US-led coalition forces are scheduled to complete their withdrawal from facilities in Iraq's Kurdistan region by September 30, marking the end of a military presence that has defined American engagement in the country since the fight against ISIS. The move represents the final phase of a handover process that saw multiple military bases transferred to Iraqi control during 2025.
From Military to Economic Partnership
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi told the United Nations General Assembly on Friday that the coalition's departure signals a fundamental shift in Iraq's relationship with the United States and its allies. The transition, he said, would move cooperation from military operations to economic and development partnerships. It's a pivot Baghdad has sought for years as domestic political pressure mounted against the continued presence of foreign troops.
The withdrawal follows a negotiated agreement between Baghdad and Washington to wind down the coalition mission. That mission, launched in 2014 to combat ISIS, has evolved as the group's territorial control collapsed. What remains is a bilateral security arrangement that keeps some US forces in Iraq under different terms — but not in Kurdistan's facilities.
Security Concerns Remain
Zaidi used his UN address to call on all countries to tighten border controls and close gaps that extremist groups exploit. He urged vigilance against conditions that fuel extremism, a recognition that ISIS remnants still operate in rural areas and that regional instability hasn't vanished with the coalition's drawdown.
The withdrawal from Kurdistan is particularly significant. The region has been a relatively stable hub for coalition operations, unlike other parts of Iraq where US bases have faced rocket attacks from Iran-aligned militias. Kurdish authorities have maintained close security ties with Washington, and the departure raises questions about how those relationships will function without a physical military presence.
Iraq's transition to bilateral arrangements reflects a broader regional trend. Countries that hosted large US-led coalitions during the post-9/11 wars are recalibrating their security partnerships as domestic politics shift and as Washington itself debates its Middle East footprint. For Iraq, the move is framed as a restoration of sovereignty. For the United States, it's a managed drawdown that preserves influence through smaller, less visible deployments.
Why This Matters:
The end of the coalition mission in Kurdistan closes a chapter in Iraq's post-invasion history, but it doesn't resolve the underlying questions about security, sovereignty, and regional influence. Iraq still faces ISIS cells in remote areas, militia groups with ties to Iran, and a fragile political system vulnerable to external pressure. The shift from military to economic cooperation depends on whether Baghdad can deliver stability without coalition support — and whether Washington's bilateral presence proves sustainable amid Iraqi political opposition. For ordinary Iraqis, the test isn't the symbolism of withdrawal but whether their government can provide security and development without foreign troops. The coalition's departure is a milestone, but the harder work of building a stable, self-sufficient Iraq remains incomplete.