This Day In Iraqi History - Jan 21

1916 Ottomans retreated up Tigris after defeat at Battle of Wadi only to lose

            again to British at Battle of Hanna

1948 Demonstrators against Anglo-Iraq Treaty fired upon again Led Regent to

            repudiate treaty

1970 Pres Bakr announced failed coup by ex-army officers and special tribunal to try

            plotters Accused Iran of backing coup

1970 Imam Khomeini started lectures in Najaf outlining his concept of vilayat al-faqih

1987 Saddam sent letter to Iranians asking them to challenge Khomeini’s right to

            rule and conduct of Iran-Iraq War

1999 SCIRI rejected any U.S. aid

2002 Weekly Standard OpEd by Robert Kagan and William Kristol called for Iraq to be

            attacked as next step in war on terror

2003 Bush said that Saddam was not interested in disarming and that time was

            running out on Iraq

2003 Blair said 2^nd UN resolution not necessary for use of force against Iraq

2003 DeptSecState Armitage spoke at US Inst of Peace saying US trying to avoid war

            but Iraq not accounted for its WMD

2004 VP Cheney said there was overwhelming evidence Iraq and Al Qaeda connected

2005 Knight Ridder analysis Violence in Iraq increased after every US benchmark such

            as capture of Saddam handing over sovereignty etc

2009 1^st NSC meeting in Obama admin president said he wanted to withdraw from

            Iraq but preserve successes Wanted 3 options for Iraq policy

2011 3 bombs hit Shiite pilgrims during Arbayeen

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