Staff Reports
The United States has completed its withdrawal from Iraq, a move that wraps up the Operation Inherent Resolve mission on Iraqi soil. CENTCOM announced that the last U.S. forces and equipment left Erbil Air Base and that the campaign headquarters and core functions have moved to Jordan. President Donald Trump hailed the pullout and called out the “very bad decision‑making” that got America tangled in Iraq in the first place.
The withdrawal: what actually happened
CENTCOM says the departure was orderly and deliberate. U.S. troops and gear left Erbil Air Base, and the Combined Joint Task Force for Operation Inherent Resolve moved its headquarters and mission support to Jordan. Adm. Brad Cooper praised the soldiers, diplomats, and civilians who served, saying Iraqi forces — including the Peshmerga — now have the capacity to manage their own security against ISIS threats. The new posture is meant to shift from a coalition footprint in Iraq to a bilateral U.S.–Iraq defense relationship with Prime Minister Ali al‑Zaidi’s government.
Why President Trump is celebrating — and why he has a point
President Donald Trump framed the exit as a victory and drove home a point conservatives have made for years: America should not be stuck in open‑ended occupations. Trump noted that a clear mission, proper tools, and the will to end a mission are what mattered. CENTCOM’s line that ISIS no longer poses a systemic threat in Iraq gives him cover to say the mission was accomplished. Bringing troops home after years of deployments is a win for veterans and taxpayers alike — provided the strategic gains hold.
Real risks remain: militias, Iran, and the hard work ahead
Don’t pop the victory champagne just yet. Turning a withdrawal into a durable victory depends on Baghdad and Prime Minister Ali al‑Zaidi enforcing state authority over armed militias and keeping Iran’s proxies from filling any vacuum. The relocation to Jordan means the U.S. can still strike or support partners if needed, but America’s influence will hinge on fast, concrete steps to build a genuine bilateral security framework. If Iraq can’t tame the militias or if Tehran steps up its game, the so‑called “end” of a mission on paper could become a messy undoing in practice.
We should congratulate our troops for a job well done and applaud leaders who finally acted to end a long, expensive presence. But congratulations must be paired with vigilance. The withdrawal from Erbil is a milestone — not the finish line. Washington and Baghdad now face the sober work of turning an exit into lasting stability. If both sides do the hard work, history will record this as a smart, responsible pullback. If they don’t, the next round of critics will be even louder — and less sympathetic.
