Douglas McGregor examines the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq and its wider consequences for the Middle East, arguing that years of American military intervention produced unintended regional shifts. He discusses the U.S. presence in Iraq, Syria and Jordan, Iran’s growing influence, Israel’s role in American strategy, and why he believes regional powers are increasingly reasserting their own influence as U.S. forces pull back. McGregor also looks at the history of U.S. policy toward Iraq and Iran, the consequences of the 2003 invasion, the rise of Iranian influence in Baghdad, and the repeated return of American forces after previous withdrawals. He argues that the experience of Iraq demonstrates the difficulty of imposing political and military outcomes in a region with its own historical, cultural and strategic dynamics, and connects these lessons to the continuing confrontation with Iran.

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