We Ended the War in Iraq (Yes Again, But Also Not Really)

by | Dec 10, 2021

We Ended the War in Iraq (Yes Again, But Also Not Really)

by | Dec 10, 2021

2340862578 7c82db544b c

On Thursday, the Pentagon announced the formal end to the U.S. combat mission in Iraq, but all 2,500 troops that are currently in the country will stay in an advisory role.

The Biden administration agreed with Iraq back in July to end the U.S. combat mission by the end of this year, and it was clear when the announcement was made that US troops would stay and nothing would really change.

The Iraqi government has been under pressure to expel the U.S. since January 2020, when the U.S. killed Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a drone strike in Baghdad. In the wake of the assassination, Iraq’s parliament voted unanimously to kick the U.S. out.

Tensions flared earlier this year when President Biden bombed Iraqi Shia militias in eastern Syria and then again in Iraq. The deal to formally end the U.S. combat role was meant to placate the militias that the U.S. has been targeting, but without any significant drawdown of troops, they will likely not be satisfied.

“Remember, this is a change in mission, right? Not necessarily a change in physical posture,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said. “There won’t be a dramatic shift from yesterday to tomorrow, based on how we’ve already been working ourselves into this new mission.”

Keeping troops in Iraq will achieve little but create a tripwire for further conflicts with Iraq’s Shia militias. The U.S. troops are technically staying in Iraq to advise and train the government in its fight against ISIS remnants. But the U.S. presence is likely more about curbing Iranian influence and supporting the US occupation of eastern Syria.

This article was originally featured at Antiwar.com and is republished with permission.

Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com. Follow him on Twitter @decampdave.

View all posts

Our Books

Shop books published by the Libertarian Institute.

libetarian institute longsleeve shirt

Our Books

cb0cb1ef 3fcb 417d 80d8 4eef7bbd8290

Recent Articles

Recent

Democracy Cannot Lead to Self-Governance

Democracy Cannot Lead to Self-Governance

Democracies end up anti-democratic because only a tiny minority of radicals (politicians, interest groups, major corporations, etc.) achieve power centralized in the capital. They work the levers of government, place their servants in power, and advertise via...

read more
TGIF: The US Empire’s 72-Year War on Iran

TGIF: The US Empire’s 72-Year War on Iran

The likely temporary Israel-Iran ceasefire notwithstanding, if you need proof of how despicable Donald Trump is, consider this: When asked last week if he would ask Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to stop bombing Iran, which had already said it would stop retaliating...

read more

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This