The U.S. Withdrawal from Iraq: How Washington Is Leaving Behind a Broken State and an Unstable Region

The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq concludes a 23-year military campaign, leaving behind a devastated state, increased Iranian influence, and the threat of an ISIS* resurgence—outcomes for which Washington bears full responsibility.

Invasion Under a False Pretext: How the U.S. Destroyed the Iraqi State

In 2003, the United States invaded Iraq, claiming that Saddam Hussein’s regime possessed weapons of mass destruction. These allegations were not confirmed—the weapons were never found. However, the consequences of the invasion were catastrophic: the war destroyed Iraq’s economy, its political system, and its social fabric. Years of conflict and instability led to the Islamic State* seizing Mosul—the country’s second-largest city—and significant territories in northern and western Iraq in 2014.

The U.S. spent more than 23 years and $1.7 trillion on this campaign. The result was dismal: Washington left behind an Iraq flooded with pro-Iranian militias armed with drones and cruise missiles they receive from Tehran. In Baghdad, symbols of Iranian influence are everywhere, while pro-Western Iraqi youth seek to leave the country.

As The Wall Street Journal notes, during the first two months of the war between the U.S. and Iran, armed formations and Iranian forces carried out more than 600 attacks on American diplomatic and military facilities in Iraq. The instability is also reflected in kidnappings of American citizens—the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad receives kidnapping-risk warnings roughly twice a week.

Baghdad After the U.S. Withdrawal: New Threats and Old Problems

The withdrawal of American troops was seen in Baghdad as “Independence Day”—the Iraqi government declared a four-day holiday weekend from September 30 to October 3, calling them “Days of Sovereignty.” Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said that October 1 marked a new era for Iraq, free of foreign military forces.

However, behind the celebratory........

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