1920 Churchill wrote PM George
that his desire to hold Mosul and Mesopotamia was
compromised by
his anti-Turk policy that was threatening Mosul
(Musings
On Iraq article on how Mosul province became part of Iraq)
(Musings
On Iraq article on Churchill’s views on Mesopotamia/Iraq)
(Musings
On Iraq book review Churchill’s
Folly, How Winston Churchill Created Modern Iraq)
1924 Sir Henry Dobbs wrote Colonial Secretary Said King
Faisal a foreigner who didn’t have any
support Said authority of Iraqi
govt depended upon UK backing and its military might
1997 UN Res 1143 extended Oil
for Food Program for 3rd time
1998 Under pressure from Russia France China UN inspectors
began weekly reports They wanted
inspections done by end of year
(Musings
On Iraq book review The Saddam Tapes)
(Musings
On Iraq article UN Inspectors Were Right Iraq Was Not A Threat)
(Musings
On Iraq article Iraq’s Rejection of UN Inspectors Led To Mistrust Over WMD
and 2003 Invasion)
2001 CENTCOM Cmdr Gen Franks briefed Def Sec Rumsfeld and
Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen Meyers on
revised Iraq invasion plan Franks
revised 1990s Op Plan 1003 Cut troops from 500,000 to 400,000 to be deployed in
6 instead of 7 months Franks said couldn't scrap Op Plan 1003 because never
knew what would be needed Said would take a long time to revise Iraq war plan
Rumsfeld said Afghanistan showed US didn’t need such a large and long invasion
plan for Iraq Rumsfeld wanted a battle plan that could be executed in a very
short time not months Franks agreed with Rumsfeld but said Op Plan 1003 only
thing they had at moment Rumsfeld told Gen Franks goal of any military action
against Iraq would be removing Saddam Franks given one week to revise plan
Angry that Rumsfeld went from plan not important to it being urgent
(Musings
On Iraq book review of Shaping the
Plan for Operation Iraqi Freedom, The Role of Military Intelligence Assessment)
(Musings
On Iraq book review Leap of Faith,
Hubris Negligence, and America’s Greatest Foreign Policy
Tragedy)
(Musings
On Iraq book review Plan of Attack: The Definitive Account Of The
Decision To Invade Iraq)
2001 PM Blair told Bush Iraq was a threat because it had WMD
could export it and violated UN
resolutions
2001 PM Blair paper to Bush said that they had to consider
regime change in Iraq
(Musings
On Iraq Book Review The Report of the
Iraq Inquiry, Executive Summary)
(Musings
On Iraq article Chilcot Report Sec 3.1 Development of UK Strategy and
Options on Iraq, 9/11 to Early January 2002)
2002 UN Res 1447 extended Oil for Food program
2004 PM Allawi attacked while visiting Imam Ali shrine in
Najaf
2005 Report 1500 suspects arrested around Ramadi in last
five months all Iraqis not foreigners like
White House claimed
2006 UN Sec Gen Annan said violence in Iraq worse than
Lebanese civil war Said worse than life
under Saddam Said Iraqi govt unable
to provide security
2006 Paul Bremer said Pentagon ignored calls for more troops
to maintain order in Iraq after
invasion Said military slow to
develop counterinsurgency strategy Said military thought ISF could take over
security in Iraq quickly US and Iraqi govts failed to counter rise of Sadr and
Mahdi Army Not providing security biggest failure of US in Iraq
View the Iraq History Timelines
