US troops finally leave Iraq 23 years after Saddam’s fall
US troops have finally completed their withdrawal from Iraq, 23 years after the 2003 invasion that overthrew Saddam Hussein, marking a significant moment for Iraq's national sovereignty. This departure, mainly from Erbil, raises questions about Iraq's ability to manage its own security, especially concerning ISIS sleeper cells and armed groups, though the US will continue to provide training and intelligence support. The article also recounts the history of US involvement, including a previous withdrawal in 2011 and return in 2014 due to ISIS.
Why it matters
This event marks a symbolic end to a major chapter of US military involvement in the Middle East, shifting full security responsibility to Iraq and potentially altering regional power dynamics and stability, with ongoing implications for international relations and counter-terrorism efforts.
Twenty-three years after American troops crossed into Iraq to overthrow Saddam Hussein, the last US forces have left the country.It is not the first time Washington has withdrawn. US forces departed in 2011, only to return less than three years later when ISIS swept across large parts of Iraq and Syria. This time, the final troops left mainly from an airbase in Erbil in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region on September 30, formally concluding the latest chapter of America's military presence in Iraq.But the departure leaves Iraq with a question that is bigger than the presence of American troops: what happens when the security responsibility is entirely its own?For Baghdad, the withdrawal is a powerful statement of national sovereignty and puts greater responsibility on Iraq's security institutions. For the Kurdistan Region, however, it removes a crucial security partner at a time of intense regional conflict.
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