U.S. officials speaking to Reuters indicate that President Donald J. Trump’s plan to reoccupy Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan could demand a force comparable to the pre-2021 withdrawal levels, potentially involving more than 10,000 troops and the deployment of advanced air defense systems, including a possible Patriot Surface-to-Air Missile battery. Officials also warned that restoring the base would be costly, and sustaining it would pose a significant logistical challenge, effectively creating a U.S. enclave in a semi-hostile, landlocked region within range of missiles from both China and Iran.
