Where in the world is the US fighting terrorism?

Nearly a quarter-century after the U.S. launched its response to 9/11, the Pentagon continues to pursue military actions in the Middle East and in many more parts of the world than Americans may realize, according to exclusive data obtained by Paste BN.

• The findings: U.S. troops have engaged in a range of globe-spanning operations over the first three years of the Biden administration, including direct combat.
• The context: The data is of special interest in light of an increase in attacks by Iran-backed militant groups on U.S. forces housed at bases in Iraq and Syria in retaliation for U.S. support for Israel in its war with Hamas.
• Where are the counterterrorism operations? The data shows that the U.S. military carried out counterterrorism operations in 78 countries from 2021 to 2023.

Stephanie Savell, the Brown University researcher who compiled the data, said they illustrate that even though U.S. policy has officially shifted to confronting Russia and China, "we still have this counterterrorism apparatus trudging onward. It makes U.S. forces vulnerable to attack and increases the likelihood of the U.S. engaging in a much bigger offensive war."

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