to be not only obstructing the transition but also shaking the foundation for the next administration to pursue new policies.

According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and others on the 16th (local time), the Bureau of Land Management is conducting a "call for nominations," one of the auction procedures, to promote the auction of public lands for oil and gas development within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska. This procedure asks oil drilling companies whether to include specific areas within ANWR as auction targets. The schedule is expected to be announced on the 17th, and a tentative auction will be held 30 days after the announcement. The auction could take place at the end of December or in January next year. Chad Padgett, the Alaska state official of the Bureau of Land Management, said, "This is a step closer to the historic first coastal plain auction, following congressional directives while advancing the current administration's energy independence policy."

The 1.5 million-acre coastal plain area within ANWR is estimated to have the largest crude oil reserves in the North American inland region. The Trump administration has been pushing for development within ANWR, and in 2017, the Republican-led U.S. Congress passed a tax law allowing it. In response, President-elect Joe Biden, who prioritizes environmentally friendly policies, has strongly opposed it, calling it a "disaster" and has pledged permanent protection. WSJ reported, "The Department of the Interior is trying to complete the auction before Biden's inauguration in January next year."

The Trump administration also plans to push ahead with the withdrawal of U.S. troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. WSJ reported that as early as the 17th, orders are expected to be issued to reduce troops in both regions to 2,500 each. Currently, there are 3,000 troops in Iraq and 5,000 in Afghanistan. The reduction is scheduled for January 15 next year, five days before Biden's inauguration, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff will soon issue instructions to the Central Command, which is responsible for the Middle East and Afghanistan. It is reported that Christopher Miller, acting U.S. Secretary of Defense, wrote a memo suggesting the reduction last weekend, stating, "All wars must end."

WSJ explained, "Although President Trump will not fully achieve his goal when he leaves the White House on January 20 next year, the troop reduction advances his desire to end the 'endless overseas wars.'"

However, the troop withdrawal has also faced opposition within the Department of Defense and the Republican Party. CNN analyzed that the resignation of senior Defense Department officials, including former Secretary Mark Esper, and the replacement by "loyalists" are not unrelated to the early withdrawal of U.S. troops. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell did not directly criticize President Trump upon hearing the troop reduction news but pointed out that the sudden withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan "will hurt our allies and please terrorists who want us to be in trouble."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.