Thursday, November 30, 2023

Review New Babylonians, A History Of Jews In Modern Iraq

Bashkin, Orit, New Babylonians, A History Of Jews In Modern Iraq, Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2012


 

New Babylonians, A History Of Jews In Modern Iraq by Orit Bashkin is an outstanding book about how Jews attempted to become citizens of Iraq and then how the state turned against them. She argues that Jews adopted Arab language, culture and the politics of the day. Things changed after World War II as the government and Arab nationalist groups began equating Jews with Zionism and persecuted the community leading to the majority to leave for Israel. Bashkin did a huge amount of research into Iraqi papers, journals and writers of the time which gives his book a great deal of depth as she covers territory that has not been discussed by others.

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 30 UK political officer Sir Wilson set up plebiscite that would only support UK rule in Iraq


 

1915 Ottomans attacked retreating UK forces from Ctesiphon/Salman Pak at Um at Tubul

Forced UK to retreat further south UK suffered 37 dead 218 missing 218 wounded 520 taken prisoner along with 2 ships Turks had 748 casualties

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 29 PM Abdul Mahdi resigned under pressure from Ayatollah Sistani over killing protesters


 

1914 Gen Barrett and Sir Percy Cox asked that UK occupation of Basra be announced as

permanent believing it would sway Arabs to UK side Request turned down

(Musings On Iraq review When God Made Hell, The British Invasion of Mesopotamia and the Creation of Iraq, 1914-1921)

Tuesday, November 28, 2023

Norwegian Refugee Council Reports Climate Crisis In Iraq Getting Worse

Farmer in Baaj, Ninewa looking at what used to be farmland (Norwegian Refugee Council)

Iraq’s environmental crisis continues to worsen with no end in sight. The
Norwegian Refugee Council just released a new report which provides more details on the situation.

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 28 Safavids captured Baghdad Tortured and killed Sunnis Destroyed Sunnis mosques and shrines


 

1623 Safavids took Baghdad after son of governor betrayed him Tortured and killed Sunnis and

destroyed Sunni mosques and shrines

Monday, November 27, 2023

Security In Iraq Nov 15-21, 2023


Iraqi security news during the third week of November was dominated by pro-Iran groups and American retaliation as there were no incidents by the Islamic State.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 1 UK got France to give up Mosul vilayet after WWI for stake in Iraqi oil

  1915 Retreating British force attacked by pursuing Ottomans at Um at Tubul after loss at Battle of Ctesiphon/Salman Pa...