This Day In Iraqi History – Mar 31 Iraqi Communist Party founded

 

1934 Iraqi Communist Party founded

(Musings On Iraq review A People’s History Of Iraq, The Iraqi Communist Party, Workers’ Movements, and the Left 1924-2004)

(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)

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 30 UK Cairo Conference decided on indirect rule in Iraq Faisal would be made king with pro-UK govt allowing British forces to withdraw

 

1921 Cairo Conference decided on indirect rule in Iraq Would make Faisal King of a pro-British

Iraqi govt allowing withdrawal of British forces 

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 29 Sayid Salih Jabr became Iraq’s first Shiite PM

 

1946 Iraq-Turkey Friendship Treaty Would cooperate over Tigris and Euphrates security

education communication economies

Review The Ins & Outs Of Mesopotamia

Lyell, Thomas, The Ins & Outs Of Mesopotamia, Washington DC: Westphalia Press, 2016

 

Thomas Lyell was a magistrate during the British Mandate in Iraq. The Ins & Outs Of Mesopotamia gives his views on Shiite Islam and why he believed that England should maintain its occupation of Iraq after World War I. On the one hand he was impressed by the devotion shown by Iraqi Shiites and dismissed Western criticisms of Muslims. On the other hand he was full of negative stereotypes about Muslims and argued that they were incapable of self-rule which was why the Mandate should continue.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 28 2 truck bombs in Tal Afar left 499 casualties Militias and police killed 70 in revenge

 

1918 British took Ana

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 27 Saddam said he was going to get a nuclear bomb with help of the Soviets so he could go to war with Israel

 

1918 British took Haditha

KDP Threatens Boycott Of Kurdish Parliamentary Elections

On March 18 the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) announced that it would boycott this year’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) parliamentary elections.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 26 Iyad Allawi won 2010 election PM Maliki came in 2nd

 

1918 Battle of Khan Baghdadi between Ottomans and British started

Security In Iraq Mar 15-21, 2024

The second week of March saw the largest uptick in Islamic State violence in Iraq in a year. The next week things went back to normal with the insurgency barely active. Pro-Iran groups also remain silent with a continuing ceasefire.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 25 Iraq’s Information Min Sahaf began telling media US losing during invasion of Iraq

 

1915 UK PM Asquith said that after WWI UK should get part of Mesopotamia Same time

afraid of imperial overreach Said taking Mesopotamia would cost millions

(Musings On Iraq review U.S. Policy In Post-Saddam Iraq)

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 24 Ayatollah Khamenei Pres Khatami decided to send Badr Brigade into Iraq to carry out ops vs US during invasion

 

1915 Gen Nixon made UK cmdr in Mesopotamia Told to hold Basra vilayet and all outlets to

sea

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 23 Nuri al-Said became PM 1st of 9 times Went after opposition Closed newspapers Took control of parliament to assure passage of Anglo-Iraq Treaty

 

1915 French Amb to UK Cambon suggested that UK and France begin discussions on

dividing Ottoman Empire Would lead to creation of Iraq

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 22 Over 200 civilians killed in US airstrike on building used by IS in west Mosul Abadi govt would launch disinformation campaign denying that it happened

 

1921 UK Cabinet approved Colonial Sec Churchill’s choice of Faisal as new ruler in

Mesopotamia

(Musings On Iraq Churchill In His Own Words On Mesopotamia/Iraq)

(Musings On Iraq review Churchill’s Folly, How Winston Churchill Created Modern Iraq)

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

(Musings On Iraq review Imagining The Nation, Nationalism, Sectarianism and Socio-Political Conflict in Iraq)

(Musings On Iraq review The Chatham House Version and other Middle-Eastern Studies)

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

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

Review The Achilles Trap, Saddam Hussein, The C.I.A., And The Origins Of America’s Invasion Of Iraq

Coll, Steve, The Achilles Trap, Saddam Hussein, The C.I.A., And The Origins Of America’s Invasion Of Iraq, Penguin Press, 2024

 

Twenty years after the Iraq invasion a comprehensive book including both the US and Iraqi perspectives on what led to the conflict has finally been published. That’s thanks to Steve Coll and his The Achilles Trap, Saddam Hussein, The C.I.A., And The Origins Of America’s Invasion Of Iraq. The author traces U.S.-Iraq relations from the Iran-Iraq War to the 2000s to show how the two countries constantly misread each other leading to false assumptions and the eventual overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 21 Shock and Awe bombing campaign started during 2003 invasion of Iraq

 

1920 Iraq political officer Wilson wrote India Secretary Montague Said no connection

between Iraq and Syria and would reject rule by Faisal who’d been declared king of both before overthrown by France Said Iraq should have its own govt

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 20 Start of 2003 invasion of Iraq

 

1933 Rashid al-Gaylani became PM 1^st of 3 times Included opposition Ikha Party who got Yasin

al-Hashemi as Finance Min and Hikmat Sulaiman as Interior Min

(Musings On Iraq review The Chatham House Version and other Middle-Eastern Studies)

KRG Continues With Its Financial Crisis And Protests

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has once again been complaining that Baghdad is not sending its full budget payments. That meant Kurdish government workers were not getting their salaries and protests by them have continued. This crisis has been going on for several years now.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 19 Bush ordered attack on farm in Baghdad hoping to kill Saddam as opening blow in Iraq invasion

 

1914 Ottomans agreed to merger of Turkish Petroleum Company that was to get oil concession in Mosul

vilayet with Anglo-Persian Oil Company

Security In Iraq Mar 8-14, 2024

The Islamic State suddenly lurched back to life in Iraq during the second week of March carrying out the most attacks in a year. Pro-Iran groups also claimed another attack upon Israel.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 18 4 pro-Najaf Hashd units asked to join Defense Min to protest pro-Iran groups control of Hashd Commission

 

1914 US consulate in Baghdad reported Ottomans had reconciled with Sayid Talib and Sheikh

Ajaimi of Montafiq Confederation They had de facto control of Basra vilayet

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 17 Yasin al-Hashemi became PM 2nd time Was widely feared that he wanted to become dictator of Iraq

 

1639 Treaty of Zuhab ended Ottoman-Safavid War and gave Ottomans most of Mesopotamia

(Musings On Iraq review An Analysis of Hanna Batatu’s The Old Social Classes and the Revolutionary Movements of Iraq)

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 16 Iraqi WMD attack upon Halabja 5,000 killed

 

1917 UK War Cabinet created Mesopotamia administration committee to decide on form of

govt in captured areas

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

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 15 Ayatollah Khomeini called on Iraqis to rise up and overthrow Saddam

 

1915 Viceroy of India wrote UK interests were protecting Persian oil concession which meant Basra

vilayet should be controlled by UK while Baghdad vilayet should be ceded by Turkey and given native administration under UK influence

(Musings On Iraq review Enemy On The Euphrates, The Battle For Iraq 1914-1921)

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

Review Mugged By Reality, The Liberation of Iraq and the Failure of Good Intentions

Agresto, John, Mugged By Reality, The Liberation of Iraq and the Failure of Good Intentions, New York: Encounter Books, 2007

 

John Agresto worked for the Coalition Provisional Authority from 2003-2004 as the advisor to the Ministry of Higher Education. The book covers two themes. The main one is the author giving a neoconservative argument for why he supported the Iraq War. The second is what were the root causes for the failure of the U.S. occupation sprinkled with anecdotes about the people he met in Iraq. The book is about how the author struggled to hold onto his ideas as they were confronted by the occupation. Some of his criticisms are poignant but too many times he rambles on and contradicts himself.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 14 Operation to free Tikrit stalled due to high Hashd casualties

 

1921 Colonial Sec Churchill wrote PM Lloyd George Said making Faisal king of Iraq best

chance for UK to save money in Iraq

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

Iraq’s Largest Refinery Refinery Back To Full Capacity After 9 Yrs Of Rebuilding

On February 23 Prime Minister Mohammed Sudani announced that the Baiji Refinery in Salahaddin province was completely re-opened. The facility was the site of fierce fighting during the war against the Islamic State. Afterwards it was looted by Hashd forces. It took 9 years after its liberation to be fully operational again highlighting the shortcomings with the Iraqi government.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 13 Barzani officially ended his revolt after Shah of Iran cut off aid

 

1910 Ottoman army defeated Montafiq tribal confederation in present day Maysan province for rejecting

taxes

Iraq’s Oil Exports Remain Steady Last 10 Months

Iraq’s Oil Ministry released incomplete statistics for its February oil exports. What it did reveal was that exports were up from January but revenues were down because February is the shortest month of the year.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 12 Colonial Sec Churchill began Cairo Conference to determine future of Mesopotamia

 

1914 UK sent ultimatum to Ottomans If they wanted to increase tariffs had to allow merger

of Turkish Petroleum Company that was going to get oil concession in Mosul vilayet with Anglo-Persian Oil Company 1^st sign UK wanted to control Mesopotamian oil

Security In Iraq Mar 1-7, 2024

Both the Islamic State and pro-Iran groups were active in Iraq during the first week of March.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 11 British captured Baghdad WWI

 

1917 British army captured Baghdad Led to widespread looting Driven off by soldiers

Population then celebrated arrival of British

(Musings On Iraq review Enemy On The Euphrates, The Battle For Iraq 1914-1921)

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

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 10 Barzani wrote letter to Sec State Kissinger reminding him of Nixon’s promise of aid Barzani said Kurds being destroyed by Iraqi govt Kissinger didn’t reply

 

865 Abu Ahmad’s army from Samarra reached gates of Baghdad to overthrow Abbasid Caliph

Mutasim

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 9 Russian price war with Saudi Arabia led to collapse in oil prices leading to economic crisis for Iraq the most oil dependent country in world

 

1916 British retreated from Dujail after failed attack on Ottomans

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 8 International Women’s Day Iraqi women at university in 1970s

 

(Musings On Iraq Interview Iraqi Women Before And After The 2003 Invasion, Interview With Prof Nadje Al-Ali Univ of London)

(Musings On Iraq review Iraqi Women, Untold Stories from 1948 to the Present)

(Musings On Iraq review What Kind of Liberation? Women and the Occupation of Iraq)

Musings On Iraq In The News

 I was quoted in this article by Wladimir van Wilgenburg "Election Announcement Positive Step For Kurdistan Region: Experts" in the Kurdistan Chronicle. 

See all of Iraq's citations.

Review Hope Is Not A Plan, The War In Iraq From Inside The Green Zone

Mowle, Thomas, Hope Is Not A Plan, The War In Iraq From Inside The Green Zone, Westport London: Praeger Security International, 2007

 

Hope Is Not A Plan, The War In Iraq From Inside The Green Zone is a very informative book about the lack of U.S. strategic planning and coordination from 2004-05. It’s an anthology with each chapter written by military officers who served in Iraq during that period. As the editor Thomas Mowle points out everyone should know that the Bush administration did not plan for the immediate aftermath of the 2003 invasion that led to looting and the collapse of the Iraqi state. What this selection tries to point out is that the Americans continued to fail at planning afterward.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 7 Fighting broke out in Mosul between Communists who supported Gen Qasim and his opponents Mosul cmdr announced coup

 

1916 British forces attacked Ottomans at the Dujaila Redoubt

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 6 Shah and Bakr govt signed agreement on Shatt al-Arab waterway Iran cut off aid to Barzani and his revolt collapsed

 

1922 King Faisal threatened to end Anglo-Iraq treaty talks if term mandate wasn’t dropped

from Iraq

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

US Continues To Push Iraq To Better Regulate Dollar Auctions To No Avail

(Al Sharqiya)

The United States continues to push the Iraqi government to better regulate its dollar auctions but it is a losing battle. At the start of February Baghdad banned 8 banks from the Central Bank of Iraq’s (CBI) currency sales to try to stop money laundering. This came after a visit by a delegation from the U.S. Treasury. In July 2023 another 14 banks were banned. A Treasury official said that Iraq needed to do more against pro-Iran groups abusing the financial system to raise funds.

This Day In Iraqi History – Mar 5 Sec Def Cheney said US would not be able to hold Gulf War coalition together if it marched on Baghdad and overthrew Saddam

 

1917 British forces started march on Baghdad from Kut

(Musings On Iraq review Enemy On The Euphrates, The Battle For Iraq 1914-1921)

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

Violence Almost Disappears In Iraq In March 2024

There was barely any violence from the insurgency or pro-Iran groups in March 2024. The Islamic State is disappearing and a ceasefire holds against the United States.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 4 1991 Revolt spread to Kurdistan

 

1935 Jamil al-Midfai became PM 2^nd out of 5 times Was considered aligned with King Ghazi

and fmr PM Ayubi Jawadat Ikha Party kept up support for Mid-Euphrates tribal revolt that spread to Diyala

(Musings On Iraq review The Chatham House Version and other Middle-Eastern Studies)

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 3 Charges dropped against Sadrist Dep Health Min Zamili and head of Health Min protection force for running death squads Killings Sunnis in hospitals Stealing money Sadrists intimidated witnesses and judges

 

1914 US consulate reported Ottomans reconciled with Sayid Talib who’d pushed for

autonomy in Basra vilayet

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 2 1991 uprising spread to Nasiriya, Dhi Qar

 

1915 UK attacked Nukhaial Turned back by tribesmen Turned into route

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 1 Shiite uprising started after Gulf War

 

1917 Gen Maude started campaign to take Baghdad without adequate supplies

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