When It’s Over: An American Withdrawal Plan for the Middle East - Modern War Institute

"Moreover, a US departure from the Middle East should not be seen as a wholesale withdrawal from its role in the world by any means. To the contrary, alleviating the requirement to garrison the Middle East will free up forces and funds that are likely to be badly needed as the United States tries to meet its other military commitments in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region. For example, it is worth noting the specific positive impact this could have on aircraft carrier maintenance and deployment schedules, which have been severely taxed by the demands placed on these platforms by US Central Command."