This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 7

1915 Ottomans attacked British forces in Kut

1980 Saddam announced that Iraq was going on the defensive in the Iran-Iraq War Saddam thought

he could seize Khuzistan province leading to revolt against Khomeini govt but didn’t happen Thought Iran would negotiate new border agreement Failure to take Dezful or Abadan meant Iranian supply lines intact and could regroup

(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)

2002 TV speech Saddam apologized to people of Kuwait for 1990 invasion

2002 Iraq gave its WMD and nuclear weapons declaration to UN as part of new inspections claiming

it had no WMD

2002 Iraqi general claimed weapons declaration proved Iraq had no WMD

2002 US and UK condemned Iraq’s weapons declaration as being incomplete and for denying it had

WMD

2002 Cheney told NSC Iraq’s weapons declaration was a material breach and Bush should move

towards war Cheney said Powell and UN wanted to use inspections to avoid war with Iraq Rumsfeld and Rice didn’t think Iraq’s weapons declaration was a material breach

2003 Gingrich went on offensive against CPA saying US should’ve given over sovereignty to Iraq

early on like in Afghanistan

2003 Report US forces using collective punishment Blowing up homes of suspected insurgents

Putting barbed wire around towns

2004 Number of US troops killed in combat in Iraq reached 1000 after soldier shot in Baghdad

2004 Report Nov 04 CIA said security deteriorating Iraqi govt had to assert authority and rebuild

economy

2005 KDP backers attacked PUK offices in Dohuk Zakho Amedia Shaklaca Kadash Sedarash Akre 3

killed including a KDP candidate KDP followers set PUK office in Dohuk on fire wounding 21

2007 Qadisiyah Gov told Marines to shut down Sahwa in province on orders of Maliki Sahwa were

meant to counter militias

(Musings On Iraq article on Maliki govt cancelling US forming Sahwa in southern Iraq)

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