This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 31 Pro-Iran Hashd groups allowed into Green Zone Attacked US Embassy with OK of Abdul Mahdi govt

(EPA)

 

1920 High Commissioner Sir Cox reported that many sheikhs of large confederations supported

Mandate and didn't want an Iraqi govt

(Musings On Iraq review Inventing Iraq: The Failure of Nation Building and a History Denied)

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 30 Saddam executed while Sadrists chanted Moqtada

(CNN)

1959 Qasim govt passed Law of Personal Status Equalized inheritance for men and women

Restricted polygamy Set legal marriage age at 18

Review Blind Into Baghdad, America’s War In Iraq

Fallows, James, Blind Into Baghdad, America’s War In Iraq, New York: Vintage Books, 2006

 

Blind Into Baghdad, America’s War In Iraq by James Fallows is a collection of articles he wrote for the Atlantic Monthly before and after the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Most of them are focused upon how the Bush administration neglected planning for the aftermath of overthrowing Saddam Hussein, hence the title. Those chapters are the main reason to read Fallows’ work.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 29 2nd Phase of Battle of Mosul began with attack upon eastern side of city

 

1934 Yasin al-Hashemi Rashid Ali Al-Gaylani of Ikha criticized PM Ayubi Jawadat for elections he

held because excluded them Senate criticized vote PM started being called a tyrant

(Musings On Iraq review Independent Iraq 1932-1958, A Study in Iraqi Politics)

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 28 Def Sec Rumsfeld told Bush Iraq war would be short and US would withdraw quickly

 

1929 Fmr Iraq High Comm Dobbs said if Iraq moved forward in its own dysfunctional way

and was better off than it was under Ottomans UK would have succeeded

Coordination Framework May Not Get Full Control Of Iraq’s Southern Provinces As It Hoped

The Coordination Framework that already controls the central government was the largest winner in December’s provincial vote. That was to be expected as its main rival Moqtada al-Sadr called a boycott. It turns out the list may not run the south as it expected.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 27 Kataib Hezbollah blamed for rocket attack upon Iraqi base that killed 1 US Contractor Trump admin would retaliate by killing Iran’s Gen Soleimani and Hashd leader Abu Muhandis

 

865 Ibn Tahir deposed Abbasid Caliph Mutasin Ordered people of Baghdad to pledge allegiance to

Mutazz as new caliph City rejected Mutazz Forced Ibn Tahir to back down Caliph Mutasin appeared saying he was still caliph

Security In Iraq Dec 15-21, 2023

The security situation changed in Iraq during the third week of December because the Islamic State was more active than pro-Iran groups.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 26 Political parties started discussing removing PM Maliki in no confidence vote accusing him of being an autocrat

 

1920 Iraq High Commissioner Sir Percy Cox wrote Iraqis wanted an outsider as ruler UK didn’t need

an election to pick one Could fix it so Faisal would become King

(Musings On Iraq review Empires of the Sand, The Struggle For Mastery In The Middle East 1789-1923)

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 25 Asaib Ahl Al-Haq threatened to attack Interior Min and free men arrested for rocket attack upon Green Zone

 

1920 Gertrude Bell wrote that Faisal was the only solution to Iraq and its first choice to be king

(Musings On Iraq review Gertrude Bell And Iraq)

(Musings On Iraq review Gertrude Bell, Explorer of the Middle East)

(Musings On Iraq movie review Letters from Baghdad)

(Musings On Iraq review Desert Queen, The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell: Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of Arabia)

(Musings On Iraq review Empires of the Sand, The Struggle For Mastery In The Middle East 1789-1923)

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 24 PM Jamil Midfai overthrown in military coup by pan-Arab Golden Square officers

 

1638 Ottoman Sultan Murad IV conquered Baghdad Looting led to resistance by defeated

Persian soldiers and then massacre Up to 50,000 killed

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 23 Iraq-Syria border set with Deir Azzor going to latter

 

1920 Iraq-Syria border set with Deir Azzor going to latter

(Musings On Iraq interview with Princeton’s Sara Pursley on Sykes-Picot and creation of Iraq)

Reviews Iraq’s Last Jews, Stories of Daily Life, Upheaval, and Escape from Modern Babylon

Morad, Tamar, Shasha, Deniis, and Shasha, Robert, Edited by, Iraq’s Last Jews, Stories of Daily Life, Upheaval, and Escape from Modern Babylon, New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008

 

Iraq’s Last Jews, Stories of Daily Life, Upheaval, and Escape from Modern Babylon is made up of a number of interviews with Iraqi Jews about their experiences. Most had nostalgic views of growing up in Iraq but then things changed starting in 1948 when Israel was created leading to years of persecution by the government. Most left in 1950, but the book contains stories of people who stayed until the 1970s which is rare in histories. Iraq’s Last Jews is a welcome addition to the cannon because of the range of first-hand accounts it includes.

This Day In Iraqi History Dec 22 Ottoman Sultan Murad IV began siege of Baghdad

 

1638 Ottoman Sultan Murad IV began siege of Baghdad Captured it by end of year

Massacred Shiites

Coordination Framework Looks To Take Control Of Most Of Iraq’s Provinces

As expected the ruling Coordination Framework was the biggest winner in Iraq’s 2023 provincial elections. Even though it ran as three separate lists, Nuri al-Maliki’s State of Law, Hadi Amiri’s Nabni, and Haidar al-Abadi and Ammar Hakim’s National State Forces Alliance, they won the most seats up for grabs on governorate councils. They will now re-unite and attempt to control most of Iraq’s provinces solidifying their hold on the Iraqi state.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 21 Saddam paid Carlos the Jackal and PFLP to kill Saudi and Iranian oil ministers at OPEC meeting for supporting Kurdish revolt Ministers were taken prisoners but then released

(Wikipedia)

 

1956 Communist uprising in Al-Hay put down and leaders executed

(Musings On Iraq review The Modern History of Iraq)

(Musings On Iraq review Red Star Over Iraq, Iraqi Communism Before Saddam)

(Musings On Iraq A History Of The Iraqi Communist Party Interview With Univ of East Anglia’s Johan Franzen)

Iraq’s Provincial Elections Marked By Lowest Voter Turnout Since 2003

(Reuters)a

On December 18 Iraq held its first provincial elections in ten years. It likely had the lowest voter turnout since elections started in 2005 due to a boycott by Moqtada al-Sadr and widespread apathy and distrust of the political system.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 20 Reagan envoy Donald Rumsfeld met with Saddam to improve US-Iraq ties

 

1974 Govt secretly tried 25 Shiite leaders and executed 5 of them after religious pilgrimage

turned into protest against Bakr govt

Security In Iraq Dec 8-14, 2023

During the second week of December the Islamic State made two rare appearances in Iraq while pro-Iran Hashd groups continued their attacks upon U.S. targets.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 19 US-UK Op Desert Fox ended Was to punish Iraq for ending UN weapons inspections ended Stopped Iraq’s plans of rebuilding its WMD programs

 

869 Abbasid Caliph Muhtadi had to flee capital Samarra as Turkish troops looted palace Muhtadi

confronted troops calling for their loyalty and received it

(Musings On Iraq review when baghdad ruled the muslim world, the rise and fall of islam’s greatest dynasty)

Special Voting For Iraq’s Provincial Elections Occur Amongst Continued Cheating

Members of the Iraqi Security Forces voting in the special elections (Al Rafidain)

On December 16 voting began in Iraq’s provincial elections. This was the special voting which is for the security forces (ISF) and displaced. Regular balloting will occur on December 18. The government claimed that turnout was very high with 67% participating but there are major questions about that.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 18 Qasim began supporting Arabs in Iran as part of his dispute with Tehran

 

1959 Gen Qasim called Ahwaz and Mohammareh in Iran Arab Started supporting Arabs in

Khuzistan province

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 17 PM Maliki issued warrant for VP Hashemi on terrorism charges Latest move by Maliki vs his opponents

 

1917 US consulate report Since British took Baghdad all trade cut off Businesses closed People out

of work

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 16 League of Nations set Turkey-Iraq border with Mosul going to Iraq

 

1915 German Gen von der Goltz and 30 German officers arrived in Baghdad to take charge of

Mesopotamia campaign vs British

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 15 Elections held for Iraq’s 1st permanent parliament after 2003 invasion

 

1932 League of Nations Mandate Comm rejected Assyrian petition for autonomy Said Iraqi

govt would settle Assyrians within country or outside of it

(Musings On Iraq review The Tragedy of the Assyrian Minority in Iraq)

(Musings On Iraq review State and Society in Iraq)

Review Missions Accomplished? The United States and Iraq since World War I

Hahn, Peter, Missions Accomplished? The United States and Iraq since World War I, New York, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012

 

When Americans talk about Iraq they usually only discuss the period from the 2003 invasion to the present. History Professor Peter Hahn tried to fill in that gap in knowledge with Missions Accomplished? The United States and Iraq since World War I by covering U.S.-Iraq relations from the latter’s founding in 1920 to the start of the Obama administration. His history of early relations is important because they are rarely mentioned. When he gets to the Iran-Iraq War the book repeats the conventional wisdom on how Washington dealt with Baghdad. The author isn’t partisan but is pro-government repeating how each administration approached Iraq. That leads to some major problems when it comes to topics such as weapons of mass destruction and the U.S. occupation of Iraq. It ends up undermining what Hahn accomplished in the first half of Missions Accomplished?

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 14 PM Askari and UK agreed on new Anglo-Iraq Treaty Would put Iraq under UK influence for decades

1927 PM Askari and Foreign Office agreed on new Anglo-Iraq Treaty Had to be passed by Iraqi

parliament

(Musings On Iraq review Supremacy And Oil, Iraq, Turkey, and the Anglo-American World Order, 1918-1930)

Sadrists Attack Their Rivals Before Iraq’s Dec Election

(Bas News)

Iraq's provincial elections are just around the corner and things continue to deteriorate. The latest is the Sadrists attacking their political rivals.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 13 US forces captured Saddam

 

1916 British made diversionary attack at Sannaiyat and took Hai in offensive to retake Kut from

Ottomans

Iraq’s Oil Exports And Revenue Drops In Nov 2023

After reaching the highest petroleum export mark since 2019 Iraq’s sales tapered off in November. Prices were down as well for the most oil dependent country in the world.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 12 Dawa members including Abu Muhandis bombed US & French embassies in Kuwait killing 8 Retaliation for air strikes in Lebanon

 

1922 Sir Herbert Samuel proposed UK create Arab state of Iraq Hijaz Palestine Trans-Jordan

maybe Najd Samuel believed Arab state would contain pan-Arabism and contain fears of increased Jewish presence in Palestine

Security In Iraq Dec 1-7, 2023

The Islamic State continues to disappear in Iraq but pro-Iran factions are continuing their campaign against US targets in the country over the war in Gaza.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 11 Gen Qasim nationalized 99% of Iraq Petroleum’s concessions and created Iraq National Oil Company

 

1922 UK Colonial Office wrote only reason King Faisal accepted in Iraq was because he was

backed by British

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 10 PUK made deal with Saddam not to fight for Iran in Iran-Iraq War 3000 peshmerga quit in protest

 

1936 Elections started for new parliament after 1936 coup Gen Sidqi wanted to control MPs and

exclude reformist Ahali who were part of govt Sidqi followers won 30 seats Ahali only 12

(Musings On Iraq review Independent Iraq 1932-1958, A Study in Iraqi Politics)

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 9 UN said Abdul Mahdi govt used excessive force and abused protesters While groups were abducting and killing activists

 

1914 Ottoman forces surrendered in Qurna, Basra 1,034 Ottomans taken prisoner End of 1^st

            phase of Mesopotamian campaign

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 8 After US soldiers complained about not having adequate equipment Def Sec Rumsfeld said you go to war with the army you have

 

1985 Saudis announced attempt to end the Iran-Iraq War through dialogue with Tehran

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

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Tom Cooper on Iran-Iraq War)

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

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

(Musings On Iraq review The Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq review The Longest War, The Iran-Iraq Military Conflict)

(Musings On Iraq review The Iran-Iraq War Volume 1: The Battle for Khuzestan, September 1980-May 1982)

(Musings On Iraq review The Iran-Iraq War Volume 2: Iran Strikes back, June 1982-December 1986)

(Musings On Iraq review The Iran-Iraq War Volume 3: Iraq’s Triumph)

(Musings On Iraq review The Iran-Iraq War Volume 4: The Forgotten Fronts)

Review The Struggle For Kirkuk, The Rise Of Hussein, Oil, And The Death Of Tolerance In Iraq

Astarjian, Henry, The Struggle For Kirkuk, The Rise Of Hussein, Oil, And The Death Of Tolerance In Iraq, Westport London: Praeger Security International, 2007

 

The title of this book is very misleading. It would have you believe it’s about Saddam Hussein, sectarianism and Kirkuk when it is actually about the life of the author Henry Astarjian growing up as an Armenian in Kirkuk and Baghdad under the Iraqi monarchy and General Qasim government. The author mixes his personal recollections of his family, friends and where he lived along with the history of the times such as the 1958 coup that ended the monarchy. It’s good to see another Iraqi voice published in English doubly so since it’s from an Armenian perspective, a group you hardly hear about.  

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 7 Saddam said Iraq going on defensive in Iran-Iraq War 3 months into war

 

1914 UK made 2^nd attack on Qurna, Basra forcing Ottomans to retreat Lost around 200 killed

130 taken prisoner UK lost 10 killed 118 wounded

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

Pro-Iran Groups Continue To Target Americans In Iraq Throughout November 2023

 

November’s security news in Iraq was dominated by pro-Iran groups attacking Iraqi bases that housed U.S. troops over the Gaza War. The Islamic State on the other hand continued its decline in the country although it did carry out one deadly attack.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 6 Kataib Hezbollah fired into Baghdad protesters Killed 85 Wounded 130

(AFP)

 

1915 UK cmdr Gen Townsend sent his cavalry and transport south from Kut so would have fewer mouths

to feed Believed relief coming from Basra

Iraq’s Political Parties Cheating Again Before Dec Election

Next month Iraqis will vote for provincial councils. These are the first local elections since 2013. As in previous campaigns the ruling parties are cheating.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 5 PM Maliki and his State of Law tried to stop case against Trade Min Sudani who stole $400 mil which helped fund party

 

1940 US Amb to Iraq sent note to PM Gaylani saying he was worried about direction of Iraq-

UK relations because of Gaylani’s overtures to the Axis

(Musings On Iraq review Persian Gulf Command, A History of the Second World War In Iran and Iraq)

(Musings On Iraq review Rashid Ali al-Gailani, The National Movement in Iraq 1939-1941)

(Musings On Iraq review Iraq And Syria 1941, The Politics and Strategy of the Second World War)

Security In Iraq Nov 22-28, 2023

During the fourth week of November the Islamic State was absent from Iraq once again. All the violence was due to pro-Iran groups.

This Day In Iraqi History Dec 4 Siege of Kut began Would become UK’s 2nd largest defeat in WWI

 

1534 Ottoman Sultan Suleiman entered Baghdad and visited Sunni and Shiite shrines trying to

win over city

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 3 Arif govt shut down all media to try to control opposition

1915 Retreating UK forces reached Kut after loss at Battle of Ctesiphon/Salman Pak UK suffered

5,187 casualties over last 10 days

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 2 PM Pachachi govt told oil companies not to employ Jews after creation of Israel

 

1920 US Consul in Baghdad said England hadn’t taken any serious steps to create an independent

Iraqi govt

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 Pak

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

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)