The final contingent of American military personnel has exited Iraq, marking the end of a two-decade presence that began with the 2003 invasion aimed at removing Saddam Hussein from power.
Following the ouster of the former dictator, the nation endured a prolonged cycle of violence and instability that severely weakened its infrastructure and governance. While Washington is credited with preventing the total collapse of the Iraqi state, it also faces criticism for inadvertently fueling the chaos that followed.
This departure leaves the Iraqi government to navigate a new reality without direct US military backing. A recent discussion examined whether Baghdad possesses the capacity to handle emerging security challenges independently and analyzed which regional actors might benefit from the American withdrawal.
The conversation featured Ahmed Rushdi, president of the House of Iraqi Expertise Foundation; Kenneth Katzman, a senior fellow at The Soufan Center focused on Middle East geopolitics and US foreign policy; and Abdullah Alshayji, a political science professor at Kuwait University specializing in Gulf security. The segment was hosted by Dareen Abughaida.
Honestly, after twenty years, it feels like the US was always going to leave eventually. This was always part of the plan.
I wonder which regional actors are already positioning themselves to fill the power vacuum left by this withdrawal?
It is concerning to see the debate on whether Baghdad can handle security alone. Decades of instability have left deep scars.