Where Sources Agree

• arrows_inputWithdrawal Mission Completion: Various reports document the conclusion of the U.S. anti-ISIS mission in Iraq on September 30; final troops completed an orderly departure from Erbil Air Base, according to Pentagon announcements.
• arrows_inputTrump Frames Iraq Withdrawal: Multiple sources report that President Trump framed the U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq as a decisive victory over ISIS, while contrasting the orderly nature of the departure with the 2021 Afghanistan exit, according to official statements.
• arrows_inputPost-Withdrawal Security Concerns: Multiple accounts detail concerns that the U.S. withdrawal could create security gaps, potentially emboldening ISIS sleeper cells and Iran-backed militias, even as Iraqi forces assume primary responsibility for national security, according to security officials.

Where Sources Disagree

• arrows_outputIraqi Security Readiness Assessment: Iraqi officials and U.S. military leaders maintain that Iraqi security forces are fully prepared to lead counterterrorism efforts independently. However, regional security analysts and Kurdish officials warn that the withdrawal creates a dangerous security vacuum, risking an Islamic State resurgence and increased dominance by Iran-aligned militias.
• arrows_outputMilitia Disarmament Compliance: Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi maintains that the government will ensure non-state armed groups surrender their weapons, yet reports indicate that powerful Iran-aligned factions have rejected these disarmament demands or imposed conditions that remain unresolved.