US wraps up military mission in Iraq, giving Baghdad room to strengthen China ties

AI Summary

The United States formally ended its Operation Inherent Resolve military mission in Iraq on September 30, completing a previously agreed withdrawal. Analysts say the shift could give Baghdad more room to broaden partnerships and indirectly benefit China’s commercial and energy interests, but do not expect China to replace the US security role.

The US has ended its military mission in Iraq, a move analysts said could give Baghdad more room for diversified partnerships and indirectly benefit China’s energy and commercial interests. But they cautioned that the shift was unlikely to create a power vacuum for Beijing to fill, with China lacking both the ambition and capacity to take on the US security role. The United States formally ended its Operation Inherent Resolve mission in Iraq on September 30, completing a withdrawal agreed on in...