Unable to reach an agreement in negotiations with Iran, the USA withdrew all its soldiers from Iraq. The Pentagon declared that the mission in Iraq was officially over.
US President Donald Trump made a statement after the withdrawal in Iraq and announced that the last American forces had left Iraq.
Stating that this is a great day for America, Trump said, "More importantly, we are leaving Iraq with a wonderful new Prime Minister, Ali Zaidi. He is a name that I have supported from the very beginning and I fully support. He won an election that he was not expected to win, and he did it by an overwhelming margin. Prime Minister Zaidi is an extraordinary name and I hope he can manage the developments very well." he said.
“I FELT IT WAS TIME FOR AMERICA TO COME HOME”
Pointing out that the process that started with former President George W. Bush in 2003 ended under his leadership, Trump described today as a "decisive victory" for the USA and Iraq against ISIS.
Trump stated that they left Erbil Air Base in an orderly manner, unlike the US withdrawal from Afghanistan during the previous Biden period, where many military equipment were left behind, and said, "With a clear decision, I gave our commanders the necessary tools to complete this process and refused to allow a temporary presence to become permanent." he said.
Claiming that they came to Iraq to fight against ISIS, Trump claimed that there was no need for this anymore.
"I had a choice to stay or to go, and I felt without a doubt that it was time for America to come home," Trump said. made his assessment.
PENTAGON ANNOUNCED THAT THE WITHDRAWAL PROCESS WAS COMPLETED
In the written statement made by the US Department of Defense (Pentagon), it was stated that the US and coalition forces completed the withdrawal process from Iraq within the scope of the joint statement made between the US and Iraq in September 2024 and "in the national interests of the US".
In the statement made by the US Central Command (CENTCOM), "CENTCOM completed the orderly withdrawal of US forces and equipment from Erbil Air Base on September 30 and declared the end of Operation 'Inherent Resolve' in Iraq." The expression was used.
THERE WERE 1500 COALITION SOLDIERS
US and other coalition soldiers who were in Iraq to fight against the terrorist organization ISIS left the country. There were approximately 1,500 coalition soldiers in Iraq. The decision to withdraw was made by the Biden Administration in 2024.
The Pentagon announced that the mission to fight ISIS will be managed from Jordan. It was underlined that intervention will continue against possible threats to American interests and soldiers. The withdrawal of American troops from Iraq to Jordan was carried out quietly in Washington.
IS THE BALANCE OF POWER TURNING IN FAVOR OF IRAN?
Iran, on the other hand, celebrates the withdrawal of American soldiers as a victory.
A news article titled "As the balance of power shifts in favor of Iran, the USA is withdrawing its troops from Iraq" was published in the American Washington Post newspaper. The news commented, "This situation leaves a worn-out but increasingly influential Iran at the center of the future of the region."
Mark Cancian, senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Iran could gain power with the withdrawal of American troops. However, he pointed out that its recent behavior has also led to the formation of unexpected alliances in the region that challenge Tehran.
According to Cancian, Tehran's targeting of regional countries hosting American bases has brought some countries, such as Saudi Arabia, closer to Israel.
He noted that this created a defensive wall that would have been "unimaginable" decades ago. Stating that Washington has always had difficulty in establishing a balance between Arabs and Israelis, Cancian said, "This is a great help for the United States."
The United States' invasion of Iraq in 2003 not only eliminated Tehran's adversary by overthrowing Saddam, but also established a wide sphere of influence in Iraq.
There are also Iran-backed members of Hashd al-Shaabi, the umbrella organization of the militia forces fighting against ISIS.
It was envisaged that Hashd al-Shaabi's disarmament process would be completed with the withdrawal of American soldiers.
However, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Zaidi announced last week that the process has been extended until June 2027. It is noted that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard started to work with small cells instead of large militia networks in order to avoid being caught in Iraq.
It is stated that those who left the disarmament groups continued to work with Iran by establishing new militia groups. It is stated that these small cells carried out the latest attacks on the energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.
