Last U.S. Troops Exit Iraq After Two Decades

The United States is pulling its remaining troops out of Iraq, with the final departures from American-held bases expected by Wednesday, according to Defense News. The exit brings to a close a U.S. military footprint in the country that stretched back more than two decades.

Roughly 2,500 American service members had still been stationed in Iraq as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, Fox News reported. That mission dates to 2014, when Washington sent forces back into the country to assist in the fight against the Islamic State group.

In Tehran, the reaction was celebratory. Iran and groups aligned with it framed the American exit as a win, DW reported. Pushing U.S. forces out of the broader Middle East has been a longstanding objective of the Iranian government, and the Iraq withdrawal represents progress toward that goal in Tehran's view. Defense News characterized the move as one that creates room for Iran to expand its influence in the country once American forces are gone.

The context

The current chapter of the U.S. presence in Iraq began in 2014, when the Islamic State group's advance prompted Washington to deploy forces under Operation Inherent Resolve. That mission was itself a return: American troops have operated in Iraq across a span of more than 20 years, making this withdrawal the end of a generational commitment rather than a single deployment.

Throughout that period, Iran has worked to build influence in Iraq, including through militias it backs inside the country. Fox News reported that the Iraqi government's campaign to disarm those Iran-aligned armed groups is incomplete. Tehran, meanwhile, has consistently pressed for the removal of all American military forces from the region, a demand that the Iraq drawdown now partially fulfills.

Why it matters

The withdrawal directly affects the roughly 2,500 American troops who had remained in Iraq, and it reshapes the U.S. military posture in a region where Washington and Tehran remain at odds. Defense News reported the departure gives Iran an opening to deepen its position in Iraq. With Baghdad's push to disarm Iran-backed militias unfinished, according to Fox News, the balance of armed power inside the country is unsettled. The militant threat in the region also persists, meaning the security problem that drew U.S. forces back in 2014 has not disappeared with their exit.

What’s next

The final base departures are expected by Wednesday. Key open questions include how Iraq's government will handle the still-armed Iran-backed militias, whether Iran moves to expand its role in the country, and how the U.S. will address regional militant threats without troops on Iraqi soil. Any future American security arrangements with Baghdad have not been described in the available reporting.