The United States has formally concluded its military presence in Iraq, pulling out the last of its forces more than two decades after the 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein and triggered years of insurgency and sectarian bloodshed. The final withdrawal, confirmed on September 30, 2026, marks the end of a military mission that at its peak involved more than 170,000 American troops and cost thousands of lives on both sides.
According to NPR's Jane Arraf, reporting from Baghdad, the departure leaves Iraq to confront a persistent challenge: countering Iranian influence that took root in the political and security vacuum created by the war. The U.S. intervention, originally justified by claims of weapons of mass destruction that were never found, ultimately reshaped the region's balance of power in ways that continue to reverberate.
The withdrawal did not happen all at once. Earlier in January 2026, the U.S. military pulled its forces out of the rest of Iraq, leaving approximately 1,500 service members stationed in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region in the north. That residual force has now also departed, bringing a definitive close to the American combat and advisory mission.
This was not the first time the U.S. had attempted to wind down its presence. A previous withdrawal of combat troops occurred in 2011 under the Obama administration, but American forces returned in 2014 to help fight the Islamic State group after it seized large swaths of northern and western Iraq. That counterterrorism mission evolved into a long-term advisory and training role, which persisted until this year's final drawdown.
The human and financial toll of the intervention is staggering. Nearly 4,500 American service members died in Iraq, along with more than 100,000 Iraqi civilians, according to various estimates. The financial cost to the U.S. Treasury has been estimated in the trillions of dollars. The war also displaced millions of Iraqis, destroyed infrastructure, and left deep psychological scars on a generation of Iraqis who came of age during the violence.
Iraqi society remains deeply fragmented along sectarian and ethnic lines, a division that was exacerbated by the U.S. occupation and the subsequent civil war. Sunni, Shia, and Kurdish factions have struggled to form stable governing coalitions, and corruption remains endemic. The country's political system, built on a power-sharing model established during the American occupation, has been widely criticized for entrenching paralysis and patronage.
Iran's influence in Iraq has grown steadily since 2003. Tehran-backed militias and political parties have become entrenched in Iraq's security apparatus and parliament, often operating outside the control of the central government. The U.S. withdrawal removes a key counterweight to that influence, potentially accelerating Iraq's drift into Iran's orbit.
The billboard visible in Baghdad's Saadoun Square on the eve of the withdrawal carried an Arabic slogan reading "Reclaiming the decision and building the home." It reflects a sentiment among many Iraqis that the country must now chart its own course, free from foreign military presence, though the path forward remains uncertain.
Regional dynamics are also shifting. As the U.S. signals a smaller military footprint across the Middle East, other powers are positioning themselves to fill the void. Turkey, in particular, has signaled its readiness to step in, leveraging its proximity, economic ties, and military capacity to expand its influence in northern Iraq and beyond.
The withdrawal comes at a time of heightened regional tension, with the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, instability in Syria, and a volatile security environment in the broader Middle East. U.S. officials have not detailed what, if any, contingency plans remain for re-engaging in Iraq should the security situation deteriorate.
For Iraq's Kurdish region, the departure of the remaining U.S. troops raises concerns about security gaps. The Kurdish peshmerga forces have been a key partner in the fight against ISIS, and the presence of American forces provided a degree of deterrence against external threats. Without that buffer, the Kurdistan Regional Government may face increased pressure from Baghdad and neighboring states.
Iraq's military has received billions of dollars in U.S. training and equipment over the years, but questions remain about its ability to operate independently. Iraqi forces have shown competence in some areas, particularly in counterterrorism operations, but they still rely on intelligence and logistical support from international partners. The end of the U.S. mission will test whether that support can be replaced.
The political implications in Washington are also significant. The withdrawal fulfills a long-standing promise by successive administrations to end America's involvement in Iraq, but critics argue that it leaves a power vacuum that Iran and other adversaries will exploit. The Biden administration had not commented on the final withdrawal as of the time of the report.
For ordinary Iraqis, the end of the U.S. military presence is a moment of mixed emotions. Some view it as a long-overdue assertion of sovereignty and a chance to rebuild national institutions without foreign interference. Others fear that without American oversight, the country's security forces and political leaders may be more vulnerable to corruption and external manipulation.
Whatever the outcome, the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq closes a chapter that began with a controversial invasion, unfolded through years of bloodshed and political turmoil, and ends with an uncertain peace. The question now is whether Iraq can forge a stable, independent future—or whether the forces unleashed by the 2003 war will continue to shape its destiny for years to come.
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