The United States is currently withdrawing its military presence from Iraq, marking a significant shift in a relationship that began with the 2003 invasion to topple Saddam Hussein. The departure follows years of fluctuating troop levels and ongoing efforts to stabilize the nation against insurgent threats.

While the withdrawal is being framed by some as a long-overdue transition to a sovereign Iraqi security model, others are raising alarms about the security implications. There is a notable disagreement regarding the current state of ISIS. Some observers argue that the group remains a potent threat capable of exploiting security gaps, while others suggest that the Iraqi military has developed sufficient capacity to manage internal threats without a permanent U.S. footprint. The historical context remains a point of friction, with critics of the original invasion pointing to the subsequent rise of extremist groups as a direct consequence of the initial destabilization of the Iraqi state. As the withdrawal proceeds, the primary focus for regional analysts is whether the Iraqi government can maintain control over territory previously contested by militants or if the exit will provide an opening for extremist factions to reorganize.