This Day in Iraqi History - Oct 7

1959 Baathists made failed assassination attempt on Pres. Qasim wounding him

            Saddam fled to Syria and Egypt as a result

1973 Iraq nationalized shares of US oil company & Shell in retaliation for west support

            for Israel in 1973 Arab-Israeli War

1980 2^nd day Iranian air force sunk ships to block Shatt al-Arab waterway to Persian Gulf

1983 France secretly flew 6 Super Etendard jets to Iraq Iran threatened France about the

            planes

1983 US report Iran turning tide in Iran-Iraq War and US already starting to tilt towards

            Iraq

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Anthony Tucker-Jones on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review Iran-Iraq War, The Lion of Babylon, 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War)

1991 Peshmerga executed 60 Iraqi soldiers captured in Sulaymaniya 50 people killed

            in fighting in Kurdistan

1991 Kurdish Front consisting of main Kurdish parties said it would combat the PKK

1998 Congress passed Iraq Liberation Act saying policy was to remove Saddam Opened

up money to Iraq opposition Under Iraq Liberation Act Clinton admin was to certify 7 opposition groups to receive funds Certified Iraqi National Congress Iraqi National Accord KDP PUK SCIRI Islamic Movement of Iraqi Kurdistan Movement for Constitutional Monarchy

(Musings On Iraq book review of Iraq In The Eye of the Storm that includes Iraq Liberation Act and Gen Downing plan)

1998 Ex-Gen Downing and ex-CIA officer Clarridge drew up plan for Iraqi opposition

trained by Special Forces to seize territory in western and southern Iraq When Saddam attacked Iraqi opposition would lead to U.S. intervention and overthrow of govt

2001 Saddam condemned US invasion of Afghanistan saying it would only lead to more

            instability in world

2001 Bin Laden video said he was fighting for Iraqis who had suffered under sanctions

            White House would claim this was evidence of Iraq-Al Qaeda connection

2002 Bush speech in Cincinnati outlined Iraq’s WMD and nuke threat to lobby for passage

of Congression use of force resolution Said US tried containment sanctions inspections and Iraq still had WMD If Iraq didn't disarm Iraq would do it Said Iraq great threat because of WMD and its history of aggression Said if Iraq got enriched uranium it could have a nuclear bomb in less than a year Said Iraq tried to buy aluminum tubes for nuke program Claimed Al Qaeda and Iraq united in hatred for U.S. Had high level contacts for a decade Claimed Iraq had trained Al Qaeda in bomb making and poisons and Saddam celebrated 9/11

2002 CIA blocked Bush talking about Iraq trying to buy uranium from Africa in

            speech

2002 Italian contacted journalist about providing her with Iraq-Niger uranium deal

            papers that turned out to be fakes

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

2002 CIA Director Tenet sent letter to Senate Intelligence Committee Said Iraq wouldn’t

conduct terrorist or WMD attacks upon US unless regime was threatened Said Iraq wouldn’t conduct terrorist or WMD attacks upon US unless regime threatened Wrote that there were high level Iraq-Al Qaeda ties going back a decade Iraq offered safe haven and non-aggression Iraq provided poison gas training to Al Qaeda Said Al Qaeda operatives in Iraq

2002 Intel officials complained to press saying White House claims of Iraq-Al Qaeda

            ties exaggerated

2003 Rumsfeld said he knew nothing of NatSecAdv Rice creating Iraq Stabilization Group

at NSC Rumsfeld was told about NSC group but wanted to personally be in control of all Iraq decisions so opposed Rice’s move

2003 Australian Senate censured PM Howard for not proving his claims Iraq had WMD to

            justify sending troops to Iraq

2003 Turkish parliament okayed PM Erdogan sending Turkish troops to Iraq

            Governing Council opposed idea

2004 Powell said Iraq Survey Group initial report proved Iraq wanted WMD and that

            it was a threat

2004 Blair claimed Iraq Survey Group report proved that Saddam wanted WMD

2004 Sadr offered to disarm Mahdi Army as part of peace deal with Allawi govt

            Wasn’t serious

2017 Clash between Hashd and Peshmerga in Kharabaroot, Kirkuk

2017 KRG Election Comm said it rejected Change nominee for president because

            registered late But he sign up on time

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