US forces are withdrawing from their remaining bases in Iraq on Wednesday, marking a milestone in two bloody decades of American involvement. The departure completes a pullout agreed under President Joe Biden and carried out by the Trump administration.
The current military deployment began in 2014 in an effort to combat Islamic State extremists. The withdrawal is being celebrated as a victory by Iran and its allies, as Tehran has sought the complete removal of the US military from the Middle East. This concludes a conflict in which 4,500 Americans died during more than two decades of war.
Baghdad has declared the event a day of sovereignty, signaling a new era for the country. However, Iraqi officials and analysts warn that the departure could create a security vacuum, emboldening Iran-backed militias and providing the resurgent Islamic State an opening to regroup and rebuild its capabilities.
As Iraq navigates this new security landscape, questions remain over the future of foreign forces and national stability. An Iraqi demand that tens of thousands of militants turn in their weapons has fallen short in a conflict fed by America’s war with Iran.