U.S. Military Withdrawal From Iraq Opens a New Strategic Chapter

2026, September 29

Iraq / United States

U.S. forces are preparing to leave their last bases in Iraq by Wednesday, ending a military presence that lasted more than two decades. Reuters reported that the withdrawal is being celebrated by Iran and its allies, which now hold substantial influence in Iraq after years of conflict and political restructuring.

The departure could reshape Iraq’s security balance and affect the wider contest between the United States and Iran across the Middle East. It also marks a major symbolic endpoint to the post-2003 U.S. military era in Iraq, although Washington is expected to retain diplomatic and security ties with Baghdad.