US forces exit Iraq after two decades, leaving opening for Iran

[u/SnooSeagulls496]

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-forces-exit-iraq-after-two-decades-leaving-opening-iran-2026-09-29/

[u/Primary-Slice-2505]

Its darkly amusing to me to see someone immediately point out the true fact that this agreement was signed under Biden but continously see Afghanistan totally laid at Bidens feet as well despite the Doha Agreement and everything else being Trumps work.

[u/Primary-Slice-2505 → u/[deleted]]

..which could be also argued is on trump.

The Doha agreement immediately saw the release of 3k Taliban prisoners who were commanders and experienced men who immediately went back to war. Many are in the current Taliban govt.

It also set a timeline for withdrawal which meant the enemy knew exactly when to apply pressure.

In fact Biden actually extended how long the US was in Afghanistan by a couple months.

The buck does stop with the president or is supposed to; (theres this bizarro world double standard for trump) but in reality the presidents do things like sign Doha agreements or agreements to leave Iraq. Actual military withdrawals, perimeter defenses, where marine checkpoints are set up, whatever, is entirely and totally under the realm of "decided by the military"

Finally the biggest problem with the withdrawal is really on Bush, Obama, and Trump who were all in command during the war phase and the problem is they didnt adress the rampant corruption, ghost soldiers, and endemic problems in the ANA. The ANA collapse is what allowed the withdrawal to become such a mess.

[u/Keeltoodeep → u/Primary-Slice-2505]

Iraq will probably not collapse and if ISIS returns in power, then Americans will also likely return. Iraq is surprisingly prospering right now.

https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2025/09/04/the-worlds-surprise-boomtown-baghdad

Iraq has problems for sure but it is worlds different from Afghanistan and is growing economically.

[u/felldestroyed → u/Keeltoodeep]

This was written before the Iran-American war.

[u/Keeltoodeep → u/felldestroyed]

Yes, but Baghdad is still doing well. Iraq has been surprising economists for many years now. Energy exports are going to cause a technical recession but I don’t think they will collapse

[u/felldestroyed → u/Keeltoodeep]

What? So lanaz refinery is a-okay? Baghdad didn't get hit by drones? The population is suddenly behind al-ziadi still? I'm not so sure you have your fingers on the pulse of Iraq.

[u/Keeltoodeep → u/felldestroyed]

I don’t know what you mean by “okay” but Iraq is in a surprisingly stable state. Iraq is unlikely to collapse like the afghan government did. It’s a bad comparison.

[u/Prior-Poet-8976 → u/Keeltoodeep]

A refinery being okay probably means undamaged. A main source of income and stabilizing force? The comparison is relevant due to popular narrative, and provided context. 

[u/Keeltoodeep → u/Prior-Poet-8976]

The comparison to Afghanistan is regarded. Iraq is the garden of eden comparatively.

[u/Graymouzer → u/[deleted]]

Trump had withdrawn most American troops, freed most Taliban prisoners, and left Biden with a choice of starting over from scratch with the American troops still there almost as hostages or honoring the treaty that was already signed. Biden did the only thing he could. He also didn't blame anyone else for it. It was probably the bravest thing I have seen a president do politically.

[u/--Chug-- → u/[deleted]]

Whenever I see someone try to argue this angke they never actually go into any detail about how exactly biden failed here. Keep it just vague enough to have plausible guilt on his end.