U.S. forces leave Iraq after more than two decades of war, and many Iraqis respond with a mix of celebration and fear. Reports describe public displays of joy as the last troops withdraw, while residents and observers warn that the departure could create a security vacuum and destabilize areas that the U.S. presence helped monitor and deter.
The outlets generally agree that the final pullout is carried out mainly through an airbase in Erbil in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region, and that Iraqi forces participate in marking the moment with parades in places such as Baghdad and Najaf. Some coverage highlights concern that Iran-backed militias could gain influence if U.S. support and oversight ends, and that the withdrawal could also create space for the return of the Islamic State. Other reporting frames the development in broader geopolitical terms, noting that Iran portrays the pullout as a win for allied armed groups in the region.
