Rose Gleason '29

by Rose Gleason '29 on September 24, 2026

Iraq awaits two major deadlines on Sept. 30: the exit of United States troops and the disarmament of weapons of non-state groups. On Sept. 30, U.S. troops are set to leave Iraq after a presence of roughly 20 years. President Donald Trump argues that Iran has been weakened and “destabilized” enough for U.S. troops to depart Iraq.

Iraqi authorities do not see a need for the U.S. troops to remain in their territory for a longer period. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi states that the country’s security and bases are strong enough to protect their own regions without U.S. help. Trump responds that the connection between Iraq and the U.S. will transition from a military-advancement standpoint to a more economic- and energy-focused relationship. Trump says, “we’re there to protect them if need be.”

U.S. troops began their gradual leave in 2025. However, the troops have remained a constant in the northern Kurdish region. The soldiers’ presence is due to the bases in the Kurdish region being heavily under attack after the U.S. and Israel began fighting Iran. The Kurdish region’s Prime Minister Masrour Barzani states that the location is not secure enough for the departure, and U.S. troops leaving the region will make the people and area vulnerable. 

U.S. troops first entered Iraq in 2003, and now roughly 2,500 troops remain in Iraq. The U.S. invaded Iraq due to fears of weapons and destruction that Iraq may have held and contributed to. Plans to invade Iraq, however, began after the 9/11 attacks against the U.S. The peak of U.S. troops in Iraq was 170,000 in 2007 during the Iraq War.

The troops departed in 2011 and returned in 2014. In 2014, Iraqi authorities asked for a small group of U.S. troops to fight the Islamic State group and extremist sleeper cell groups. The conflicting groups have since wound down their assaults,  allowing the U.S. troops to move out.

Departing U.S. troops will mostly be deployed to Jordan and other Middle Eastern regions after leaving Iraq. All military equipment will be removed from Iraq, including the U.S. air defense systems. By pulling U.S. troops from main targeted military bases, an anonymous U.S. military officer reports that the move will “reduce our risk.” Yet, uncertainty still remains about where attacks will hit, especially after the exit of the troops.

Iraqi authorities have yet to confirm whether Sept. 30 will begin the disarmament of militias or serve as a starting point for discussion about the topic. By disarming weapons, the people of Iraq are asked to put their trust in their military. The disarmament includes “dynamic” weapons, and less major and targeted militia bases have agreed to give up their weapons.

However, bases closer to Iran have shown signs of failure to comply. Al-Zaidi reports that if weapons are not turned in to the state power, then the group will face terrorism charges.