Demonstrations Dwindling Amidst Govt Crackdown In Iraq

On the thirteenth day of activism in Iraq there were protests in just 3 provinces. Babil, the Shula neighborhood of Baghdad, and Basra all had demonstrations. There were also ongoing talks with the authorities. In Basra, activists gave the government three days to meet their demands. A committee in Basra’s Zubayr met with the local officials. There was talk about organizing new protests in Muthanna, and a large national gathering on Friday. At its height, people came out into the streets in 9 provinces. Since then there have been fewer and fewer because of Baghdad’s on going crackdown.

This Day In Iraqi History - Jul 19

1920 British defeated tribal fighters at Battle of Ahrdiyat

1921 Royal Iraqi Military College opened

1988 Iraq used poison gas against Kurdish villages

1988 Iraq took Dehloran Iran 20,000 Iranian casualties 6000 captured

1991 UN complained Baghdad blocking it from helping displaced in southern marshes

1991 Demonstration in Kurdistan over food shortages led to police firing into crowd

            Led to 2 days of fighting with 100 killed

2002 MI6 head Dearlove said US already decided on military action to remove Saddam

            talk was now about how and when

2002 Gen Franks briefed Bush on Running Start war plan Would have enough forces

            in theater for 100,000 to start operations

2003 On defensive over not finding WMD White House released parts of 02 National

            Intel Est that Iraq was rebuilding its WMD and nuke programs

2003 US began asking UN for help in Iraq after it spurned its role immediately before

            and after invasion

2004 Carnegie pre-2002 US intel on Iraq WMD generally good 02-03 reporting became

more certain beyond evidence Bush admin misrepresented threat posed by Iraq WMD and nuke program UN inspectors proved accurate that Iraq didn’t have WMD or nuke programs nor stocks

2005 US complained to Iran about supplying EFPs to militias

(Musings On Iraq interview with Galen Wright of Arkenstone blog on on Iranian arms shipments to Iraqi militias) 

2005 2 Sunni members of constitutional committee Issa and Obeidi were assassinated

            Sunni delegation suspended work afterward

2005 Iraq-Iran signed deal for Iraq to export 150,000 bar/day of oil to Iranian refinery

            in Abadan and send refined products back to Iraq

2006 Report Iraqi govt told civilians in Baghdad to check IDs of ISF to make sure they

            were real not death squads or insurgents

2006 NSC memo Maliki govt struggling to implement policy and deal with security

Said Interior Min making violence worse Called for review of US Iraq strategy Suggested troop increase might be necessary

2008 Gen Petraeus said Al Qaeda was changing focus from Iraq to Afghanistan

(Musings On Iraq article on decline of insurgency)

2017 Salahaddin Gov Jabouri arrested over corruption charges

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Government Crackdown Shuts Down Many Protests In Iraq

The Iraqi government crackdown on the country’s demonstrations was in its second day. It had a noticeable affect as there were fewer protests, and public accusations against the activists grew in the media.

This Day In Iraqi History - Jul 18

1926 Turkey and England agreed on final border between Iraq and Turkey

1937 Friendship Treaty between Iraq and Iran Was mostly about setting border between

            two

1979 Saddam accused Revolutionary Command Council member Mashadi and 4

            others of Syrian backed coup plot Meant to remove Saddam’s opponents

1988 Iran and Iraq agreed upon ceasefire under UN Resolution 598

1990 Saddam moved 3 tank divisions to Iraq-Kuwait border

1990 Saddam demanded that Kuwait repay for allegedly stealing oil and nullify debt from

            Iran-Iraq War

1990 Kuwait cabinet believed Iraq threats were to get it to continue financial

            aid to Baghdad Thought if there was military action with Iraq would just be

            along border

1990 Sec Def Cheney said US would defend Kuwait Pentagon later said press

            exaggerated his statement

1991 UN inspectors found hidden Iraqi missile program and destroyed equipment

1998 UN inspectors went to Iraq Air Force HQ Found document showing Iraqis used

mustard gas tabun sarin gas gangrene during Iran-Iraq War in huge quantities Iraqis refused to let inspectors keep the document

(Musings On Iraq article on UN weapons inspections)

2003 Pentagon approved CPA’s Vision for Iraq to build a democratic country

2003 Sadr attacked Iraqi Governing Council as unbelievers Announced that he was

            creating Mahdi Army to fight US and British occupation

2003 White House answered questions about making Iraq-Africa uranium claim that

CIA opposed Tried to blame CIA for including Iraq-Africa uranium claim in Bush State of the Union

2003 Sr White House official asked about problems with WMD claims in Bush State of

            Union said President not a fact checker

2003 Aid to Natl Sec Adv Rice blamed for pushing CIA to allow Iraq-Africa uranium

            claim into Bush State of the Union

(Musings On Iraq article on Iraq-Niger uranium story)

2003 6 US soldiers in Fallujah that complained to news about extended tours discharged

            by White House

2004 Insurgents offered $285,000 reward for anyone that could kill PM Allawi

2005 Ayatollah Sistani said violence in Iraq reaching level of a genocidal war

2005 Meeting on Iraq reconstruction in Jordan said that US rebuilding program failed to

            provide basic services

2005 Weekly Standard article claimed Iraq considered bin Laden an intelligence asset in

92 and worked together in terrorist plots Included conspiracy theory that Iraq behind 1993 World Trade Center bombing

2007 US captured Al Qaeda liaison to ISI Abu Shaheed who fed disinformation to US

            that ISI front for Al Qaeda and Abu Masri didn’t exist

2008 Report US forces trying to shut down Iranian supply networks to militias in Basra

            Maysan Wasit Diyala

(Musings On Iraq article on going after Iran’s supply lines in Iraq)

2014 IS said all minorities in Mosul had to convert to Islam, pay religious tax or die

            Started exodus of Christians from city

2015 Basra governor says he would meet demands of protesters by releasing prisoners

            replacing electricity director

2017 PM Abadi acknowledged Iraqi forces had committed human rights abuses during

Mosul battle but said they were individual acts and they would be punished Said any member of security forces that committed violations during Mosul battle was either ignorant of consequences or working with IS Nothing happened

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Iraq Government Starts Crackdown On Protests

Night protest in Baghdad's Shula (Iraq Newspaper) 

As Iraq reached its 11^th day of protests there were events in six provinces. The real news of the day however was with the Abadi government, which promised new programs to meet the demands of the demonstrators, while starting a crackdown on activists.

This Day In Iraqi History - Jul 17

1920 British worked out ceasefire with Iraqi rebels to end siege of Abu Sukhair

1925 Frontier Commission report to League of Nations on where border between Turkey

and UK controlled Iraq should be Said Mosul vilyat should be in Iraq after British seized it after WW1 armistice

(Musings On Iraq article on how Mosul province became part of Iraq)

1951 Iraq made last payment to Turkey of oil revenues in return for giving up claims

            to Mosul after WWI

1958 Gen. Qasim sent delegation to meet with Gen. Nasser of Egypt to talk uniting 2

countries

1968 Baath coup overthrew Pres Arif Gen Bakr became president Col Naif premier

and Col Daud Defense Minister

1968 Saddam had lawyer Shawkat executed in Baghdad for refusing him money in

            1966

1973 Baath created National Progressive Front with Communists

1973 Pres Bakr claimed govt had implemented most of autonomy plan for Kurds but

            Kurds were undermining it

1975 Pres Bakr on 7^th anniversary of Baath coup said Iraq would reach out to Gulf

            countries to improve relations

1978 Saddam interview with Newsweek said Palestinians could come to Iraq to plan

            terrorist attacks

1979 Public celebrations held for Saddam’s election to presidency

1979 Saddam called for Iraqi-Iranian friendship after Iranian Revolution

1980 Iraqi govt took out ad in NY Times praising Saddam’s rule and comparing him to

            Abbasid caliphate

1988 Saddam speech at 20^th anniversary of Baath seizing power Said Iraq wanted

            to end Iran-Iraq War

1988 Iran told UN it would accept ceasefire in Iran-Iraq War if both sides withdrew

            from each others’ territory

1990 Saddam accused Kuwait and UAE of overproducing oil Said some Gulf states were

working with US against Iraq Said if Gulf states didn’t change their policies Iraq would take action to protect its interests Said Iraq would protect itself from Israeli aggression

(Musings On Iraq article on Saddam’s motivation for threatening Israel before the Kuwait invasion)

1995 PUK accused KDP of working with Iraqi army to attack Irbil

2001 Saddam speech on anniversary of Baath coup said tyrants would not be able to

            overthrow him and he would not be defeated

2002 34^th anniversary of Baath coup Saddam gave speech saying he would defeat all

            the powerful and evil people arrayed against him

2002 Iraq issued arrest warrant for Zarqawi who had been traveling through the

            country from Iran

2002 Rumsfeld told Gen Franks projected war preparations costs by 12/1/02 would be

around $700 mil US was expanding air fields and pre-positioning fuel in northern section of Kuwait

2003 CENTCOM cmdr Gen Abizaid said US facing classic guerrilla war in Iraq

2003 Saddam tape aired on Al Arabiya TV on anniversary of Baath coup Said Bush and

            Blair lied to justify war Condemned Iraqi Governing Council

2003 Report Pentagon set up its own intelligence office on Iraq before war

2003 Time reporter govt officials told him fmr Amb Wilson’s wife was CIA official

Talked with Cheney Chief of Staff Libby about matter beforehand Libby leaking information about Wilson’s wife in attempt to discredit him for opposing Iraq-Niger uranium story White House promoted

(Musings On Iraq article on Iraq-Niger uranium story)

2003 Gen Moseley 02-03 US-UK aircraft conducted 21,736 sorties and dropped more than

600 bombs on 391 targets Air raids were part No Fly zones but were aimed at weakening Iraqi defense before 03 invasion

2005 Iraqi court filed charges against Saddam for executing people in Dujail in 1982

2005 Shiite MP Khuzai said time to bring back militias because Interior and Defense

            Ministries had failed to stop terrorism

2005 Iraq-Iran deal signed for $1 bil line of credit to buy Iranian products

2005 Report Bush signed and then rescinded order to provide covert aid to candidates

            in Iraq’s 2005 Jan elections

2005 Congressional Budget Office reported military and reconstruction spending on

            Iraq cost U.S. $218.2 bil 03-05

2007 Truck bomb in Amerli Salahaddin killed 156

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Protests Grow Deadlier In Iraq

(Al Hurra)

Protests entered their tenth day in Iraq and grew deadlier on July 15. There were demonstrations across 9 provinces with several people being killed by the police, while more government and political party officers were occupied and destroyed.

This Day in Iraqi History - Jul 16

1921 Council of state confirmed plebiscite choosing Faisal as king of Iraq

1958 PM Said’s body dug up and dragged through streets of Baghdad

1968 Pres Arif asked head of military intel Col Naif and Col Daud commander of

            Republican Guard if they were involved in Baath coup They said no

1968 Baath meeting after coup called off vs Pres Arif Head of military intel Col

Naif said he would join if he got premiership

1970 2^nd provisional constitution issued by Pres Bakr Said Iraq People’s Democratic

            Republic committed to Arab unity and socialism

1979 Saddam’s election to president of Iraq made public

1979 Nouri al-Maliki fled Iraq after his membership in Dawa Party was discovered

            by govt

1981 Saudis offered to finance reconstruction of Iraq’s Osirak nuclear reactor destroyed

            by Israeli air raid

1988 After capturing 30 mi of Iranian territory along the border Iraqi forces withdrew

            back into Iraq

1988 Iran’s Assembly of Experts agreed to present ceasefire proposal in Iran-Iraq

            war based upon UN Res 598 to Khomeini Khomeini agreed to ceasefire

1990 Saddam on TV accused Kuwait and UAE of breaking OPEC quotas and driving

            down oil prices

1990 Iraq moved a division to border with Kuwait as feud between two escalated

            Wanted to see how west would react

1990 Iraq ForMin Aziz letter to Arab League said Kuwait stealing oil from Rumail field

driving down oil prices destroying Iraq’s economy Called on Arab govts to forgive Iraq’s debt and help pay for rebuilding after Iran-Iraq War

2002 Blair told parliament Iraq’s WMD threat to world and had to be dealt with but

            no decision for military action made

2003 Fadhila Party created in Basra as breakaway faction from Sadr movement

            Sheikh Yacoubi claimed he was heir to Ayatollah Sadiq al-Sadr

2003 Mayor of Haditha and his son assassinated by insurgents

2005 Musayib Babil suicide truck bomb left 250 casualties

2007 Kirkuk bombings killed 86

2008 US Surge officially ended

2008 US turned over security for Qadisiyah to Iraqi forces

(Musings On Iraq article on turnover of Qadisiyah)

2015 Basra protest over services fired upon by police 1 Protester killed

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Musings On Iraq In The News

The following books cited Musings On Iraq: Education and Ethno-Politics: Defending Identity in Iraq by Kelsey Shanks, Iraq and the Crimes of Aggressive War, The Legal Cynicism of Criminal Militarism by John Hagan, Joshua Kaiser and Anna Hanson, and Quicksilver War: Syria, Iraq and the Spiral of Conflict by William Harris.


Musings On Iraq was cited also by the Commissariaat-General voor de Vluchtelingen en de Staatlozen in "Irak De veiligheidssituatie in de Koerdische Autonome Regio" and by the European Parliament's Directorate-General for External Policy Policy Department in "Rebuilding the Iraqi State: Stabilisation, Governance, and Reconciliation." Musings On Iraq was quoted by Seth Frantzman in "Operation Revenge Of The Martyrs: Iraq's Biggest Anti-ISIS Operation Of 2018" for tsarizm.

Protests Continue Across Southern Iraq And Spread To Baghdad

After July 13’s events where there were protests, occupation of government offices, burning political party buildings across seven provinces, and the deaths of two people at the hands of the police there were more such activities the next day.

 Protest at the Majnoon oil field in Basra (Al Mirbad)

Demonstration in Dhi Qar (Al Sumaria)