US Withdrawal Puts Iraq’s Control of Arms and Airspace to the Test

The continuing withdrawal of US and international coalition forces from Iraq is bringing two security questions into sharper focus: whether Baghdad can bring all weapons under state control and whether it can protect the country’s airspace as foreign support recedes.

The challenges are closely linked but distinct. Establishing state control over arms concerns who can wield force inside Iraq, while defending the skies requires the capacity to detect and respond to threats from above.

For Baghdad, the transition places greater emphasis on the ability of Iraqi institutions to take responsibility for both tasks. A reduced foreign military presence does not, on its own, establish that domestic forces are ready to fill every gap.

Air protection is also a concern for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The question extends beyond Baghdad’s ability to defend the capital to whether it can provide adequate coverage across Iraqi territory.

As the withdrawal continues, the central test is whether Iraq can translate responsibility for its security into effective control on the ground and in the air. The pace of departing forces is only one part of that equation; the capabilities left behind are equally important.