Story perspectives

U.S. Completes Troop Withdrawal From Iraq, Ending Two Decades

By Drooid · Sep 30, 2026, 2:29 AM UTC · How we work

Center

Turkey Base Hand Over

The United States completed the withdrawal of its remaining 2,500 troops from Iraq by September 30 2026, ending a two-decade military presence.
Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi proclaimed October 1 a national “Independence Day” holiday to mark the end of foreign military presence in Iraq.
Iraq set a June 30 2027 deadline for armed groups to cease attacks and surrender weapons.
Turkey plans to hand over a northern military base to Baghdad.

Left

Iraq Defence Vacuum

The United States completed the withdrawal of its remaining 2,500 troops from Iraq on September 30 2026, ending a two-decade military presence.
Iraqi parliament approved only a partial cabinet in May, leaving the defence-minister post vacant and weakening security coordination.
The United States also removed its Erbil-based Patriot and C-RAM air-defence systems, stripping Iraq of a major protective layer.
Kurdish President Masrour Barzani called the pullout “shameful” and warned of militia attacks.

Blindspot

Iraqi officials and Kurdish leaders warned that the United States’ removal of Erbil-based Patriot and C-RAM air-defence systems eliminates a major protective layer, leaving Iraq vulnerable to attacks by Iranian-aligned militias.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Left-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Center-leaning coverage.

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Turkey Base Hand Over

The United States completed the withdrawal of its remaining 2,500 troops from Iraq by September 30 2026, ending a two-decade military presence.
Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi proclaimed October 1 a national “Independence Day” holiday to mark the end of foreign military presence in Iraq.
Iraq set a June 30 2027 deadline for armed groups to cease attacks and surrender weapons.
Turkey plans to hand over a northern military base to Baghdad.

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