Security In Iraq, Nov 22-28, 2017

Violence remained at a minimal level in Iraq for another week. The government forces were sweeping through western Anbar, but the Islamic State was not putting up a fight. That was true in most of the country as well. Several mass graves were discovered raising the casualty figures.

This Day In Iraqi History – Nov 30

1920 British said all of its colonial offices were under control of Iraq council of state

1980 Iranian air force attacked Iraq’s nuclear reactor at Tuwaitha and Fao Peninsula in Basra

2001 Rumsfed told press US knew Iraq had WMD because defectors told them so

2003 US soldiers repelled 3 ambushes on convoy in Samarra Iraqis later claimed US fired

            indiscriminately killing civilians

2003 Senior CIA analyst said 2002 Nat Intel Est on Iraq’s WMD lacked specifics on the programs

2004 Report War mismanagement sanctions since 1980s destroyed Iraq’s health care system

2005 Aide to PM Jaafari wanted to know whether KRG signing oil deal with was DNO

            constitutional

2005 White House released National Strategy for Victory in Iraq Lacked any substance

            on what strategy was

2005 Bush speech went over new National Strategy for Victory in Iraq Said goal was to

            train Iraqi forces to take over war

2005 Pentagon contracted Lincoln Group to place pro-US stories in Arab media about Iraq

2006 Bush met Maliki Maliki said he wanted more control over ISF and command

            over them Bush said no

2006 Bush told Maliki he had lost control of Baghdad and about to lose Iraq Maliki

            agreed

2006 Bush told Maliki US was going to have troop surge Maliki had to back it and

            agree to reconciliation Maliki said yes

2006 Sadr withdrew ministers from Maliki’s cabinet to protest Maliki’s meeting with Bush

View the Iraq History Timeline

Maliki’s 2011 Meeting With Obama, Mishaps Between Governments

In December 2011, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki travelled to Washington D.C. for a meeting with President Barak Obama. The State Department was hoping this would be a great symbolic get together of Iraq and the United States. Unfortunately, Maliki was not in the mood, and complained about his fears of Sunni states and Baathists and what the Americans were doing about them. This was just one of many mishaps between the two governments.

This Day In Iraqi History – Nov 29

1927 UK For Sec Chamberlain told King Faisal talks over Anglo-Iraq Treaty

            should be delayed for two years and Faisal would have to run Iraq on his own

1927 British knew Faisal afraid of potential unrest and were trying to intimidate him

            during negotiations over new treaty Tactic worked

1934 Border dispute between Iraq and Persia escalated

1980 Iranian marines destroyed Mina al Bakr and Khor al Amaya oil terminals

            in Iraq

1980 Iranian attack on Iraqi oil facilities in Basra cut exports from 3.24 mil/bar/day to

            550,000 bar/day

1981 Iran started Op Jerusalem Way in Khuzestan province Was start of human wave

            attacks

1990 UN Resolution 678 gave Iraq until 1/15/91 to withdraw from Kuwait

2001 UN Res 1382 extended Oil for Food program

2001 Amer Enterprise Institute panel said Saddam had to be removed before US

            could confront radical Islam

2002 UK Defense Min told Blair that US still had no political strategy for Iraq

2002 American Enterprise Inst group of experts started work on paper on what U.S.

            facing after 9/11 Would focus on Iraq

2003 Insurgent attacks killed 7 Spanish intelligence officers and 2 Japanese diplomats

            in Iraq

2004 Bush told NSC January 2005 Iraqi election had to happen on time

2005 Rumsfeld told press “insurgent” should no longer be used when reporting on Iraq

2005 Joint Chiefs head Gen Pace talked to press and used word “insurgent” in briefing

            on situation in Iraq

2005 Rumsfeld said US forces had no responsibility to report torture and abuse by Iraqi

            forces

2005 Joint Chiefs head Gen Pace said US absolutely had to report any abuse and torture

            it witnessed by Iraqi forces

2005 Report Badr infiltrated Interior Min Mahdi Army regular police Both carrying out

            extrajudicial killings torture abuse

2005 Interior Min Inspector General said police carrying out extrajudicial killings

2005 Ceremony for DNO to start drilling for oil at field in Zakho

View the Iraq History Timeline

Baghdad-Irbil Talks Stalled

Talks between the federal and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) have deadlocked over the last few weeks. After Baghdad moved its forces into Kirkuk and other disputed territories in October 2017, which led to several gun battles, the two sides moved onto negotiations mediated by the United States. No progress has been made however due to a number of issues with no breakthrough appearing on the horizon.  

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 28

1935 UK For Office rejected King Faisal mediating Palestine dispute believing

            he had aspirations over territory

1947 Iraq’s Foreign Minister Jamail told UN that creation of Israel would lead to unrest

            in Middle East

1958 Shah criticized Iraq for refusing to settle navigation down Shatt al-Arab Pres Qasim

            responded by claiming all of waterway for Iraq

1980 Iran launched Operation Morvarid that destroyed 80% of Iraq’s navy in

Iran-Iraq War

2001 UK intel report Iraq not connected to 9/11 not working with Al Qaeda not

            giving WMD to terrorists Said Iraq WMD threat “slight”

2001 Pentagon officials told Time after Afghanistan US would target Iraq as next step

            in war on terror

2005 Dep Human Rights Min Usayran and Gen Samarriae told Knight Ridder Iraqi

            forces torturing and abusing prisoners

View the Iraq History Timeline

Despite Denials Pro-Iran Hashd Factions Have Crossed Iraqi Border To Fight In Syria

During the spring of 2017 the Hashd al-Shaabi reached the Iraq-Syrian border. Immediately, many of the pro-Iranian factions of the Hashd talked about crossing over to help the Assad government as many already had units doing so on the Syrian side. At the same time, they denied that they would enter the neighboring country without the authorization of the Iraqi government, but some did.

This Day In Iraqi History – Nov 27

1994 Iraq finally agreed to border with Kuwait

2001 Rumsfeld told CENTCOM cmdr Gen Frank he wanted to completely revise

            Iraq war plan

2001 Saddam rejected Bush’s call for UN weapons inspectors to return to Iraq

2001 Wash Post survey found 78% of Americans supported military action against Iraq

2002 UN weapons inspections carried out first inspections under new regime

2004 Report 1/3 of property Hallliburton contracted to manage in Iraq lost

2006 Joint chiefs told Bush was leaning towards a troop surge in Iraq

2008 Iraq passed Status of Forces Agreement with US setting withdrawal

            date for US forces 12/31/11

View the Iraq History Timeline

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 26

1980 Iraq sent letter to UN saying it was still following the 1975 Algiers Accord

            on Shatt al-Arab and Iran was violating it

1983 Pres Reagan signed NSDD114 saying U.S. would back Iraq in Iran-Iraq

            War to prevent it from losing

1993 Iraq accepted UN Resolution 715 to extend UN weapons inspections Initially

            rejected resolution

2001 Bush called Saddam a terrorist who would be held accountable and said Iraq

            needed to allow UN weapons inspectors back in

2001 White House spokesman Fleischer said US afraid Al Qaeda might try to get

            nuclear weapons from Iraq

2002 Gen Franks presented deployment plan for Iraq invasion to Rumsfeld Was for

            300,000 troops to be sent from summer 02-spring 03

2002 Rumsfeld said large deployment would undermine diplomatic moves US making

            on Iraq

2002 Rumsfeld decided to go through entire deployment process for Iraq invasion Ended

            up breaking it up and controlling entire process

2003 Sistani said he opposed CPA’s plan for caucuses to be formed to draft new

            Iraq constitution

2003 Sistani wanted Islamic identity to be included in any new Iraqi government

2006 US Iraq strategy review presented to Bush Said Maliki unable or unwilling

            to act against violence

2006 US Iraq strategy review said US should continue with withdrawal plan but

            could have temporary surge of troops

2006 SecState Rice told Bush US should step back from Iraq Was opposed to

            surge of troops

2006 NatlSecAdv Hadley told Bush US should have a surge of troops in Iraq to

            bring down violence

2006 Bush said he would consult with everyone and decide on a new Iraq

            strategy in Dec 06

2007 Maliki told Bush he was afraid insurgents were infiltrating the sahwa

View the Iraq History Timeline

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 25

1986 Iraq air strike on Iran’s Larak Island oil facilities Longest air raid of war Used Saudi air base 

           for refueling

1997 KDP broke own ceasefire by attacking PUK positions

2002 UN Res 1443 extended Oil for Food program

2002 US Navy report claimed uranium from Niger was in a warehouse in Benin heading for Iraq 

            Report later found to be false

2002 Head weapons inspector Blix told Security Council inspections would begin in Iraq on 11/27/02

2004 Defense Science Board report Iraq invasion gave jihadists around the world a cause and 

            supported their narrative

2006 Sheikh Suwadawi of Abu Soda tribe in Sufiya joined Anbar Awakening

2007 Natl Sec Adv Rubaie suggested banning sahwa south of Baghdad except in Hillah

            over fears of US recruiting Shiites

2012 Deadline for parties to register for provincial elections 261 parties registered

 View the Iraq History Timeline

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 24

1915 Battle of Ctesiphon ended with both British and Ottomans retreating

Ottomans 6,100 casualties British 4,600 casualties

1952 Soldiers opened fire on protests against Regent of Iraq killing 18 and wounding 84

1967 Iraq signed deal with France ERAP to develop North Rumaila oil field

1997 KDP declared unilateral ceasefire in KDP-PUK civil war

1998 UN Res 1210 renewed Oil for Food program for another 6 months

2000 UK Foreign Office report Arab countries no longer supported sanctions on Iraq

2003 US jailers used dogs to intimidate Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib

2003 Prison riot at Abu Ghraib

2003 UnderSecDef Feith gave his Iraq-Al Qaeda briefing to Weekly Standard that

            published it and claimed two had cooperated since 1990s

2003 Report Iran brought Hezbollah into Iraq to help it

2004 Powell told Bush not enough US troops in Iraq to secure country

2004 Report US portrayed Zarqawi and foreigners leading Battle of Fallujah but leaders

            were local Iraqis 

View the Iraq History Timeline

Security In Iraq, Nov 15-21, 2017

There was a slight spike in violence in Iraq during the third week of November, but there were still fewer than 100 incidents. This was the 15^th full week in a row that occurred.

This Day In Iraqi History – Nov 23

1914 British forces officially took Basra

1915 French diplomat Picot visited London told officials Mosul Baghdad Basra vilyats

            should be given to Arabs after WWI to placate them

1952 Gen Mahmoud formed new military govt and declared martial law to put down

protests

1952 Nuredin Mahmoud became premier in new military govt

1983 Iraq sank Greek cargo ship at Iranian port of Bushehr

1990 Bush said Saudis Egypt Syria agreed on UN resolution to allow use of force vs

            Iraq for invasion of Kuwait

1993 UN reported that govt had drained 40% of southern marshes to drive out

            displaced and rebels

1997 Clinton said UN sanctions would stay until Saddam removed from power

2006 6 car bombs and two mortar rounds by ISI hit Sadr City killing 215

            and injuring 257

View the Iraq History Timeline

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 22

1915 Beginning of Battle of Ctesiphon between British and Ottoman forces

1923 PM Sadoun resigned over differences with Shiite leaders and King Faisal

1923 Jafar Pasha al-Askari became 3^rd PM of Iraq, would hold office 2 times

1923 Shiites got Finance and Education ministries in Askari govt Shiite leaders gave

            pledge of allegiance to King as a result

1952 Baghdad protests against Regent of Iraq started

2002 France told US that they believed Iraq tried to buy uranium from Niger

2002 Russia’s Putin warned U.S. not to unilaterally act against Iraq

2003 US transport plane hit by missile at Baghdad International Airport

2005 Wall St Journal OpEd repeated story that 9/11 hijacker Atta might have met Iraqi

            intel agent in Prague in 2001

2006 Commander of US forces in Iraq Gen Casey told Joint Chiefs troop surge

            would not work

Cost Of Rebuilding Iraq

Now that the conventional war against the Islamic State is coming to an end the government has to deal with reconstruction. Estimates for rebuilding Anbar, Ninewa and Diyala stand at $60 billion. Half of that is just for Mosul with 70% of the west side destroyed. In Anbar, the deputy governor told Al Mada that 100,000 houses were damaged in the province along with 80% of the hospitals in Ramadi, Fallujah and Qaim and 90% of the bridges were knocked out. Back in the summer, the Planning Ministry thought total reconstruction in the country could stand at $100 billion. The authorities are facing two dilemmas: one where is the money going to come from, and how are they going to use it.

Musings On Iraq In The News

I was quoted in "Clouds form over Kurdistan as experts forecast more fighting with Baghdad" in Al Araby.

This Day In Iraqi History – Nov 21

1914 British troops entered Basra after Ottomans abandoned city

1926 Jaffar al-Askari became PM of Iraq for 2^nd time

1946 PM Umari forced to resign in aftermath of Kirkuk Massacre where oil strikers killed

1946 Nuri al-Said became premier 4^th time

1983 Iran’s Op Wa al-Fajr 4 ended taking a few miles of territory in Kurdistan

1997 UN weapons inspectors returned to Iraq

2001 Bush told Natl Sec Adv Rice he wanted Rumsfeld to start planning for Iraq

2001 Bush told Rumsfeld to update war plans for Iraq Wanted it done secretly

2002 NATO summit Bush was talking about war with Iraq and using new U.N.

            inspections as catalyst for action

2003 UN turned over Oil for Food program to CPA

2003 UK intel report Badr Brigade maintained close ties to Iran that armed and funded it

2004 Iraq Election Commission announced vote for transitional assembly to draft

            constitution would happen 1/30/05 along with provincial vote

2006 Iraq and Syria announce renewal of diplomatic relations which were broken

            during Iran-Iraq War

View the Iraq History Timeline

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 20

1914 Arab tribes told British forces Ottomans had abandoned Basra British

            forces set out to take city

1920 US complained 3^rd time to UK about San Remo agreement that divided up Iraqi oil

            between France and England

1922 Abd Sadoun became Iraq’s 2^nd PM His orders were to organize elections for an

            assembly to write constitution

1963 Tahir Yahya became premier, held office 2 times

1982 Tariq Aziz accused US and Soviet Union of allowing weapons to be sent to

            Iran during Iran-Iraq War

1997 Russia brokered deal to allow US members of UN inspectors back into Iraq

2001 US Embassy in Niger said that Niger official said no way it could produce

            enough uranium reports claimed Iraq bought from it

2003 Suicide truck bomb hit PUK office in Kirkuk killing 5

2005 Report on how US relied upon Iraqi defector CURVEBALL for intel on Iraq’s

            WMD when they were warned he was unreliable

2006 Joint Chiefs told to prepare plan for surge in troops in Iraq 

View the Iraq History Timeline 

Battle Of Mosul Casualties Updated

There were recently two reports released in November 2017, which proved that there were still many unaccounted for casualties from the Mosul campaign. First, the United Nations released a study on the battle that included over 1,000 dead and wounded not reported before. Than the New York Times did an in depth study of Coalition air strikes during the Mosul operation, which found that there were many more incidents of civilian deaths than the Coalition acknowledged, and that it was using a flawed system to assess whether it caused any casualties.

This Day In Iraqi History – Nov 19

1914 British troops took Ottoman fort at Sahil in the city of Basra

1991 UN report said Iraqi forces used torture and mass killings to put down Shiite uprising after

            Gulf War

1999 UN Res 1275 extended Oil for Food program for Iraq during sanctions

2002 UK Def Min official warned Blair’s office that without proper postwar planning Iraq war

            could fail

2003 Car bomb at Sheikh Suleiman’s home after he made deal with US for police to take over
           security in Ramadi

2004 Assoc of Muslim Scholars announced Sunni boycott of Jan 05 elections claiming results

            would be fake and non-representative

2004 US Gen Smith dep cmdr CENTCOM said insurgents were carrying out effective intimidation

            campaign before Jan 05 elections

2005 Marines killed 24 civilians in revenge for Marine being killed by IED in Haditha

2006 Dep Health Min Saffar kidnapped by policeman Mahdi Army suspected of killing him under

            orders of Dep Health Min Zamili

2008 PUK politburo created committees to discuss its internal divisions

View the Iraq History Timeline

Rawa, Last Iraqi Territory Liberated From Islamic State

The Iraqi forces freed the last section of Iraqi territory held by the Islamic State. That happened as Rawa in western Anbar was liberated in just a matter of hours. There are still some lawless areas of the country where IS operates in, but Rawa was the last actual city it controlled marking a major turning point.  

(Institute for the Study of War)

This Day In Iraqi History – Nov 18

1914 British launched second attack on Ottoman forces in Zain, Basra

1963 Pres Arif removed Baathists from positions in govt including PM Bakr

1963 Pres Arif and brother Gen Arif and army put down Baath National Guard

            militia in Baghdad Mosul and Kirkuk

1968 KDP called on UN to intervene in Iraq during Kurdish revolt

1979 Naji Suwaidi became premier of Iraq

1997 KDP recaptured lost territory from PUK

1997 UN told that dramatic increase in Iraqi oil smuggling through Iran violating

            UN sanctions

1997 Wash Post OpEd by Wolfowitz and Khalilzad called for US to overthrow Saddam

2002 New UN inspectors arrived in Baghdad

2005 House Republicans attacked Democrats for trying to cut and run in Iraq by

            backing withdrawal US policy was withdrawal

2005 Al Qaeda in Iraq bombed Shiite mosque in Khanaqin Diyala 74 dead

2005 Study 90-96% of insurgency were Iraqis only 4-10% foreign fighters

2006 Pentagon and Joint Chiefs papers on Iraq said US should follow Gen Casey plan to

            withdraw turn things over to Iraqis

2006 Joint Chiefs paper on Iraq said Iraq falling into civil war US strategy not working

2006 US intel report on Iraq said US had no good options in Iraq

2006 VP Cheney’s office memo on Iraq said US should back Shiites and Kurds and

            forget about Sunnis

2008 US signed Status of Forces Agreement with Iraq that set 12/31/11 withdrawal

            date for US forces

View the Iraq History Timeline

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 17

1975 France-Iraq agreement to build nuclear facility

1980 Iraq’s Susangard offensive failed after 3 days

1982 Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim announced Supreme Assembly of the Islamic

            Revolution in Iraq formed in Iran

1993 Iran reported 60,000 Iraqi refugees entered country after Saddam drained southern

            marshes

2001 Wolfowitz wrote Rumsfeld that if any evidence found of Iraq involvement in

            9/11 US should act

2005 Congressman Murtha introduced resolution to withdraw US troops from Iraq

            saying war going badly

2005 Head of central criminal court in Baghdad Samarrie said special Inter Min forces

            didn't need arrest warrants or file court papers to detain people

2006 State Dept memo suggested US should pull back from Iraq and have same

            relationship as all other states

2006 State Dept memo argued against a surge in troops in Iraq to help quell violence

2015 VP Nujafi filed lawsuit to remain in office after Abadi dismissed vice presidents

2015 3 dozen protesters in Baghdad taken away by police Some beaten

View Iraq History Timeline

Security In Iraq, Nov 8-14, 2017

The greatly improved security environment continued for another week in Iraq. From Nov 8-14, there were less than 100 incidents, but the number of dead was very high due to another mass grave being discovered.

This Day In Iraqi History – Nov 16

1914 British forces attacked Ottomans in Zain, Basra

1918 UK commissioner for Iraq Arnold Wilson wrote that Iraqis were happy with British

            occupation

1922 PM Gaylani’s second govt resigned

1930 Iraqi parliament ratified new Anglo-Iraq treaty ending British mandate but

            maintained British influence

1961 Mustafa Barzani asked for UN aid to Kurds

1980 Iraq sent letter to the Iran saying Baghdad was still following 1975 Algiers

            Accord on Shatt al-Arab and Tehran was violating it 

2004 Major fighting in 2^nd Battle of Fallujah said to be over

2005 Cheney said people that claimed US lied about causes of Iraq war undermined the troops

2005 White House rebutted NYTimes editorial that questioned pre-war WMD argument

            for Iraq war

2005 Sunni MP Falluji accused Iraqi forces of carrying out sectarian extra judicial killings

2006 Rumsfeld asked Gen Casey what was going on with National Police Casey

            said training was doing good but not their performance

2014 IS posted video of execution of American aid worker Peter Kassig

View the Iraq History Timeline

Ninewa Politicians Settling Scores Rather Than Governing & Rebuilding

As soon as Mosul was liberated in July 2017, the Ninewa council moved against Governor Nufal Hamadi al-Akub. It took four months, but Akub was eventually removed from office. Similar situations have played out in other provinces that were once occupied by the Islamic State where politicians have decided to settle their scores after liberation. The problem is that these local officials should be restoring governance and rebuilding Ninewa, but instead are vying for power.

This Day In Iraqi History – Nov 15

1914 British troops began attack on Ottomans in Basra City

1924 Frontier Commission started demarcating border between Iraq and new nation of Turkey

1971 Baath issued Charter for National Action to try to draw Communists into govt

1986 Saddam told aides US wanted to keep Iraq and Iran balanced Was reason why US

            sold weapons to Iran in Iran-Contra scandal

2000 UK Foreign Office report Saddam felt like he was winning in breaking down sanctions

2001 Powell told Blair that after Afghanistan Right in US would push for bombing Iraq

2002 US asked UK and other allies for military support against Iraq

2002 Saudi Amb to US Bandar visited Bush Said Saudis wanted to know US intentions on Iraq

2002 Bush told Saudi Amb Bandar he would tell Saudis if he decided on war with Iraq

2003 CPA and Iraqi Governing Council agreed to return sovereignty to Iraq early by July 1 2004

2003 Pentagon claimed UnderSecDef Feith’s intel unit on Iraq-Al Qaeda ties was

            authorized by intel community but it wasn’t

2004 Heavy gun battles break out in Baquba Diyala between insurgents and US forces

2005 PM Jaafari admitted that prisoners found by US forces at secret prison in Baghdad were

            tortured

2005 Interior Min Gen Kamal claimed abuse done by inexperienced police and would lead

            to reform within ministry

2005 Secret prison was actually one of many run by Badr Interior Min forces throughout

            Baghdad

2005 28 Sunni men found shot in head in Jasan Diyala near Iranian border

2006 Amb Khalilzad said Maliki should be given more control over Iraqi forces and

            US should push him towards reconciliation

2006 White House staff began first day of Iraq strategy review

2007 Maliki said referendum on Kirkuk’s future would be held on this date Didn’t happen

View the Iraq History Timeline

Iraq’s Dilemma What To Do With Kirkuk’s Oil?

The Iraqi federal government recently asserted control over Kirkuk province, which had been run by the Kurds since 2003. That included taking several oil fields such as Bai Hassan and Avana that the Peshmerga seized in 2014 when they were abandoned by the North Oil Company in the face of the advancing Islamic State. Prime Minister Haidar Abadi now wants to diversify the outlets for the province’s petroleum, and has the Oil Ministry exploring several options.

This Day In Iraqi History – Nov 14

1963 Baath Sec Gen Sadi said 8 Baathist leaders had been ousted and that he was returning to

            Baghdad with Syrian Baathists

1980 Iraq offensive to take Susangard, Iran started

1991 Kurds announced tentative deal with Saddam to end blockade of Kurdistan in return for

            Peshmerga withdrawing from cities

1998 Iraq agreed to work with weapons inspectors after US threatened attack

2001 Def Policy Board head Perle speech at For Policy Research Institute Said Iraq behind 9/11

            and should be attacked

2001 Cheney said he knew 9/11 hijacker Atta met with Iraq intelligence in Prague in 2001

2002 UK For Sec Straw told cabinet UN Resolution 1441 authorized military action against Iraq

            without a 2^nd resolution

2002 UK intel report said Iraq accepted new weapons inspectors to avoid US led attack

            and would continue to hide its most important WMD programs

2003 Japan decided to hold off deploying troops to Iraq due to rising violence

2003 South Korea ordered its 464 troops in southern Iraq to suspend operations due to rising

            violence

2003 Denmark rejected call to send 100 more troops to Iraq due to rising violence

2003 US army intel report said insurgency successfully preventing CPA from providing

            safe and secure Iraq

2003 US army intel report said US failing in Iraq because relying upon conventional

            military tactics and didn’t understand Iraqi culture

2003 US army intel report said insurgents were targeting tribal structure in Iraq while

            US ignoring it

2004 Insurgents kidnapped wounded police from Mosul hospital and dismembered

            them Led to ½ of city’s police to quit

2004 Iraqi police commandos sent into Mosul to recapture police stations after all

            but one fell to insurgents in city

2004 Report UN official Sevan accused of getting kickbacks from Iraq under Oil for

            Food Program Told his staff not to investigate corruption

2005 Pentagon’s Insp Gen announced investigation into Pentagon intel unit on Iraq-

            Al Qaeda ties to see whether it did anything illegal

2006 National Police arrested 159 people from Higher Educ Min in Baghdad who were

            never seen again presumed killed

2013 US Natl Counterterrorism Center testified to Congress that ISIS was strongest since

            its peak in 2006

View the Iraq History Timeline

Human Cost Of The Mosul Campaign

The Mosul campaign, which lasted from October 2016 to July 2017 was the largest and most important battle against the Islamic State in Iraq. The fighting was some of the most intense the world had seen in decades, and broke the back of the militants as a conventional force that held territory in the country. The human toll was tremendous as well, and likely never to be fully accounted for due to Iraqi government censorship on casualties. Based upon daily media coverage from over 40 sources, along with human rights and United Nations reports a rough total can be estimated.

This Day In Iraqi History – Nov 13

1929 PM Sadoun shot himself due to criticism he faced over his performance

1963 Baath National Guard commander Wandawi began bombing Rasheed Camp

            while Guard rampaged through Baghdad

1963 Baath Sec Gen Sadi said party run by new 15 member council headed by Bakr

1981 UN Resolution 36/27 again criticized Israel’s destruction of Osirak nuclear

            reactor and said Israel should pay for damages

1982 Saddam ran informal referendum backed by pro-Saddam marches

1986 Rev Command Council meeting believed Israel was behind Reagan selling

            weapons to Iran in Iran-Contra scandal

1991 Saddam replaced Interior Minister Ali Hassan al-Majid with Wathban

            Ibrahim Hassan

1997 Iraq expelled US members of UN weapons inspectors accusing them of being spies

2002 Iraq accepted UN Resolution 1441 to allow UN weapons inspectors

2002 Blair said that goal of resolution was disarming Iraq not regime change

2002 Blair told UK cabinet that 1441 meant military action could be taken against

            Iraq in case of violations without a 2^nd resolution

2003 US forces launched Op Iron Hammer to hunt down insurgents in Baghdad

2005 US forces found 173 prisoners in secret prison in Baghdad run by Badr unit of

Interior Ministry Prisoners were tortured

2005 18 Sunni men found handcuffed blindfolded and shot in Baghdad

2006 Bush met Iraq Study Group Said Iraq part of ideological struggle in world

            Said US needed to back Maliki

2006 Iraq Study Group didn’t think Bush knew what victory in Iraq meant besides

            platitudes

2006 Iraq Study Group met with US Cmdr Iraq Gen Casey who said Iraqis had to

            eventually take control of own affairs

2006 US Iraq Cmdr Gen Casey told Iraq Study Group that sectarian violence

            problem in Iraq but Maliki only talked about Baathists

2006 Iraq Study Group met CIA Dir Hayden who said Maliki govt only talked about

            Baathists not sectarian violence

2006 CIA Dir Hayden told Iraq Study Group stable and democratic Iraq may not be

            possible

2013 Fallujah’s mayor killed by a sniper

View the Iraq Study Group

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 12

1914 British forces in Fao launched reconnaissance in force near Salhan, Basra

1927 Kurdish MP Rowanduzi said Shiites and Kurds both opposed govt conscription

1963 Baath founder Aflaq went to Iraq to solve internal Baath dispute Led to removal of

most leaders of 63 coup and rise of Arif within military

1968 68 coup member Nasir al-Hani special adv to Pres Bakr assassinated

1997 UN Resolution 1137 demanded Iraq allow full and unhindered weapons inspections

1997 Wall St Journal OpEd by David Wurmser called for US supporting INC and revolt in Iraq

1998 Iraq Amb to UN told military strike impending if did not agree to work with

            weapons inspectors again

2001 INC presented Iraqi defector Lami who claimed Iraq training terrorists at Salman

            Pak and had anthrax

2002 CENTCOM Cmdr Gen Franks said if US didn't act on Iraq it could acquire and

            use a nuclear weapon

2002 Lord Goldsmith told Foreign Sec Straw that he wasn't sure UN Resolution 1441

            would give legal basis for war with Iraq

2002 Straw told Goldsmith he thought 1441 meant Iraq had to comply or else

2002 NYTimes article claimed Iraq bought anti-WMD drugs as sign that it had WMD

            and was going to use it

2003 Zarqawi bombed Italian police in Nasiriyah killing 19 Italians 15 civilians and

wounding around 100

2003 Bush decided US should turn over sovereignty to Iraq early against CPA plan

2004 Marines attacked southern Fallujah 2^nd Battle of Fallujah

2004 Sec of State Powell told Bush and Blair weren’t enough ground forces in Iraq

            to secure country

2005 US Iraq Cmdr Gen Casey told Rumsfeld Iraq might take 9-13 yrs

 View the Iraq History Timeline