MUSINGS ON IRAQ: This Day In Iraqi History

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

1921 Colonial Secretary Churchill memo said he supported Iraqi govt and

independence to maintain British influence in Iraq

(Musings On Iraq article on Churchill’s views on Mesopotamia)

1945 Iraqi forces launched new assault upon Kurdish forces in Barzan 1943 Barzani revolt

1980 Iran shelled Khanaqin and Mandali in Diyala and bombed two other towns

Saddam accused Iran of starting hostilities

1980 Saddam ordered army to seize disputed areas with Iran Would take 201 sq miles of

territory including small islands in Shatt al-Arab Iraqis would lose 100 soldiers while Iran 50

1991 U.N. investigation of impact of sanctions on Iraq suggested oil for food program

1994 Iraq accused Iran of arming Shiite opposition groups in southern marshes

1996 US fired 17 more cruise missiles at Iraqi air defense sites in response to

Saddam’s moves against PUK

2002 At meeting on Al Qaeda Rumsfeld said Iraq more important than Al Qaeda

2002 Bush sent letter to Speaker of House saying US had to deal with disarming Iraq

2002 Rep Ike Skelton wrote letter to Pres Bush “To win victory is easy, to preserve its

fruits, difficult”

2002 Bush met with Congressional leaders to lobby for resolution on use of force vs Iraq

Many were receptive to idea House majority leader Dick Armey told Bush if he invaded Iraq US would be stuck in a guagmire

2002 Rumsfeld briefed large number of Congressmen on Iraq He wasn’t prepared and

wouldn’t divulge any info on threat

2002 UK Defense Ministry paper said that US had no clear postwar strategy for Iraq

and that meant no winning plan

2002 Blair told ForSec Cook Iraq’s army depleted so he was trying to get nuclear

weapons

2002 Report on whether Iraq working on its nuclear program Quoted INC defector

ex-nuke scientist Hamza who claimed Iraq could have bomb by 2005

2002 Report Iraq took reporters to suspected nuke site at Al Qaim and was destroyed

2002 Germany’s Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder ruled out German participation in any

Iraq war even with UN and EU approval

2003 Fmr CENCTOM Cmdr Gen Zinni said US had no strategy in Iraq and danger of

failing

2003 Rumsfeld said US speeding up creation of new Iraqi security forces in face of

growing attacks

2003 Rumsfeld talked with Iraq commanders about troop withdrawal Pentagon plan was to

have 25,000-30,000 troops in Iraq by Sep 03 Instead 130,000 due to violence

2004 US op to clear Tal Afar began

2006 Report Dora south Baghdad 1^st area Op Together Forward II started in Deaths down

dramatically Question of whether area could be held by Iraqi forces National Police brigade to take control but had little to no training

2015 Allawi condemned Abadi saying his reforms were unconstitutional

MUSINGS ON IRAQ