The final U.S. troops departed Iraq, bringing to a close a military footprint that began in March 2003, when U.S. and coalition forces launched an invasion of Iraq and overthrew the regime led by former president Saddam Hussein.

This withdrawal marks the end of one of Washington’s longest-running military engagements in the Middle East.

Throughout the duration of the U.S. deployment, Iraq endured wars, uprisings, insurgencies by armed groups, and a protracted campaign against the Islamic State (ISIS).

U.S. forces entered Iraq in March 2003 under the American argument that Saddam Hussein’s government posed a direct threat to regional and international security.

The invasion swiftly dismantled the military capabilities of Saddam Hussein’s regime within a short timeframe, allowing U.S. and allied forces to seize control of key cities across the country.

Saddam Hussein was subsequently captured, tried by an Iraqi tribunal, and sentenced to death, culminating in his execution in late 2006.

However, the fall of Saddam Hussein’s government did not bring an end to conflict in Iraq.

The country subsequently plunged into a cycle of warfare and attacks perpetrated by armed factions opposed to foreign forces and the newly established Iraqi government.

For years, U.S. forces faced persistent attacks launched by armed groups across many parts of Iraq.

American and allied forces also engaged in major military operations aimed at curbing armed factions, with fierce battles erupting across various cities and districts.

Throughout the conflict, U.S. forces suffered significant casualties.

A number of troops were killed in combat, while others lost their lives in bombings and attacks targeting military bases and convoys.

The war also exacted a massive financial cost on the U.S. government.

These expenditures included funding allocated for military operations, weaponry, aircraft, combat vehicles, base infrastructure, healthcare for wounded soldiers, and compensation for disabled veterans.

In 2011, the U.S. government withdrew the majority of its troops from Iraq, declaring at the time that the American military mission in the country had concluded.

However, that withdrawal did not mark the end of the U.S. presence in Iraq.

In 2014, after the Islamic State (ISIS) overran vast territories in Iraq and Syria, the United States returned to the country, leading an international coalition to wage war against the group.

ISIS rapidly expanded across multiple regions of Iraq in 2014, seizing strategic cities, including Mosul.

The United States and partner nations subsequently provided military support, training, intelligence, and airstrikes to Iraqi forces and Kurdish fighters.

Intense battles took place in cities held by ISIS, and Iraqi forces ultimately succeeded in reclaiming most of the territory previously captured by the group.

Here is the accurate, professionally polished English translation of the final segment of the report, meticulously reviewed to ensure natural flow, correct military and geopolitical terminology, and zero translation errors:

Mosul, which had served as the largest city under ISIS control within Iraq, was liberated from the group in 2017.

Although ISIS was stripped of the territory it once administered, residual members and clandestine cells of the group continue to operate in parts of Iraq.

In recent years, the Iraqi government has sought to ensure that its national security forces assume full responsibility for the country’s security architecture.

Washington and Baghdad held extensive negotiations concerning the future posture of U.S. forces and the operations of the international anti-ISIS coalition.

Both sides ultimately agreed upon a structured framework to conclude the international coalition’s military operations in Iraq, facilitating the gradual departure of foreign forces.

Today’s withdrawal marks the execution of that plan, as the final contingent of U.S. troops departs Iraqi soil.

Spanning more than two decades of warfare and military campaigns, the U.S. engagement in Iraq exacted a heavy toll in both human lives and material resources.

Historical combat records indicate that thousands of American service members and contractors were killed or wounded during operations in Iraq.

The conflict also claimed the lives of numerous civilian contractors and personnel caught in the crossfire.

For years, the U.S. government bore extensive financial expenditures associated with long-term medical care for wounded veterans, compensation, and specialized services for disabled soldiers.

Overall expenditures for the Iraq war soared to extraordinary levels, with various independent assessments estimating that the total financial cost of the conflict and its enduring obligations reached trillions of dollars.

The complete departure of U.S. forces ushers the Iraqi state into a pivotal new security phase.

Iraqi armed forces and national security agencies now bear the ultimate responsibility for safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty and maintaining internal security against lingering armed threats.

The Iraqi government stated that its national forces are fully capable of defending the country and will continue their ongoing campaign against ISIS and other armed factions.

Nevertheless, the departure of U.S. troops has also raised significant questions regarding Iraq’s future security landscape, particularly concerning the influence of armed groups and the persistent threat still posed by ISIS.

Although U.S. forces have withdrawn from Iraq, bilateral relations between the two countries are not coming to an end.

Washington and Baghdad maintain active political, economic, and security ties, with both governments aiming to anchor their future relationship in mutual bilateral cooperation.

The United States also remains invested in the security stability of Iraq and the broader Middle East, while the Iraqi government strives to strengthen the operational capacity of its state institutions and national armed forces.

Today’s withdrawal thus closes a long and definitive chapter in the shared history of Iraq and the United States—one that originated with the 2003 invasion.

Iraq now bears the profound responsibility of independently safeguarding its national security in the absence of a permanent U.S. military presence.

The post United States Withdraws Its Final Troops from Iraq After 23 Years appeared first on Kaab TV.