Trump announces US withdrawal from Iraq

Trump shared his post on his account on the social media platform Truth Social.

The US President said, "Today, I am happy to announce that the last American forces have left Iraq. It has been a long time coming because of the very bad decisions that got us into this quagmire, but soon this too will be a part of history." he said.

Pointing out that today is a "great" day for the USA, Trump noted that they left Iraq to Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, whom he supported from the beginning.

“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.

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.

US invasion of Iraq

The USA, which invaded Iraq in March 2003 to overthrow the Saddam Hussein regime, had 9 known military bases in this country. Even though the USA withdrew from Iraq in 2011, it strengthened its presence there with these military bases.

As the US military presence, which began with the invasion of Iraq in 2003, ended after years of destruction and heavy loss of life, a great human tragedy was left behind.