U.S. military completes Iraq withdrawal, ending anti-ISIS deployment

What This is

• The United States has pulled its last troops out of Iraq, ending about two decades of deployments there.
• The withdrawal followed a Baghdad–Washington agreement, which U.S. officials framed as the end of the 12-year mission reintroduced in 2014 to fight ISIS.
• U.S. forces left the final air base at Irbil, shifting the anti-ISIS effort toward Iraqi-led security.
• Reports say some U.S. Marines will still help protect diplomatic sites, and contractors will continue supporting Iraqi military equipment.
• Baghdad framed the military transition as a pivot toward trade, economic development, and broader non-military ties with the United States.
• Iraq is trying to bring powerful militias under state control by disarming or integrating them, a plan that has raised concern about unrest and new attacks.
• Other coalition partners are also leaving; Italy says it has completed its troop withdrawal from Iraq after a 12-year presence, while keeping a minimal remaining role.

Why This Matters

• The withdrawal limits Washington’s ability to shape Iraqi events through military presence, forcing a reliance on diplomacy and intelligence cooperation.
• The transition tests whether Iraq’s government can act as the primary security guarantor, or if powerful militias will retain armed influence over state politics.
• The move could shift the U.S.–Iran balance if Iran-aligned groups use their increased freedom to pressure rivals or target U.S. partners.
• A reduced footprint complicates efforts to prevent an ISIS resurgence, making training, surveillance, and rapid air support harder to sustain.