Shirqat Freed, Clearing In Anbar, Hawija In the Offing

The multi-front campaign to rid Iraq of the last bastions of the Islamic State made more progress. Shirqat in northern Salahaddin was freed, the Iraqi forces were clearing the latest gains in Anbar, while Hawija was pending.

This Day In Iraqi History – Sep 23

1955 Iran joined Iraq, England, Turkey security agreement Would become

            anti-Communist Baghdad Pact

1961 KDP banned by Gen Qasim and several leaders arrested due to Mustafa Barzani’s

Kurdish revolt

1986 Iran ended Op Karbala 3 in Fao Peninsula and Majnoon Island

1986 Soviet For Min Shevardnadze told UN that USSR was attempting to negotiate

            end to Iran-Iraq War

1989 Kuwait Emir given medal by Saddam in Baghdad for help during Iran-Iraq

            War

1991 UN inspectors found 4 lockers full of secret nuclear documents in Baghdad

            facility but were seized by Iraqi army

2001 Rice told CNN Iraq would be stage two of war on terror

2002 Blair told cabinet Iraq dossier would show Iraq expanding WMD capabilities

            and erosion of sanctions one cause

2002 Educ Sec Morris asked Blair what had changed about Iraq to go to war other than

            Bush being elected

2002 Inst for Science & Intl Security argued against US claim that aluminum tubes Iraq

            tried to buy were for nuke weapons program

2003 Bush speech at UN said Iraq was frontline in war on terror

2003 Fr Pres Chirac & UN Sec Gen Annan speeches at UN criticized Iraq war saying

            US undermined international system 

2003 Gallup pol majority of Iraqis thought life would be better in 5 years 2/3 of

            Baghdadis said removing Saddam was worth hardships

2003 Iraqi Governing Council member Aqila Hashemi died after being shot 3 days

            before outside her home

2004 Allawi visited White House asking for more reconstruction money and bringing

            back old army units

2006 Army chief of staff called Gen Petraeus to review Iraq policy

2006 DefPolicyBoard member Adelman told Rumsfeld he was a failure as SecDef and never

            took responsibility for Iraq

2007 ISI accused Hamas of Iraq and 1920 Revolution Brigades of killing its members

2016 Sunni tribal Hashd began destroyed 220 homes in Aithah Salahaddin belonging

            to IS sympathizers

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Ana Freed In Anbar Whilte Shirqat And Hawija Attacked

The much awaited multi-pronged offensive to free the last Islamic State bastions within Iraq started. The West Anbar campaign took its first major town, Ana along the Euphrates River. Shirqat in northern Salahaddin was also attacked along with neighboring Hawija in southern Kirkuk.

This Day In Iraqi History – Sep 22

1980 Iraq invaded Iran starting Iran-Iraq War

1980 Iraq wanted to protect Kirkuk and Baghdad while seizing Khuzistan province in

            south Iran

1980 Iraq started war bombing 10 Iranian airfields hoping to wipe out air force but

            failed

1980 Iraqi army crossed into Iran along 8 routes

1980 Iraqi army moved on Pankwin Iranian Kurdistan to protect Sulaymaniya and

            Kirkuk

1980 Iraq division seized Qasr-e-Shirin, Iran to block road to Baghdad

1980 Iraqi division took Meghan and reached Zagros Mts to protect flank of southern

            thrust into Iran

1980 4 Iraqi divisions attacked Khuzistan province taking Musian and moving on

            Dezful Ahvaz Shatt al-Arab Khormashahr Abadan

1980 Iraq declared Khuzistan a new Iraq province

1980 UK Defense Committee discussed how to start selling weapons to Iraq

1981 Iran began Operation Samen ol Aemeh to break siege of Abadan Iran’s 2^nd largest

            city

1987 Iranian speech at UN rejected UN ceasefire talks

1988 Pres Khomeini addressed UN condemning it for not doing anything about

            Iraq’s aggression during war

2001 Telegraph story claiming Iraq was funding Al Qaeda Quoted CIA and Israeli

            sources

2002 Rice said UN sanctions were failing and Iraq using illegal revenues to develop WMD

2003 Zarqawi bombed Canal Hotel Baghdad 2 dead 19 wounded

2003 Bombing of UN compound led to unanimous decision to evacuate UN

            staff from Iraq

2003 Bremer testified to Congress asking for approval of $87 bil in aid for Iraq

2003 Report Iraqi Governing Council members were going to tell Congress US

            reconstruction money being wasted

2004 2 suicide car bombs in Baghdad killed 21 wounded 150

2006 Ret Gen Keane told Joint Chiefs head Gen Pace he was failing and his only

            priority should be winning in Iraq

2006 Joint Chiefs head Gen Pace agreed to set up staff to go over Iraq strategy after

            talking with Ret Gen Keane

2006 Ret Gen Keane suggested Gen Petraeus should be new US Iraq Cmdr to Joint

            Chiefs head Gen Pace

2008 Wasit council headed by SIIC refused to set up Tribal Support Councils because

            seen as tools of Maliki

2016 Parliament dismissed Finance Minister Zebari on corruption charges led by

            Maliki and Reform Front

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Iraqi Forces Continue To Advance In Anbar While Preparing For Shirqat And Hawija

As the west Anbar campaign continues the Iraqi forces are preparing to take on Shirqat in Salahaddin as well as Hawija in south Kirkuk.

This Day In Iraq History – Sep 21

1965 Abdul al-Bazzaz became premier

1968 Provisional constitution drafted by three jurists and presented to Pres. Bakr

            Included return of parliament

1980 Iraq letter to UN outlined steps it took to try to work out outstanding issues with

            new revolutionary govt in Iran

2001 1^st CIA report on Iraq and 9/11 found no connection but two had contacts

            in 1990s Bush was briefed on findings

2001 CIA report said didn’t think 9/11 hijacker Atta met with Iraq intel officer in

            Prague in 2001

2001 CIA Dir Tenet told Bush CIA Czech office questioned 9/11 hijacker Atta met

            Iraqi intel officer in Prague

2001 DIA analyst Pentagon’s Office of Special Plans on CIA report Said info good but

findings of no Iraq-Al Qaeda ties should be ignored

2001 Under Sec of Def Feith sent DIA analysis of CIA report to Wolfowitz and

            Rumsfeld

2001 Admin officials told Wash Times Saddam talked with bin Laden just before 9/11

2001 Iraqi defector claimed Iraq was training terrorists to take over airplanes at Salman

            Pak, Baghdad

2003 French Pres Chirac called for US to immediately hand over sovereignty to Iraqis

2003 Report mid to low level Baathists being assassinated in Baghdad

2003 Iraqi Governing Council said they were under increasing attack after 1 number

            ambushed and shot in Baghdad

2004 US civilian Jack Hensley beheaded by Al Qaeda in Iraq

2014 IS captured Saqlawiya and Sjar, Anbar

View the Iraq History Timeline

Rihana Latest Town Taken In Operation To Liberate West Anbar

(UN)

After a short pause the Iraqi forces went back on the offensive in west Anbar. The town of Rihana was the latest one to be freed in the region. It is in the Ana district in northwest Anbar along the Euphrates River. Elements of the army’s 7^th and 8^th Divisions, along with the tribal Hashd were involved in the operation.