The U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, scheduled to occur between 2024 and 2026, represents the culmination of a series of failures in the region, ultimately leading to America being pushed out of a country it once invaded with overwhelming force. The withdrawal, set to unfold in two phases, reflects how the U.S. found itself unable to sustain a lasting and stable presence in Iraq. The reduction of troops, particularly from 2024 onward, marks the final chapter of America's involvement, which began with the 2003 invasion to oust Saddam Hussein under the pretext of non-existent weapons of mass destruction.
At the height of the Iraq War in 2007, the U.S. had over 170,000 troops deployed, struggling to contain a civil war and insurgency that their invasion had unleashed. The troop surge was a desperate attempt to salvage the situation, and while it temporarily reduced violence, it failed to secure long-term peace or stability. After withdrawing in 2011, the rise of ISIS in 2014 forced the U.S. to return under Operation Inherent Resolve, aiming to counter the extremist group. Yet even this intervention revealed the limitations of American military power, as U.S. forces found themselves bogged down in an increasingly hostile environment.
The political landscape in Iraq shifted decisively against the U.S. presence following the 2020 assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani by an American drone strike in Baghdad. This event sharply escalated tensions, with the Iraqi parliament passing a resolution demanding the complete expulsion of foreign troops. It was a clear signal: the U.S. was no longer welcome. Iranian-backed militias, which had gained significant influence within Iraq, intensified their attacks on American positions, using rockets and drones to target bases and force the U.S. to reconsider its presence.
The Iraqi government, under Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, has responded to this pressure by advocating for a U.S. withdrawal. Claiming that Iraq’s security forces are now capable of defending the nation, the Prime Minister has underscored Iraq's desire to assert its sovereignty and independence, free from the shadow of foreign military presence. The drawdown of U.S. forces, therefore, reflects a broader failure of American policy in Iraq. Once seen as a liberating force, the U.S. presence has come to be viewed as a destabilizing influence, contributing to the very unrest it sought to quell.
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