Twenty-three years after invading Iraq, the United States has begun removing vehicles, weapons and equipment from its final installations in the country ahead of a September 30 withdrawal deadline. Hundreds of American troops remain around Erbil, but a U.S. military official says most will be redeployed to Jordan and other regional locations rather than sent home. The move ends America’s permanent military mission inside Iraq without representing a broader withdrawal from West Asia. U.S. air-defence systems are also being removed, raising Kurdish fears of increased exposure to missiles and drones. Meanwhile, powerful Iran-aligned armed groups have shown little willingness to surrender their weapons despite Baghdad’s pledge to bring all forces under state authority. Washington is closing its Iraq mission—but leaving behind vulnerable Kurdish territory, heavily armed factions and an American military presence redistributed across a new regional map.
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