Iraq War film 'Atonement' tells story of US Marine seeking Iraqi family's forgiveness
By Ryan Patrick Jones TORONTO, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Three generations of an Armenian-Christian family were driving home in Baghdad in April 2003 when US Marines in a firefight with Iraqi forces fired on their cars, killing three men. Almost a decade later, two women who survived the attack sat down in their Glendale, California, living room with one of the Marines who pulled the trigger.
On September 30, 2026, Iraq will bid farewell to the era of foreign military presence as US troops withdraw from the country after 12 years of Operation Inherent Resolve, combating ISIS. In a statement, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi announced that by Wednesday, the final 2,500 US soldiers will depart Iraqi territory, concluding a 12-year tenure and a two-decade-long US military involvement in Iraq.
The withdrawal aligns with broader US strategies to reduce its military footprint in the Middle East. However, Turkey still maintains a military presence in Iraq, gradually returning a northern base to Baghdad's control. The US-Iraq relationship is expected to transition from a security-focused alliance to a more economic partnership.
Despite Baghdad's initial goal of disarmament of armed groups and militias, several powerful groups, including Kata ib Hezbollah, Harakat al-Nujaba, and Kata ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, have not shown signs of disarming or integrating into Iraq's armed forces. The Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani has called for protection against missile and drone attacks from Iran, as attacks from Iran-backed groups on US-linked targets in Erbil have surged since the US-Israeli war with Iran began in February.
Written by urgent.news from DW News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
