This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 5 Sec State Powell gave UN speech claiming Iraq had WMD and ties to Al Qaeda

(Getty Images)

 

1914 Lord Hardinge visited Basra Assured locals that British would protect their interests

Met by anti-UK protests in Qurna and Shaiba

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 4 Sykes-Picot Agreement approved Baghdad and Basra would’ve gone to UK Mosul to France Sharif Hussein would’ve gotten his own state

(WBEZ)

 

1916 Sykes-Picot agreement approved by UK Foreign Office Gave Baghdad and Basra

vilayets to UK Mosul to France Included independent Arab state for Sharif Hussein

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

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 3 Blair govt issued report on Iraq’s deception campaign to hide its WMD Turned out it was plagiarized from a college student’s paper

(Wikipedia)

 

1917 British attacked Hai River salient 3^rd time outside Kut Ottomans withdrew afterward

Since start of campaign to retake Kut in Dec 1916 British lost 8,524 casualties Ottomans 10,000 casualties and prisoners

Review The Political Economy of Iraq, Restoring Balance in a Post-Conflict Society

Gunter, Frank, The Political Economy of Iraq, Restoring Balance in a Post-Conflict Society, Cheltenham, Northhampton: Edward Elgar, 2013

 

Books about Iraq’s economy are very rare and those that exist tend to talk about the past instead of the present. That’s what makes Professor Frank Gunter’s The Political Economy of Iraq, Restoring Balance in a Post-Conflict Society such a rarity. Even though it was published in 2013 its insight into nearly every bit of Iraq’s economy should make it a reference book for anyone interested in the topic.

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 2 PM Sadr said new Anglo-Iraq Treaty would not be ratified due to opposition Came after 1000s protested against it

(Wikipedia)

 

1920 General Haldane made commander in Iraq Told to draw down troops to save money for

London

Iraq’s New Govt Pushes For Huge Increase In Govt Jobs For Patronage

(Reuters)

Since the Sudani government took office in November 2022 one of its main priorities has been drafting a 2023 budget that includes thousands of new government jobs. This is important for the ruling coalition because these positions are dished out to followers for support and also to pillage the state. The problem is that this process is unsustainable.

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 1 Reagan envoy Rumsfeld met Saddam 2nd time to improve US-Iraq relations during Iran-Iraq War

(Al Jazeera)

 

1917 British attacked Hai River salient 2^nd time outside Kut Failed again