US faces another major Middle East troop withdrawal, but threat remains

The U.S.military is scheduled to end its mission in Iraq on Wednesday, bringing to a close a military operation that has lasted more than two decades — despite an ongoing war in Iran sparked earlier this year.The Iraq mission began with the 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein and later evolved into a campaign to help Iraqi forces defeat the Islamic State group after the terrorist organization's rapid rise across Iraq and Syria.In recent years, however, the remaining U.S.

military presence has increasingly served as both a counterweight to Iran's influence and a frequent target of Iran-backed militias.The Iraq agreement was reached before the U.S.and Iran entered direct conflict earlier this year and under a different administration and military leadership — leaving the final phase of the withdrawal to unfold in a dramatically different security environment than the one envisioned when the timeline was negotiated.TRUMP REVEALS WHEN US MILITARY WILL LEAVE IRAQ AFTER 23-YEAR MISSIONWith U.S.

forces leaving by Sept.30 and as Baghdad tries to rein in Iran-backed militias, Iraq could also be entering its most dangerous period since ISIS seized Mosul in 2014.

(REUTERS/Mohammed Ameen)The deadline stems from an agreement reached by Washington and Baghdad in 2024 under President Joe Biden to wind down the U.S.-led coalition's military mission after Iraqi officials concluded their security forces were increasingly capable of handling the fight against ISIS.It follows the U.S.military's 2021 departure from Afghanistan, also under the Biden administration, which ended another two-decade American war and left no U.S.

troops in the country.The withdrawal, however, was chaotic, widely viewed as 'botched' and resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S.

service members and dozens of civilians.HOW IRAN ATTACKS ARE FORCING THE PENTAGON TO RETHINK ITS DECADES-OLD MIDDLE EAST BASE STRATEGYThe Pentagon declined to confirm to Fox News Digital whether the timeline remains on track or p...