The US military is preparing to end its presence in Iraq, which began during the fight against ISIS, with a total withdrawal of troops scheduled for Wednesday.
The withdrawal was negotiated under the Biden administration in 2024 and continued under President Donald Trump, with Sept. 30 set as the final pullout date. During the US military presence in Iraq, about 4,500 US service members died, mostly between 2003 and 2011, ABC News reported.
The US withdrew from Iraq in 2011 after an eight-year military presence that began with the 2003 invasion. American troops returned in 2014 after ISIS seized territory in Iraq and Syria, and remained after ISIS's military defeat in 2019 to help prevent a resurgence.
The Pentagon spokesperson, Sean Parnell, stated that the US and coalition partners have formally ended Operation Inherent Resolve, while continuing targeted training and intelligence support for Iraqi forces.
At the same time, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi said the end of the international coalition's mission marks Iraq's shift toward taking full responsibility for its own security and stability, rather than an end to the fight against terrorism.
Will Iran Increase Influence in Iraq?
The US has been steadily reducing its military presence in Iraq, consolidating forces in the north and quietly withdrawing troops from Erbil since the war with Iran began in February. After several months of drawdowns, only a limited US presence remains in northern Iraq.
The US-Iran war has altered the regional dynamics between Iraq and the US. Iraq's Shiite ties with Iran and Tehran's military support for Shiite militias inside Iraq raise questions about Iran's future influence in Iraq.
Iraq Looks Beyond Hormuz
The US withdrawal from Iraq also comes at a time when the country is seeking to reduce its reliance on the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint for global oil supplies.
In July, Iraq and Syria agreed to revive a long-idled oil pipeline linking northern Iraq to Syria's Mediterranean coast. The move, overseen by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, was aimed at bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. The agreement was signed during a US-Iraq investment summit in Washington by Basra Oil Company CEO Bassem Abdul Karim Nasr and Syrian Petroleum Company CEO Youssef Qablawi.
Wright said at the time that Iraq has significant potential to increase oil production, reduce reliance on hostile neighbors, and expand energy access, prosperity, and economic freedom.
Notably, Iraq's oil revenues have historically been held through accounts linked to the Central Bank of Iraq at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. As per the arrangement, created under former President George W. Bush, the US-led Coalition Provisional Authority established the Development Fund for Iraq after the 2003 invasion to collect oil income for reconstruction and protect it from legal claims tied to Saddam Hussein's regime.
