Security In Iraq Sep 22-28, 2024

There was no activity by the Islamic State in Iraq during the 4^th week of September. Iraq’s Islamic Resistance however reached a new high in operations against Israel in response to its attacks upon Hezbollah in Lebanon.

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 30 Qasim passed Agrarian Reform Law Broke up power of landlords who had ruled Iraq since Mandate

 

1922 PM Naqib Gaylani named new cabinet Was to pass new Anglo-Iraq Treaty before

            parliament formed so it wouldn’t be debated Ensured British control over Iraq

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 29 Def Sec Rumsfeld ordered review of all Iraq war plans

 

1914 Royal Naval dispatched ships to patrol Shatt al-Arab to protect Persian oil concessions

(Musings On Iraq review Iraq In World War I, From Ottoman Rule to British Conquest)

(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 - Sep 28 After invasion plan failed Saddam asked for ceasefire one week into Iran-Iraq War

 

1915 British attacked Ottomans at Es Sinn with frontal attack Ottomans held and then retreated at

night

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 27 US published letter from Al Qaeda to Zarqawi Warned him about vanity Said he had to consult with Al Qaeda more and cooperate with other insurgent groups

 

1915 Battle of Es Sinn began 1^st move by British to take Kut from Ottomans

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

Review I, Who Did Not Die, A Sweeping Story Of Loss, Redemption, And Fate

Haftland, Zahed & Aboud, Najah with Meredith May, I, Who Did Not Die, A Sweeping Story Of Loss, Redemption, And Fate, Regan Arts, 2017

 

I Who Did Not Die is a moving story about two soldiers on opposite sides during the Iran-Iraq War. Zahed Haftland was a 13 year old who joined the Basij because he didn’t get along with his father and wanted a direction in life. Najah Aboud was a businessman and ex-soldier who was drafted back into the army when the war began. By chance the two came across each other on the battlefield when Zahed helped Najah. They then had harrowing tales of being prisoners of war. The fact that the two not only survived their ordeals but were re-united decades later is why you should read this book.

This Day In Iraqi History – Sep 26 Bush told Def Sec Rumsfeld to secretly start Iraq war plans

 

1914 Gen Barrow at India Office said UK had to stop Turkish-Arab alliance and declaration

of jihad which could spread to Afghanistan and threaten India UK should make show of force in Shatt al-Arab to deter Arabs from backing Ottomans and if war started should seize Basra vilayet

(Musings On Iraq review Iraq In World War I, From Ottoman Rule to British Conquest)

(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 - Sep 25 KRG held independence referendum Iraqi forces would attack Kurds and seize disputed areas afterward

 

1913 US consul in Baghdad reported Basra Reform Society issued constitution Demanded autonomy

no foreign concessions recognition of Arabic language

Iraq Unveils Environmental Strategy

In September Iraq announced a six year national environmental strategy. While having backing of the international community it is unlikely to go anywhere like Iraq’s economic plans.

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 24 UN inspectors found over 50,000 docs on Iraq’s nuclear program when it denied it had such a program

 

1920 British took Fallujah during 1920 Revolt

(Musings On Iraq review Reclaiming Iraq, The 1920 Revolution and the Founding of the Modern State)

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

Security In Iraq Sep 15-21, 2024

Both the Islamic State and the Iraqi Islamic Resistance carried out operations during the third week of September in Iraq. Both are trying to make their presence known but at a very low level.

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 23 Natl Sec Adv Rice said Iraq would be next stage in war on terror

 

1948 Shafiq Ades Jewish merchant in Basra hanged on accusation he smuggled weapons to

Palestine He sold scrap metal to Italy that re-sold it to Israel to make weapons Part of anti-Jewish feelings that spread after creation of Israel

(Musings On Iraq review Last Days in Babylon, The Exile of Iraq’s Jews, the Story of My Family)

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 22 Iraq invaded Iran starting Iran-Iraq War

 

1961 After Barzani’s forces overran army and police outposts and pushed back pro-govt Kurdish

tribes Qasim ordered counterattack Iraqi air force bombed 500 villages destroying 270 of them

(Musings On Iraq review Kurds of Iraq, Tragedy and Hope)

(Musings On Iraq review The Kurds, A Modern History)

(Musings On Iraq review The Kurdish Revolt 1961-1970)

(Musings On Iraq review Journey Among Brave Men, Travels in Kurdistan)

(Musings On Iraq Explaining Kurdish Nationalism Interview With Teen Tech Univ Prof Michael Gunter)

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 21 Coup plot by PM Razzaq vs Pres Arif discovered Led to Baathist purge from govt

 

1941 PM Midfai resigned over argument with Finance Min Kamal

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 20 Bush talked with Blair about seizing Iraq’s southern oil fields

 

1917 Sir Percy Cox made civil commissioner in Iraq

Review Once Upon A Time In Iraq, History of a Modern Tragedy

Bluemel, James and Mansour, Dr Renad, Once Upon A Time In Iraq, History of a Modern Tragedy, BBC Books, 2020

 

In the introduction to Once Upon A Time In Iraq, History of a Modern Tragedy James Bluemel and Dr. Renad Mansour say they wanted to provide a voice to ordinary Iraqis so they could tell how their lives were impacted by the Iraq War. Few books include Iraqi voices so this seemed like just the type of book that is needed. In reality however the book is a mix of Iraqi and American personalities. Not only that but the first half covers 9/11 to the end of 2003. The middle is about the two battles of Fallujah and the capture, interrogation and execution of Saddam Hussein which diverges from the stated goal of the authors. The last third quickly goes from 2005 when the civil war broke out to 2017 when the Islamic State was defeated. There are definitely good moments but there could’ve been more Iraqis and the authors could’ve spent less time on the early years of the conflict.

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 19 Bush again asked for report on Iraq-Al Qaeda ties after already told none existed

 

1914 UK sent 3 gunboats to Shatt al-Arab to protect Persian oil fields

(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 - Sep 18 PM Said threatened to expel Jews from Iraq over Israel

 

1916 British leaders told troops to continue advance in Mesopotamia vs Ottomans after huge loss

at Kut One of biggest British defeats in WWI

Sudani Govt Faces 1st Controversy With Spying Scandal

The Sudani government has been hit with its first scandal after members of the prime minister’s office were arrested for eavesdropping on Shiite politicians and officials. This comes as opposition to PM Sudani is growing within his own list the ruling Coordination Framework.

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 17 Saddam renounced 1975 Algiers Treaty with Iran Claimed sole control of Shatt al-Arab Prelude to Iran-Iraq War

 

1953 Mohammed al-Jamali became PM Was a Shiite Cabinet included Kurdish Interior Minister 7

Shiites most ever and ministers from opposition United Popular Front and Independence Party Presented land and civil service reform which parliament rejected Landowners blocked land reform MPs blocked civil service reform accusing Jamali of sectarianism

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

(Musings On Iraq review Iraqi Statesman, A portrait of Mohammed Fadhel Jamali)

(Musings On Iraq review Relations Of The People to The Land In Southern Iraq)

Security In Iraq Sep 8-14, 2024

There were 3 security incidents in Iraq again during the second week of September, the same number as the week before.

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 16 Iraq’s 1st PM Gaylani resigned over protests against Anglo-Iraq Treaty

 

1922 PM Gaylani resigned over protests over Anglo-Iraq Treaty

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 15 Bush said he thought Iraq involved in 9/11 and would be dealt with later

 

1934 PM Ayubi Jawadat called for new elections Hoped to pack parliament with his followers

who were loyal to King Ghazi by fixing vote Parliament criticized for being overly Sunni

(Musings On Iraq review Iraq’s Democratic Moment)

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

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 14 Iraq helped found OPEC

 

1929 Acting Iraq High Commissioner Air Vice Marshal Brooke-Popham told King Faisal that UK

had not changed its position on new Anglo-Iraq Treaty or Iraqi independence

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 13 Iraq told inspectors in July 91 it secretly destroyed all its WMD

 

1929 Jews attended meeting of Arab nationalists in Baghdad against UK and Zionists in Palestine

Accused the Iraqi government of being under British influence

Review Expectation of Valor, Planning For The Iraqi War

Benson, Colonel Kevin, Expectation of Valor, Planning For The Iraqi War, Casemate, 2024

 

Colonel Kevin Benson who was the chief planner for the 3^rd Army wrote Expectation of Valor, Planning For The Iraqi War in response to the conventional wisdom that the U.S. military did not prepare for postwar Iraq in 2003. The author writes that the army did spend time coming up with ideas on how to secure and stabilize the country after the fall of Saddam. However he blames Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, General Tommy Franks and the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) for undermining the work that was done.

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 12 Pres Bush asked govt to look into whether Iraq involved in 9/11

 

1915 British forces launched campaign to capture Baghdad starting in present day Wasit

(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)

Theft Of The Century Remains In Iraq’s Headlines

Nour Zuhair the main figure in the Theft of the Century was arrested, paid bail and then disappeared

The “Theft of the Century” where $2.5 billion was stolen from the government remains one of the biggest stories in Iraq. The main figure involved in the scandal Nour Zuhair was arrested, paid bail and then disappeared while the head of the country’s anti-corruption Integrity Commission claimed that one of the judges in the case colluded with Zuhair.

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 11 Bush and others immediately suspected Iraq involved in 9/11 terrorist attacks

 

1916 Retreating British attacked and broke up tribesmen harassing them in Sahilan, Dhi Qar

Iraq’s Oil Exports Dip 1st Time In 4 Months

Iraq’s oil exports and revenues dipped in August for the first time in four months.

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 10 1st Iraqi cabinet formed under new King Faisal govt

 

1921 1^st Iraqi cabinet formed under newly coronated King Faisal Abd al-Rahman al-Gaylani became

Iraq’s 1^st PM

(Musings On Iraq review The Role of the Military In Politics, A case study of Iraq to 1941)

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

Security In Iraq Sep 1-7, 2024

Both the insurgency and pro-Iran groups were active in Iraq during the first week of September.

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 9 Sheikh Abu Risha announced the Anbar Salvation Council to fight Al Qaeda in Iraq in Ramadi

 

871 Zanj slave rebellion returned to Basra city Offered amnesty to residents and then

massacred them Survivors hid in city for weeks and turned to cannibalism for food

Musings On Iraq review The Revolt Of African Slaves In Iraq in the 3^rd/9^th Century

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 8 King Faisal died of a heart attack in Switzerland

 

1922 Gertrude Bell wrote that while King Faisal was beloved he was also weak because he was

Oriental Was in relation to Faisal’s demand for Iraqi independence which Bell believed was due to Faisal’s nationalist advisers that she saw as troublemakers

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

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 7 New Al Qaeda in Iraq War Min Masri called on members to kill an American and a Shiite in next 15 days

 

871 Zanj slave rebellion seized Basra city Looted it Killed most of the population then left

fearing trap

Musings On Iraq review The Revolt Of African Slaves In Iraq in the 3^rd/9^th Century

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 6 Ali Hassan al-Majid ordered Kurdish families be deported and all males be arrested

 

1930 Riots in Sulaymaniya against parliamentary elections after some had called for boycott and

Baghdad replaced some local officials

Review Return to the Marshes, Life with the Marsh Arabs of Iraq

Young, Gavin, Return to the Marshes, Life with the Marsh Arabs of Iraq, Collins, 1977

 

Return to the Marshes, Life with the Marsh Arabs of Iraq by Gavin Young is a huge disappointment. On the one hand it contains a large number of color photos of the Iraqi marshes which are very impressive. On the other hand the text adds little to the book as Young got caught up giving a history of Iraq starting from ancient times rather than just focusing upon the Marsh Arabs.

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 5 PM Said broke relations with Nazi Germany Arrested all Germans in Iraq and deported them to India

 

1920 Gertrude Bell wrote that Iraq was in the middle of a jihad during 1920 revolt

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

(Musings On Iraq review Reclaiming Iraq, The 1920 Revolution and the Founding of the Modern State)

(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)

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 4 Saddam mobilized armed forces and ordered seizure of disputed border towns to find excuse to invade Iran

 

1921 Colonial Secretary Churchill memo said he supported Iraqi govt and independence to

maintain British influence in Iraq

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

(Musings On Iraq review Britain In Iraq, Contriving King and Country)

(Musings On Iraq review Britain’s Informal Empire In The Middle East, A Case Study of Iraq 1929-1941)

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

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

US Army In The Iraq War Volume 2 Chapter 9 The Surge Culminates, Summer 2008

Chapter 9 of the U.S. Army’s second volume on the Iraq War focuses upon Iraqi security operations that were launched in the summer of 2008. Instead of being a sign of a new national leadership by the Maliki government the offensives highlighted the continued divisions within the country and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s first moves towards becoming an autocrat.

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 3 Qasim offered amnesty to Kurdish rebels Asked Barzani to return to Iraq

 

1920 UK army ordered two outer camps in Samawa be abandoned during siege of town Led to

heavy losses during 1920 Revolt

Americans Dominate Casualties In Iraq In Aug 2024

More than half of the casualties in Iraq in August 2024 were Americans. This resulted from an attack by pro-Iran groups and a joint Iraq-U.S. raid on an Islamic State camp. This was a decided change from previous months.

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 2 King Faisal left Iraq for his health Would die a week later

 

1922 Turkish troops tested border with Iraq Seized Rania in Sulaymaniya after four days of

fighting

This Day In Iraqi History - Sep 1 Colonial Sec Churchill argued for UK to withdraw from Iraq to save money

 

1919 Jews sent letter to two Iraqi papers declaring their support for Arabs against the Balfour

Declaration where UK said it supported creating a Jewish homeland in Palestine