US Forces Exit Iraq After Two Decades, Iran Concerns Loom
US forces pulled out of their last bases in Iraq by Wednesday, closing more than two decades of military presence that cost 4,500 American lives.
- 4,500 Americans died in Iraq across the two-decade deployment.
- 7 of 18 US service members killed during this year's Iran war died in Iraq.
- Kurdish commander Sirwan Barzani reported Islamic State sleeper cell movement for two weeks before the withdrawal.
- Iraqi forces said a suspected Islamic State cell was preparing suicide attacks timed to the pullout.
Why it matters: The departure strips away what Iraqi security analyst Jasim al-Bahadli called a military counterweight to Tehran's influence, freeing Iran-backed militias to pursue greater political and security power inside Iraq.
- Kurdish commander Barzani warned that reduced US intelligence, logistics, and drone support gives Islamic State room to regroup.
- Renad Mansour, director of the Iraq Initiative at Chatham House, said Iraq's government also fears Washington may now view Iraq as too close to Iran — a potential target for sanctions or strikes.
How 37 sources split on this story
Where they split: The central dispute is whether Iraq is now capable of managing its own security, or whether the withdrawal is premature and leaves dangerous vacuums.
Center coverage, 19 sources: The center frames the withdrawal as a strategic windfall for Iran and a security risk for Iraq, centering the voices of Iraqi officials and analysts who warn the country is not ready.
Left coverage, 8 sources: The left frames the withdrawal as a complex sovereignty moment for Iraq — genuine in its symbolism but fraught with risk as the government tries to assert authority over militias while avoiding becoming a target of US or Israeli pressure.
Right coverage, 10 sources: The right frames the exit through the lens of American strategic cost — tallying casualties and dollars spent, questioning whether the outcome justifies the investment, and flagging the Iran threat as the immediate consequence.
What’s next: Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has set a June 2027 deadline to bring all militia weapons under state control.
- Al-Zaidi said both the US and Iran-aligned militias gave assurances of no attacks for 90 days after the withdrawal.
- Some militias have already indicated they will refuse to disarm, according to reporting on the prime minister's integration effort.
- Will Iran-backed militias comply with the June 2027 disarmament deadline or resist it?
- How will the US engage Iraq economically and diplomatically now that military cooperation has ended?
- Can Iraqi federal and Kurdish forces contain Islamic State without US intelligence and drone support?
