US Completes Withdrawal of Troops From Iraq, Over 12 Years Since Deployment

The US has withdrawn the last of its troops from Iraq and re-stationed them in Jordan, concluding a 12-year mission aimed at defeating ISIS.

The Mission: Operation Inherent Resolve began in 2014 and followed the Iraq War, which took place from 2003 to 2011 and saw the US capture and kill Saddam Hussein. The bulk of the fighting took place from 2014 to 2017, when ISIS suffered a territorial defeat in Iraq and the loss of 80,000 militants.

The Withdrawal: The withdrawal agreement between Iraq and the US was agreed upon by the Biden administration in September 2024. At the time, an opinion published by The Hill (Center bias) framed the withdrawal as long overdue, while an opinion published by The Washington Post (Lean Left) called it "a trap for the next president." The US began withdrawing troops in August 2025 and completed its pull-out on Tuesday, removing the last of its soldiers and equipment from Erbil, the largest city in Iraq's Kurdish region.

For Context: President Biden announced the end of combat operations in Iraq in 2021. Several US soldiers have been killed in Iraq this year as part of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Militia Groups: From the Iraqi government's standpoint, the withdrawal date of September 30 was originally also set as a deadline for the disarming of extra-governmental militant groups, many of which are tied to Iran. Last week, however, the Iraqi government extended that deadline to June 30.

How The Media Covered It: The story was more widely covered by outlets from the left and center as of Tuesday morning. Some outlets, like The Washington Post, Reuters (Center), and The Conversation (Lean Left), framed the withdrawal as a positive thing for Iran in headlines. Others, like The New York Times (Lean Left) and Semafor (Lean Left), simply implied there are risks that come with the withdrawal. Fox News (Right) made potential consequences a minor part of its coverage, including two paragraphs about it at the end of its coverage.

Perspectives: An opinion published by The Washington Examiner (Lean Right) emphasized a comment from a Houthi official made to AFP last week, where he said Iran, the Houthis, Hezbollah, and other proxies all "form one alliance." An analysis from the pro-Arab Middle East Eye (Left) noted the Iraqi government's extension for the disarming of extra-governmental militias and said "since the overthrow of Saddam" they "have been among the most powerful forces in the country." He described these groups as "jubilant" at the US withdrawal and expressed skepticism that disarmament will actually happen. Reuters noted that a top Iranian lawmaker told state media that Iran "welcomes the withdrawal of ​American troops from Iraq and will undoubtedly support it." He added, "Resistance groups are currently ⁠taking action, sometimes targeting and confronting American troops."

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