From invasion to withdrawal: The US Military in Iraq

More than two decades after the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, the US-led coalition’s military mission in the country has come to an end. But the withdrawal did not happen overnight. From the Iraqi Parliament’s 2020 call to end the presence of foreign forces, to the gradual handover of major bases including Qayyarah, Taji and Ain al-Asad, the US military footprint was reduced over several years. With the final stage of the withdrawal reaching the Kurdistan Region, we trace the key moments that shaped the US military presence in Iraq, from invasion to withdrawal.