Can Iraq handle future security challenges alone?

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that the last remaining US troops have left Iraq, ending more than two decades of direct American military presence that began with the 2003 invasion and the removal of Saddam Hussein. The report frames the departure as a major turning point for Iraq’s security and politics, as the country now faces the challenge of managing future threats without a continuing US troop presence.

According to the broadcaster, the US role in Iraq evolved through years of instability after Hussein’s ouster. The article notes that Iraq was pulled into a prolonged cycle of violence and suggests that while the US may have helped prevent the state’s collapse, it is also widely accused of contributing to the turmoil that followed. The core question raised is whether the Iraqi government can now shoulder security responsibilities on its own.

The program also considers who might benefit from the US exit and what the change means for regional dynamics. Al Jazeera presents the issue as one of both internal capacity and wider geopolitical consequences, with attention to the balance of power inside Iraq and among outside actors.

The discussion features presenter Dareen Abughaida and guests Ahmed Rushdi, Kenneth Katzman and Abdullah Alshayji, who bring perspectives on Iraqi governance, Middle East geopolitics, US foreign policy and Gulf security.