U.S. Ends 23‑Year Military Presence in Iraq

US‑led coalition forces have completed their withdrawal from Iraq on September 30, 2026, ending a deployment that began after the 2003 invasion. Iraqi security personnel drove through Najaf in a celebratory convoy as the last US troops left the country. The pull‑out marks the closure of a military footprint that lasted more than two decades.

Withdrawal

The departure follows years of joint operations with Iraqi forces but comes as the United States reevaluates its role in a region where new tensions have emerged. The final exit was documented by Reuters, which captured Iraqi troops cheering as the last coalition vehicles moved out of the city.

Context

The 2003 invasion was launched by President George W. Bush, who famously stood on the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln on May 1, 2003 and declared the end of major combat operations under a banner that read “Mission Accomplished.” The recent withdrawal closes the chapter that began with that declaration.