US Troop Withdrawal From Iraq Leaves an Opening for Iran

BAGHDAD – (Special Correspondent/Web Desk) – The US troop withdrawal from Iraq is set to finish today, September 30. American forces are leaving their last bases in the country.

This ends a long and painful chapter. About 4,500 Americans died in Iraq during more than twenty years of war.

The exit was agreed in 2024 under President Joe Biden. It is now being carried out under President Donald Trump, even as his government fights a war against Iran.

Iran and its allies see the move as a big win. Armed groups close to Tehran say it proves that foreign troops cannot control Iraq.

One commander from an Iran-backed group called it a defeat for the American plan. He said his side would celebrate the day as the end of a dark page in Iraqi history.

Iranian leaders spoke in a similar way. A senior member of Iran’s parliament said the departure would bring lasting peace to Iraq and the wider region.

Iran has long said it wants American forces out of the entire Middle East. For Tehran, Iraq is a major step toward that goal.

Security experts in Iraq are less cheerful. They say the American presence acted as a balance against Iranian influence for many years.

Without it, pro-Iran militias may push for more power in politics and security. Analysts expect these groups to use the moment to build support.

Washington has already accused some of these militias of attacking nearby countries on Iran’s orders. Earlier this month, one such attack hit a major Saudi oil pipeline. The Iraqi government says it is trying to limit their reach.

Many Iraqis do want foreign troops to leave one day. But some believe the timing is too early.

A tribal leader in Fallujah said Iraq is not fully ready to handle security alone. He warned that the empty space left behind is what worries people most.

Fear of Daesh is also growing. The group once held a third of Iraq and killed thousands of people. Its rule collapsed years ago, but sleeper cells still exist.

A Kurdish commander said his forces have seen more movement from these cells for over two weeks. He believes the news of the exit has lifted the mood of the fighters.

He also warned that Iraq will lose American intelligence, drones and supply support. That could give Daesh room to rebuild.

Iraqi security officials say they stopped a suspected plot by a Daesh cell. The group allegedly planned suicide attacks to match the timing of the pullout.

A senior officer in Kirkuk said the group wants to show it is still strong and can still hit hard.

The history behind this day is long. American troops invaded Iraq in 2003 to remove Saddam Hussein. They came back less than three years later to help fight Daesh between 2014 and 2017.

Iraq has lost far fewer Americans than it might have, yet the war still left deep scars. About twice as many Americans died in Iraq as in Afghanistan, where the US left suddenly in 2021.

In recent years, Iraq has been the only country with close ties to both Washington and Tehran. It often became a stage for their fight.

In 2020, the US killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in a strike at Baghdad Airport. Iran’s allies fired on American bases many times after that.

In this year’s war with Iran, 18 US service members have died. Seven of them were in Iraq. The last was an army sergeant who died in July near Erbil while a drone was being safely destroyed.

Now the world is watching what comes next. Iraq must show it can protect its people, control armed groups and keep Daesh down.

The US troop withdrawal from Iraq closes one story. Whether it opens a safer future or a riskier one is still unclear.