U.S. troops are leaving Iraq. What does that mean for U.S. influence in the region?

U.S. forces are withdrawing from Iraq after a two-decade long military presence. Yet, Iraq is still central to the ongoing U.S.-Israel war with Iran - and is caught in the crossfire. What does the troop withdrawal mean for U.S. influence in the region and does it present an opportunity for other nations to fill the vacuum?Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.This episode was produced by Daniel Ofman, Linah Mohammad and Jeff Pierre, with audio engineering by Becky Brown. Our director is Vincent Acovino.It was edited by Sarah Robbins.Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy