The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has applauded this Wednesday the definitive withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq, which puts an end to the international coalition that fought against the Islamic State for twelve years, 23 years after Washington began the invasion to overthrow Saddam Hussein. The leader has presented this outcome as a "victory" for both the United States and the Arab country.
"Today I am pleased to announce that the last U.S. forces are leaving Iraq. It has been a long road, marked by very wrong decisions that led us to get into this mess in the first place, but soon all of that will be part of history. This is a great day for the United States," he noted on his social media.
The head of the White House has insisted that "this day represents a victory for the United States, a victory for Iraq, and a decisive victory over the Islamic State," claiming credit for the dismantling of this organization and "other very harmful and dangerous actors." From his point of view, the withdrawal certifies the success of the military campaign against the jihadist group.
"We are leaving Iraq with a new and wonderful Prime Minister, Ali al Zaidi," Trump added, emphasizing his "full" support for the Iraqi leader, whom he described as "an exceptional person" and in whom he trusts to "be able to manage the situation very well" after the closure of the U.S. military presence in Iraqi territory.
Trump has drawn a parallel between the withdrawal from the Erbil airbase and the exit from Afghanistan in 2021, criticizing that under Joe Biden's mandate "a large part of the military equipment and everything else was abandoned, and thirteen fallen warriors lie dead and many others severely wounded." In contrast, he defended that the current withdrawal has been planned as an orderly and controlled process.
On this occasion, the abandonment of Iraq by U.S. forces "marks the end of a hellish expedition that has been very costly." "I set a clear mission, (...) I had the option to stay or leave, and I felt, without a doubt, that it was time for the United States to come home. We came to fight against a caliphate. There is no caliphate anymore. We are going home!" he celebrated, thus asserting his political decision.
The military presence of Washington in Iraq dates back to 2003, when the United States led the offensive to overthrow Hussein. The troops remained deployed until 2011, the year in which then-President Barack Obama ordered their withdrawal. However, in 2014 they returned as part of the international coalition against the Islamic State, led by the United States and in which several European allies participated, including the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, and Germany.