00:01Music
00:16The United States is preparing to end its long-running military mission in Iraq.
00:22Washington and Baghdad are now working toward a September 30, 2026 deadline for the withdrawal of the remaining U.S.
00:32military forces involved in the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS mission.
00:37If the timeline holds, it would mark the end of a continuous U.S. military presence in Iraq that began
00:44with the 2003 invasion.
00:46The latest confirmation came on August 12, after Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi met with U.S. Central Command
00:56Chief Admiral Brad Cooper.
00:58Al-Zaidi described September 30 as the fixed and final date for ending the coalition's military mission and completing the
01:07departure of its forces.
01:08A U.S. official also confirmed that Washington expects the withdrawal to be completed by that deadline.
01:15The drawdown is already underway.
01:19Kurdish officials say U.S. troops and equipment have begun leaving the Erbil area, where much of the remaining American
01:26military presence has been concentrated.
01:29The U.S. has already handed over major facilities in federal Iraq, including Al-Assad Air Base earlier this year.
01:38The remaining American footprint is now significantly smaller than during the height of the Iraq War.
01:45At its peak around 2007, the United States had more than 170,000 troops in Iraq.
01:52In recent years, that number had fallen to roughly 2,500 personnel, focused primarily on training, advising, and counter-ISIS
02:03operations.
02:04The mission itself has changed dramatically.
02:07The original U.S. invasion in 2003 toppled Saddam Hussein and triggered years of war and instability.
02:17American forces eventually withdrew in 2011, but the rise of ISIS brought U.S. troops back to Iraq in 2014
02:25as part of an international coalition fighting the extremist group.
02:30After ISIS lost most of its territorial control, the U.S. mission shifted toward advising, training, and supporting Iraqi and
02:40Kurdish forces.
02:41Now, that coalition mission is approaching its final chapter.
02:45President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi reaffirmed the September 30th deadline during their July meeting.
02:54Trump said the United States does not believe its military is needed in Iraq anymore.
03:00But the withdrawal does not necessarily mean the end of the U.S.-Iraq relationship.
03:07Instead, Washington and Baghdad are expected to move toward a more conventional bilateral partnership.
03:13That could include intelligence sharing, military training, and security cooperation, without a permanent U.S. military presence.
03:24Economic ties are also expected to become increasingly important, particularly in Iraq's oil, gas, and energy sectors.
03:32But there is another major issue hanging over the withdrawal.
03:36Iraq's government has linked the departure of foreign forces to a deadline for non-state armed groups to disarm.
03:45That includes powerful Iran-backed militias that have operated inside Iraq for years.
03:52The government argues that once foreign troops leave, these groups will no longer have a justification for maintaining their weapons.
04:00Whether those groups actually comply remains a major question.
04:05The withdrawal is also happening against the backdrop of escalating tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran.
04:14U.S. bases and military facilities in Iraqi Kurdistan region have faced attacks during the wider regional conflict.
04:22That makes the final phase of the withdrawal particularly sensitive.
04:28Still, officials on both sides are presenting the drawdown as the conclusion of the coalition's mission and a sign that
04:35Iraqi forces can now take the lead against remaining ISIS threats.
04:40For Washington, it represents the end of one of the longest and most consequential military chapters of the post-911
04:49era.
04:49For Iraq, it marks another step toward greater control over its own security.
04:55And after more than 20 years of war, occupation, withdrawal, and return, the United States is once again preparing to
05:05leave Iraq.
05:06The key date is September 30th.
05:09Whether that deadline remains unchanged will depend on security conditions, regional tensions, and the final stages of the military drawdown.
05:36The key date is October 30th.
05:36The nextgenommen
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