America’s Iraq mission comes to an end

America’s military officially ended its presence in Iraq on Wednesday, with the final US forces departing an air base in northern Iraq under a 2024 agreement between Washington and Baghdad to close out a 12-year mission against ISIS.

How we got here

The US first invaded Iraq in 2003 to topple Sunni Muslim dictator Saddam Hussein, and went on to fight a yearslong counterinsurgency before withdrawing in 2011. American troops returned in 2014 at the Iraqi government’s invitation, leading an international coalition of forces who helped recapture territory ISIS had seized across large parts of Iraq.

• With the group mostly reduced to scattered sleeper cells, Washington and Baghdad reached a deal in 2024 to wind down the coalition’s military mission.
• Around 4,500 American troops have died in Iraq since 2003, roughly twice as many as in the parallel war in Afghanistan.

What happens now?

Iraqi forces will take primary responsibility for the country’s security, while the US is expected to continue providing some training and intelligence support.

• One major focus will be ISIS, whose remaining cells continue to operate in parts of Iraq.
• Kurdish and Iraqi officials have reported increased militant activity ahead of the withdrawal, raising questions about whether local forces can effectively contain the group without direct US military support.

Iran-backed armed groups, which remain influential in Iraqi politics and security, represent another potential issue. Iraq’s government has pledged to bring these armed factions under state control, though several powerful groups have resisted disarmament.