US Completes Iraq Military Missions, Opening Paths for Regional Ties and China’s Strategic Gains

The United States has ended its military mission in Iraq, a decision that analysts say could grant Baghdad broader opportunities to diversify partnerships and further benefit China’s energy and commercial interests.

However, the shifting arrangement did not come with assurances that Beijing would fill any resulting power vacancy; experts note that China lacks both the ambition and the capacity to assume the security responsibilities previously held by the United States.

The United States formally ended its Operation Inherent Resolve mission in Iraq on September 30, completing a withdrawal negotiated in 2024 under President Joe Biden’s administration.

The mission, launched in 2014 to combat ISIS, has been subsumed by an Iraqi‑led security initiative, while Washington indicated it will persistently conduct targeted training and intelligence support.

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