US Warns Americans in Iraq to Leave Immediately

Is the U.S. campaign against Iran a masterclass in maximum pressure or a catastrophic military miscalculation?

Published 1 day ago·Updated 23 hours ago

US Warns Americans in Iraq to Leave Immediately

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Above: A security guard stands near a billboard with an American flag near a store in Erbil, Iraq, on March 13, 2026. Image credit: Sedat Suna/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-Trump narrative

Iran is crumbling under U.S. pressure — the Supreme Leader may be dead, and Tehran is begging for a ceasefire deal. Trump is holding firm, refusing terms that aren't good enough, and now the U.S. is moving to sweep the Strait of Hormuz with allied support. This is maximum leverage working exactly as intended.

Donald Trump on Truthsocial

Eric Daugherty on X

Pro-Iran narrative

Two weeks in, the U.S.-Israeli assault on Iran has backfired badly — Iranian drones overwhelmed American air defenses, Persian Gulf bases took repeated hits, the Strait of Hormuz is now effectively under Iranian control and oil prices are surging. It's clear the "quick victory" crowd got this catastrophically wrong.

Masoud Pezeshkian on X Tehran Times

Establishment-critical narrative

Twenty-three years after the invasion of Iraq, the promise of stability in Baghdad is still distant for Americans. Trillions of dollars were spent and thousands of lives were lost, yet uncertainty lingers in the city once meant to symbolize America's victory. The reality is sobering: decades of sacrifice have not fully delivered the security and stability the U.S. once promised.

Mario Nawfal on X

Cynical narrative

Before the Iran war, U.S. oil companies were generating about $62 billion a year in free cash flow with crude around $55 a barrel. Now, with prices near $100, that figure could surge to roughly $163 billion. If sustained, elevated prices mean an extra $100 billion annually — arguably the most profitable market conditions ever seen for America's oil giants.

The Kobeissi Letter on X

Narrative E

As war spreads across the region, the absence of a political path deepens the crisis. Miscalculations by Washington, D.C., and strategic ambitions from Israel and Iran have intensified tensions. The conflict could destabilize Iraq, strain Gulf states and reshape alliances — while regional cooperation led by Saudi Arabia might still counter escalating geopolitical designs.

Nasser Duwailah on X