After Officially Completing Withdrawal from Iraq... 'The Alliance' Continues Operations Under Security Partnership Framework
Troop withdrawal from Iraq and the security partnership.
Translated by Qiyas from الراي — Original source
By Wednesday, the withdrawal of U.S. and international coalition forces from Iraqi territory will be formally completed, in accordance with the schedules agreed upon between Baghdad and Washington.
The end of the coalition’s military mission does not mean that the security relationship between Iraq and the United States has ended entirely. New agreements are expected to shift cooperation between the two countries from a framework of military deployment and field operations to one of security partnership, with counterterrorism, intelligence sharing, and the development of Iraqi forces’ capabilities remaining at the core of the bilateral relationship.
The withdrawal comes within the framework of an Iraqi-American understanding announced in 2024, which set September 2026 as the deadline for completing the termination of the international coalition’s military mission in Iraq.
According to circulating information, the process was not a sudden or unilateral withdrawal, but rather was carried out in stages, including the transfer of personnel and equipment and the redistribution of certain military capabilities, culminating in the departure of the remaining forces operating under the coalition mission.
The final phase of the withdrawal coincided with intensive security and political arrangements within Iraq, as Baghdad sought to consolidate its ability to manage security affairs without relying on direct foreign military presence.
This transition gains additional sensitivity due to the turbulent regional environment. Iraq sits at the center of ongoing U.S.-Iranian rivalry, and its territory remains vulnerable to security tensions and attacks involving missiles and drones. Therefore, the success of the withdrawal will not be measured solely by the number of soldiers who have left the country, but by Baghdad’s ability to prevent its territory from becoming a battleground for regional and international powers.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fawzi Hussein had announced that the withdrawal paves the way for a new model of bilateral security cooperation, based on training, intelligence sharing, and collaborative efforts, rather than direct military presence under the international coalition mission.
