United States Completes Full Military Withdrawal from Iraq After More Than Two Decades; Operations Shift to Jordan
BAGHDAD: The U.S. is now fully withdrawing its last troops from Iraq, ending an extended period of military forces in the country since the 2003 invasion that was expanded to include a U.S.-led coalition against ISIS. Systematic relocation has been done for military assets and personnel at Baghdad International Airport, Ain al-Asad airbase, and Iraqi Kurdistan installations.Key Strategic Realignment and RelocationShift to Jordan:
Future regional counter-terrorism operations and coordination will now be centered at existing American military bases in Jordan, according to reports from The Washington Post, in preparation for countering elements of ISIS. The Pentagon has said these re-deployed troops are still deployed to protect regional interests. Phased Transition Agreement:
The full military withdrawal is in line with the military withdrawal frameworks developed under previous bilateral treaties and agreed through intensive dialogue between the U.S. and Baghdad.A regional war of economics and casualties.A war of economics and casualties in history.
For more than 20 years of American military involvement in Iraq, thousands of soldiers died, along with billions of dollars and materials.Shifting Regional Dynamics:
The withdrawal has been welcomed as a great step toward national sovereignty by local resistance groups and political parties in Iraq. At the same time, foreign experts and local observers worried that the full withdrawal of American troops from the ground would leave the door open for another strategic and political shift towards Iran’s influence in the region.