U.S. forces formally ended a military presence in Iraq on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, completing a withdrawal of remaining personnel from the Irbil air base. While Washington transitions its anti-ISIS command to Jordan, the political future of Iran-backed militias embedded within Iraq’s state security apparatus remains deeply uncertain.
The Bottom Line
- The Withdrawal: Following a drawdown that began in October 2025, the final U.S. service members departed the Irbil air base in northern Iraq on Wednesday, concluding Operation Inherent Resolve.
- The Casualties: The conflict that began with the 2003 toppling of Saddam Hussein cost approximately 4,500 American lives and claimed over 110,000 to 115,000 Iraqi lives.
- The Regional Vacuum: Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi marked the exit, even as Iraq faces mounting pressure to manage powerful, Iran-linked militias amid an active regional war.
Closing the Chapter on a Forever War
America opened its military engagement in Iraq more than 23 years ago with “Shock and Awe.” It concluded that presence on Wednesday with little fanfare, leaving behind a nation still grappling with the long shadow of sectarian conflict, civil war, and insurgency. President Trump characterized the U.S. intervention as “a very expensive excursion into Hell,” declaring the exit a mutual victory for Washington and Baghdad. This departure marks the second time U.S. forces have pulled out of Iraq, following the initial 2011 withdrawal that ended the occupation launched by the 2003 invasion.
That first exit preceded a catastrophic vacuum. Three years later, Islamic State jihadis swept through large portions of Iraq, seizing territory as Iraqi forces retreated and capturing abandoned U.S. military equipment. That crisis forced a U.S. return at the head of a coalition under Operation Inherent Resolve, which dismantled the territorial caliphate by 2017. Most coalition forces, numbering roughly 2,500 personnel, began drawing down in October 2025, leaving only a few hundred troops at the Irbil air base until Wednesday’s final exit.
Brad Cooper, the commander of U.S. Central Command, commended the personnel involved. “Because of your grit, sacrifice and professionalism, ISIS no longer poses a systemic threat to Iraq’s national security and Iraqi security forces,” Cooper stated. Central Command confirmed that the broader anti-ISIS mission will continue with regional headquarters relocated to Jordan, ensuring readiness to respond to emerging threats.
Political Friction and the Legacy of Past Pullouts
The logistics of the final exit became a point of public emphasis for the White House. President Trump drew explicit contrasts with the chaotic 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal, noting that he ordered the military to secure every piece of equipment. “I said I want every screw taken,” Trump remarked during public comments, emphasizing the complete removal of supplies and materiel from Iraqi soil. The withdrawal agreement itself was initially forged by the Biden administration in 2024, but was carried through by Trump in alignment with his longstanding opposition to foreign entanglements.
In Baghdad, the Iraqi government greeted the departure with official celebration. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi oversaw a military parade. Speaking at a closed-door ceremony, al-Zaidi framed the moment as a transition toward institutional strength and balanced regional diplomacy. Rear Adm. Liam Hulin, head of the joint taskforce for Operation Inherent Resolve, echoed the sentiment during a joint ceremony, delivering remarks in Arabic and urging continued vigilance against security threats.
Navigating the Tightrope Between Washington and Tehran
| Metric / Milestone | First Withdrawal (2011) | Final Withdrawal (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Catalyst | N/A | Implementation of the 2024 U.S.-Iraqi drawdown agreement. |
| Security Focus | Transitioning internal security to Iraqi forces after Hussein’s fall. | Concluding Operation Inherent Resolve; regional counter-ISIS posture from Jordan. |
| Regional Dynamic | N/A | Active U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran; delicate Iraqi diplomatic balancing act. |
Despite the end of the U.S. military footprint, Iraq faces immediate tests of its sovereignty. The nation is caught in a delicate diplomatic balancing act between Washington and Tehran while an active regional war persists. Over the years of U.S. presence, Iran steadily cultivated deep influence in Iraq by backing and financing militias initially formed to resist the occupation and later integrated into the official Iraqi security forces.
These armed factions now hold substantial political and financial power inside the Iraqi state. As Washington presses Baghdad to curb or disarm these Iran-backed groups, the domestic political landscape remains tense. The physical reminders of decades of conflict—including the blast walls that once cut through Baghdad—are gradually being dismantled to make way for normal civic life, but the underlying geopolitical pressures threaten to test Iraq’s stability in the weeks ahead.
