U.S. military withdraws from Iraq two decades after invasion
The U.S. military has officially withdrawn its remaining forces from Iraq, ending a presence that began with the 2003 invasion. The anti-ISIS coalition headquarters will relocate to Jordan as the U.S. shifts its regional military footprint.
Why it matters
This withdrawal marks a significant geopolitical shift in the Middle East, potentially altering the balance of power and influence in the region.
BAGHDAD — The U.S. military has withdrawn its forces from Iraq, 23 years after it invaded the country, sparking an insurgency and civil war and opening the door to Iranian influence in Iraq that it is still trying to combat.
Middle East conflict As the U.S. signals a smaller Middle East footprint, Turkey is ready to step in After the withdrawal of the U.S. military from the rest of Iraq in January, about 1,500 service members remained in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region in the north.
This was not the first U.S. military withdrawal from the country. U.S. forces pulled out in 2011, declaring their mission over amid mounting Iraqi political opposition to the presence of U.S. troops.
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