This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 28

1941 Mufti of Jerusalem Golden Square officers Rashid al-Gaylani had secret

meeting Decided to remove PM Hashemi if he insisted on ending relations with Italy

1941 Golden Square officers decided to replace PM Hashemi with Gaylani if he would

            not change policy on Italy

1963 Mulla Mustafa Barzani said Kurds would go back to fighting government if didn’t

            commit to Kurdish autonomy

1972 Iraq Petroleum Company came to terms with Baghdad over nationalization

            including compensation

1981 Iran told Islamic Conference Org that it wanted Iraq found aggressor and punished

            for Iran-Iraq War and withdrawal from territory

1981 Speaker Rafsanjani later told Islamic Conf Org Iran sure it would win war so

            didn’t want to negotiate

1987 Iraq ended one stage of war of cities after Soviet appealled and new arms deal

1987 During war of cities 1984-87 35 Iranian cities hit 3,000 dead 9,000 injured

            Baghdad and Basra hit 300 dead 1,000 wounded

1987 Ali Hassan al-Majid made governor of northern Iraq provinces and told to end

            Kurdish insurgency Would start Anfal Campaign

(Musings On Iraq article on Anfal campaign)

1990 Saddam warned of Israeli aggression backed by US at Arab Cooperation Council

            meeting

(Musings On Iraq article on Saddam’s motivation for threatening Israel before the Kuwait invasion)

1990 At Arab Cooperation Council Saddam demanded moratorium on loans from

            Gulf States and $30 bil investment by them to help Iraq rebuild

1990 Saddam said that if Gulf States did not provide money and help with debt he knew

            how to get it

1991 Bush announced that Kuwait was liberated and Iraq defeated in Gulf War Started

            ceasefire in war

1991 Saddam said that Iraq had succeeded in defeating the United States

1991 Jalal Talabani tried to tell State Dept of impending Kurdish revolt but was turned

            away

1992 Iraqi army attacked Peshmerga in Kalak

1999 General uprising in southern Iraq planned following Saddam’s killing of

            Ayatollah Sadiq al-Sadr

2002 Blair told Australian TV Iraq was a threat because it had WMD

2002 Gen Franks delivered target list for air strikes in Iraq to Rumsfeld

2003 Iraq agreed to destroy Samud II ballistic missiles that violated UN restrictions

2003 US attacked Iraq agreement to destroy Samud II missiles claiming it was just

            propaganda not real disarmament

2003 Rumsfeld said Iraq never cooperated with UN inspectors

2003 UN said found no evidence of active WMD programs in Iraq

2003 UN inspectors went to site CURVEBALL claimed was secret WMD facility

            for second time for samples Found nothing

2003 UN inspectors found small stock of mustard gas and some old WMD

            warheads and Iraq built 2 banned missiles

2003 UN inspectors said Iraq had not provided any new information to answer

            questions from 90s inspections

2003 State Dept said Iraq tried to buy aluminum tubes for its nuke program

(Musings On Iraq article on the aluminum tubes story)

2003 UK Def Min report said Coalition had to prevent security vacuum after invasion

            of Iraq and stop Al Qaeda from expanding into country

2003 UK Def Min note to Blair office said UK failed to influence US postwar Iraq

            planning & UK would have to deal with US decisions made for it

2003 ORHA head Garner made 1^st brief of postwar Iraq plans to Bush 1 month before

            war

2003 Defense Policy Board warned by peacekeeping expert Perito could be breakdown

            in law order right after invasion if Iraqi police didn’t go back to work

2003 Defense Policy Board told that US troops could not take over police duties after

            invasion because not trained

2004 Iraqi Governing Council said it would draft and approve an interim constitution

            Couldn’t agree on role of Islam

2004 Women’s delegation visited Iraqi Governing Council demanding interim

            constitution protect women’s rights

2005 Al Qaeda in Iraq suicide truck bomb on police and National Guard recruits in

            Hillah killed 127

2005 Annual State Department human rights report accused Iraqi security forces of

            rape torture and illegal arrests

2006 Prosecution presented Saddam’s order to executed 148 people in Dujail in 1982

            at his trial

2006 Report US warned about growing insurgency mid-03 and was largely Iraqi not

            foreigners Largely ignored by Bush admin

2006 DIA Dir Gen Maples told Senate Armed Services Comm as long as Sunnis were

            disenfranchised insurgency would continue

View the Iraq History Timelines

UN Inspectors and CIA Spying On Iraq In The 90s

On July 30, 2001, former U.N. weapons inspector chief Rolf Ekeus told Swedish Radio that the U.S. manipulated the inspections in the 1990s. Ekeus led the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) from 1991-97. He said that the U.S. spied upon the Iraqi security forces, tried to find the whereabouts of Saddam Hussein, and wanted to create crises that would justify American military action against Baghdad. At first, the U.S. was interested in disarming Iraq, but a year into the process as Saddam continuously refused to cooperate Washington decided to exploit the regime for its own purposes.

This Day In Iraqi History – Feb 27

1982 US removed Iraq from list of terrorist countries in step towards restoring relations

1984 Iran captured Majnoon Islands Was turning point in war

1984 Iraq bombed Iran’s main oil terminal Kharg Island Said it would continue to attack

            oil industry until Iran agreed to end war

1984 Iraq used leased French Super Entendard jets for 1^st time attacking two Iranian tankers

1988 Iraq fired missiles on Saqqez Iran killing 26

1991 Battle of Medina, Basra US 1^st Armored Div and 3^rd Inf Div defeated Iraq’s

Medina and Adnan Divs in largest tank battle of Gulf War

1991 Battle of Kuwait Airport US 1^st Mar Div took airport

1991 Pres Bush declared Kuwait liberated

1991 Voice of Free Iraq radio station aired broadcast calling on Iraqis to rise up against Saddam

1991 Joint Chiefs head Gen Powell said he was ready to recommend end of Gulf War

            in 24 hrs Bush said should end it now

1991 Bush offered ceasefire Iraq accepted it

1995 Car bomb in Zakho killed 76 PUK blamed Baghdad KDP blamed PUK

1996 Iraq provided new declaration on missile program with more info to UN inspectors

2001 Sec of State Powell got Arab states to agree to new smart sanctions on Iraq

2001 DepDefSec Wolfowitz told Senate US reviewing Iraq policy and how to work with

            groups like INC

2002 UK Def Min said govt had to consider military action against Iraq

2003 Saddam agreed to destroy Samoud 2 missiles found to violate range limitations

            by UN inspectors US and UK said Iraq playing games

2003 Wolfowtiz told House Comm admin had no estimates of costs of reconstructing

            Iraq and wouldn’t know until it got there

2003 Wolfowitz told House Comm calls for more troops to handle postwar Iraq were

            “outlandish”

2003 ORHA head Garner learned he only had $27 mil to run postwar Iraq

2003 UK Att Gen Goldsmith changed his position that UN Res 1441 alone could be

            legal basis for action against Iraq

2003 UK oil firms met with govt officials saying they thought US firms were getting

            deals for postwar Iraq over them

2003 State Dept paper said multiple sources claimed Iraq had mobile WMD labs

2003 State Dept analysis said creating democracy in Iraq would be difficult and likely

            undermined by internal and external issues

2003 CIA told Sen Levine that it didn’t believe Iraq-Niger uranium deal made but Iraq

            might have been interested in one in 1999

(Musings On Iraq article on Iraq-Niger uranium story)

2004 Deadline to finish Iraq’s interim constitution Transitional Administrative Law missed

2004 Fmr chief UN inspector Blix told Guardian he thought US spied on him

2007 Mahdi Army began attack on UK bases in Basra

2009 Pres Obama announced withdrawal plan for U.S. forces from Iraq by 2011

2011 Maliki set 100 day deadline to reform government in response to national protests

2011 After Imam gave speech at Sulaymaniya protest was arrested and beat by peshmerga

2011 Babil Gov Zarkani resigned after protests and pressure from Maliki

2012 Diyala governor forced to resign after supported autonomy for province

2012 Head of Election Commission said that it got forms to register voters for

            referendum on Salahaddin autonomy

2016 Sadr led demonstrations in Baghdad calling for ending corruption and reforming govt

View the Iraq History Timelines

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 26

1917 3 British gunboats fired upon by 4 Ottoman ships at Nahr-al-Kalek, Wasit

            3 Turkish ships sunk and 4^th captured

1983 Iran’s Op Fajr al-Nasr in Maysan to seize Basra-Baghdad road ended

1991 Saddam announced withdrawal from Kuwait Iraqi army started pulling out

1991 Saddam called on Iraqis to applaud the army for fighting 30 countries Claimed Iraq

            won and it was a great victory

1991 US 3^rd inf Div attacked 52^nd Armored Div 17 Div Adnan and Tawakalna Divs

1991 Battle of 73 Easting US 2^nd Arm Cav Rgt fought Iraq’s Tawakalna Div

1991 Battle of Norfolk US 1^st Arm Div UK 1^st Arm Div destroyed Iraq’s 26^th, 25^th, 31^st,

            48^th Divs and 52^nd Arm Div

1991 US aircraft began attacking retreating Iraqi forces from Kuwait on Highway of

            Death

1991 Iraq said it was willing to end annexation of Kuwait and pay reparations for a

            ceasefire in Gulf War and end of sanctions

1991 Bush admin officials said they wanted to keep sanctions on Iraq to provoke a coup

2002 Fmr Amb Wilson arrived in Niger to investigate Iraq trying to buy uranium

(Musings On Iraq article on Iraq-Niger uranium story)

2002 MI6 Chief Dearlove said US would demand weapons inspectors under conditions

            Saddam wouldn’t accept to justify military action

2003 Bush speech at American Enterprise Institute Said that Iraq was direct threat to US

            due to WMD and links to terrorists

2003 Bush said other nations would help rebuild Iraq and US would stay in Iraq as

            long as necessary but “not a day more”

2003 Bush said spreading democracy to Iraq would be an inspiration to Middle East

2004 Gen Taguba handed in his report on Abu Ghraib prison abuse case

2004 Ayatollah Sistnai dropped demand for elections to be held by 6/30/04 but said they

            had to happen by end of year

2007 Cabinet approved draft oil bill Never passed

2011 Riot police broke up demonstration in Sulaymaniya city 1 protester killed

2016 Sadrists joined Friday protests in Baghdad saying they would end support

            for Abadi if cabinet wasn’t reformed Said would storm Green Zone

2016 Kurdish Alliance said they would not give up their ministries to go along with

            Abadi’s reforms 

View the Iraq History Timelines

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 25

1984 Iraqis used mustard gas against Iranians to try to turn them back

            in southern marshes

1984 Iraq began offensive attacking Iran’s ports and oil facilities along with shipping in

            Persian Gulf

1991 Soviets offered another peace plan and Iraq accepted it

1991 Iraqi SCUD missiles hit US army barracks in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

            killed 28 and wounded over 100 Gulf War

1991 US 3^rd Inf Div attacked Iraq 26^th Inf Div and took 299 prisoners

1991 US Task Force 1-37 took HQ of Iraq’s 26^th Inf Div

1991 Radio Baghdad announced withdrawal from Kuwait

1991 Sec of State Baker Natl Sec Adv Scowcroft said if Saddam remained in power

            UN sanctions would stay in place

2002 1^st war game for Iraq invasion ran at Scott Air Force Base Illinois

2003 Army chief Gen Shinseki told Senate US needed several hundred thousand troops to

            successfully occupy Iraq

2003 Blair told CENTCOM cmdr Gen Franks UN had to play a major role in

            postwar Iraq

2003 Gen Franks told UK cmdr Adm Boyce US not thinking of WWII type Japanese

            or German rebuilding effort in Iraq

2003 Iraqi opposition meeting in Salahaddin, Irbil Couldn't agree on a govt in exile

2004 Insurgents killed deputy police chief in Mosul

2011 Day of Rage protests across Iraq 23 killed by security forces during protests

2011 protests in Hawija and Riyad led to police stations being burned and 3 police

killed

2011 Police broke up demonstrations in Irbil city

2011 Pres Talabani went to Kuwait independence day in 3^rd move to normalize

            relations between 2 countries

2011 Maliki forced out Basra Governor Abbud

View the Iraq History Timelines 

Iraq Continues To Rank As One Of Most Corrupt Countries In World

Transparency International released its annual “Corruptions Perceptions Index” report for 2017, and Iraq was again near the bottom of the list. Iraq was ranked the 12^th most corrupt country in the world. It received a score of 18 with 0 being the most corrupt and 100 being the least. Last year, Iraq was the 11^th most corrupt country with a score of 17. For the last several years, Iraq has received a similar low figure with 16 from 2013-2015 and 18 in 2012. Previously, Transparency International used a 0-10 score and Iraq was continuously in the bottom 10 nations. Transparency International used 13 differences sources from 12 different institutions to score countries in 2017. A nation must be included in at least three references to be placed on the list.

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 24

1917 British retake Kut from Ottomans in 2nd Battle of Kut

1921 Churchill met with French who argued against Feisal being put in power in

            Mesopotamia because of his record in Syria against France

(Musings On Iraq article on Churchill’s views on Mesopotamia)

1955 Iraq signed security treaty with Turkey which England eventually joined Would

            become anti-Communist Baghdad Pact

1955 Iraq got control of Habaniya and Shaiba air bases from England UK would come

            to aid of Iraq in war and continue with military supplies under Baghdad Pact

1984 Iran ended Ops Dawn 5 and 6 attacking Basra after just 9 days with few gains

1984 Iranians started Op Khaibar attacking Hawizeh Marshes in Basra

1986 2^nd Iraqi attempt to retake Fao from Iranians failed 10,000 Iraqis and

            30,000 Iranians killed

1986 Iran’s Wa al-Fajr 9 attacked Sulaymaniya to try to draw Iraqi forces away from

            Fao Peninsula Basra

1986 UN Resolution 582 deplored use of chemical weapons in Iran-Iraq War but

            didn’t say who was using them

1986 UN Resolution 582 also called for immediate cease-fire in Iran-Iraq War

1990 Saddam gave speech about liberating Jerusalem and warning US could take

            over Persian Gulf

1990 Saddam was trying to determine Israel’s policy towards Iraq before he decied

            to invade Kuwait

(Musings On Iraq article on Saddam’s motivation for threatening Israel before the Kuwait invasion)

1991 U.S. led Coalition attacked Iraqi ground forces to liberate Kuwait in Operation

            Desert Sabr

1991 US-Saudi Voice of Free Iraq began broadcasting calling on Iraqis to rise up and

            overthrow Saddam Allawi and Iraqi National Accord also part of radio station

1991 Saddam told aides that Coalition airpower would limit troop movement but

            Iraqi soldiers were better because of experience in Iran-Iraq War

1991 Saddam and aides believed that U.S. casualties would lead to end of Gulf War

2001 Powell said Iraq had not developed any significant WMD capability and UN

            sanctions worked

2002 CENTCOM intel staff completed first draft of intel estimate for Iraq invasion

2003 US UK Spain tabled 2nd draft resolution to UN saying Iraq had not taken

            opportunity to disarm 

2003 Russia France Germany tabled counter draft resolution at UN calling for step by

            step disarmament process in Iraq

2003 Turkish cabinet agreed to allow US forces to be deployed for Iraq invasion in

            return for $1 bil in aid

2003 Turkish Foreign Min asked US for $92 bil in aid and allowing Turkish troops into

            Kurdistan in return for US using Turkey for Iraq invasion

2003 CIA denied Newsweek story that Hussein Kamal claimed Iraq destroyed its

            WMD in 90s He did say that

2003 NSC meeting on Iraq oil sector Said US should not determine industry Went over

            rebuilding and getting sector back on line after war

2003 Bush told NSC important to get Iraqis to be seen running oil sector after war

2003 Bush worried about oil shocks due to invasion Saudis said they would handle prices

2003 US outlined general humanitarian relief plan for postwar Iraq including finances and

            implementation

2011 All universities and institutes in Irbil closed to stop student protests

2011 Kurdistan Students’ Union told students in Irbil had to end protests or all

            services at school would be closed to them

2011 Protests in Halabja turned violent as govt building burned and 3 died

2011 Kurdish protests spread to southern Kirkuk province

2014 ISIS released statement in Ninewa attacking Maliki and telling people not to vote in

            election

2016 Sources said Iran told Abadi he needed to keep Shiite quotas in any new govt

View the Iraq History Timelines 

Security In Iraq, Feb 15-21, 2018

The number of security incidents dropped slightly in Iraq during the third week of February 2018. That was due to a decline in violence in Diyala and Salahaddin. There were a high number of casualties however, which were caused by more mass graves with Islamic State victims being found.

This Day In Iraqi History – Feb 23

1946 Tawfiq Suwaidi became premier for 2^nd time

1959 Communists called for march in Mosul to counter rumors of military revolt

            against Gen Qassim there

(Musings On Iraq Interview with Prof Johan Franzen on the history of the Iraqi Communist Party)

1980 Start of major military operation against Kurds

1986 2^nd Iraq counterattack to re-capture Fao Peninsula Failed

1986 KDP launched preparatory attacks in Sulaymaniya to support Iranian offensive

            starting next day in area

1988 1^st Anfal Campaign targeted PUK HQ in Jafati Valley, Sulaymaniya

            Yakhsamar Sergalou Bergalou attacked

(Musings On Iraq article on Anfal campaign)

1991 Iraq said it agreed to Soviet peace plan and would withdraw from Kuwait

            unconditionally

1991 UN Security Council met Western countries said they weren’t interested in Soviet

            peace plan

1991 Bush ordered Gen Schwarzkop to expel Iraq from Kuwait

1994 Saddam diverted Tigris into southern marshes to put down rebels there

1996 Hussein and Saddam Kamal killed by uncle Ali Hassan al-Majid and members of

tribe after talked into returning to Iraq

1998 UN negotiated Iraq working with UN inspectors again including unrestricted visits,

            but didn’t work

1998 Bin Laden issued fatwa against US sanctions on Iraq and calling for attacks

            against it

1999 State Dept denied that US was using UN inspectors to spy on Iraq but it was

2004 UN Rep Brahimi report said earliest Iraq could hold elections was late 2004-early

            2005

2006 Iraqi govt ordered curfew in Baghdad Salahaddin Diyala Babil after Samarra

            bombing

2006 US report Sadr changed order to kill all Sunnis in east Baghdad Were to be

            taken to Sadr City to be executed instead

2006 US report Iraqi army and police assisting Mahdi Army to kill Sunnis in east

            Baghdad

2006 Insurgents stopped vehicles in Baquba and executed 47 people who were heading

            to protest against Samarra bombing

2006 Sunnis withdrew from talks with United Iraqi Alliance over new govt saying

            authorities were not preventing revenge attacks after Samarra bombing

2006 Sec Gen of Iraqi National Dialogue Front Hayan said revenge attacks after Samarra

            bombing were how a civil war started

2006 Assoc of Muslim Scholars said 168 Sunni mosques attacked 10 imams killed

            15 abducted after Samarra bombing

2006 Interior Min said 18 Sunnis mosques in Baghdad attacked 1 imam killed 1 kidnapped

2006 Study Iran supported Mahdi Army and violence in Iraq while backing Shiite

            parties and Iraqi govt

2007 US Special Forces arrested Ammar Hakim on trip back from Tehran Was only

            released upon protest of Gen Petraeus

2008 Sadr said he failed because US still occupying Iraq and many of his followers

            had left his movement

2011 National Reconciliation Min announced that 5 insurgent groups had agreed

            to join politics

2016 Kurdish Alliance said they didn’t support Abadi’s reform program and wanted

            their quota of positions in his new cabinet

View the Iraq History Timelines

Iraqi Army Supplied Pro-Iran Hashd With U.S. Abrams Tanks

In February 2018 the Pentagon’s Inspector General (IG) reported that pro-Iran Hashd groups had nine M1A1 Abrams tanks that were originally sold to the Iraqi army. The IG said that some of the tanks were taken by the Hashd from ISIS. During the end of 2017 a few of those tanks were returned to the Iraqi forces. According to a spokesman from the U.S. led Coalition that talked with The Daily Beast the Americans are working with Baghdad to ensure that all nine tanks are back in the army’s hands. The Daily Beast added that several of the nine Abrams were given to the Hashd by the same Iraqi military. That should have come as no surprise. The Abrams tank requires a huge supply chain. That includes 120mm smooth bore ammunition, technical teams to maintain the computer systems, etc. The Hashd do not have those capabilities unless they were supported by the Iraqi military. The Hashd had these tanks since at least 2015, and there was no way they could have kept them running unless the government forces were involved. The irony is that Prime Minister Haidar Abadi has had running feuds with these same pro-Tehran groups over his support of the U.S. and their role in the war against the Islamic State yet they still got some advanced tanks. Those same differences may mean that the Hashd are in no rush to give them back.

This Day In Iraqi History – Feb 22

1921 War Min Churchill wrote PM George that he thought an Arab govt should

            be created to run Mesopotamia for UK

(Musings On Iraq article on Churchill’s views on Mesopotamia)

1981 Iran rejected UN attempts to negotiate ceasefire as long as Iraqi troops were

            on Iranian territory

1984 Iraq’s attacks on Iranian cities stopped ending 1^st War of the Cities

1988 Iraq renewed war of cities by firing missiles at Tehran Iraq wanted to provoke

            UN to get involved again with peace talks

1991 Iraq set Kuwait oil fields on fire

1991 Report Saudis tried to organize Iraqi exiles for post-Saddam Iraq

1998 Newsweek poll showed US support for military action against Iraq dropped from

            40 to 18%

1999 SCIRI UK Rep Bayati said overthrowing Saddam should be done by Iraqis without

            outside interference

2003 Bush administration officially announced it was deploying forces for invasion

            Actually started Dec 02

2003 Spanish Pres Aznar visited Bush Had group call with Blair and Italian Premier

            Berlusconi Decided on 2^nd UN resolution on Iraq

2003 ORHA drill found US would not have enough troops for Iraq postwar security

2003 ORHA worried not enough funding for postwar Iraq that could leave behind

            unstable country

2003 ORHA found US had no plans for what kind of govt they wanted in Iraq and

            how to achieve it

2003 ORHA Dep Head thought US had faulty assumptions overly optimistic lacked

            reality on what postwar Iraq would be like

2005 Dawa’s Jaafari became UIA candidate for premier following Jan elections

2006 Zarqawi bombed Askari shrine in Samarra 25 Sunni mosques in Samarra 27

            in Baghdad attacked 3 imam killed 1 kidnapped

2006 US immediately got intel Zarqawi behind Askari shrine bombing Tunisian and

            4 Saudis from Al Qaeda in Iraq did bombing

2006 Tunisian Al Qaeda in Iraq bomber was arrested in June 2006 and explained

            attack

2006 US report Sadr gave orders to kill Wahabis in east Baghdad in retaliation for

            Samarra bombing Meant Sunnis

2006 Al Qaeda in Iraq blamed Baghdad and Shiite militias for Samarra bombing to

            incite attacks on Sunnis

2006 Other insurgent groups blamed Baghdad for Samarra bombing and claimed govt

            was allowing attacks upon Sunni mosques

2006 Sadr offices spread rumor that US military vehicles were seen around Samarra

            shrine before bombing to lay blame on US

2006 Iran blamed US for Samarra bombing

2006 Ayatollah Sistani called for 7 days of mourning peaceful protets and prohibited

            attacks upon Sunnis in wake of Samarra bombing

2006 SCIRI head Hakim blamed US for Samarra bombing claiming it gave aid to

            insurgents

2008 Sadr renewed his freeze on Mahdi Army

2011 Independent Nalya Radio and TV station was set afire in Sulaymaniya probably

            by KDP supporters

2015 Sadr called for followers to protests in Baghdad next Friday calling for reforms

View the Iraq History Timelines

A Short Or Long-Term Occupation Of Iraq

Former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq said there were two ideas within the Bush administration on post-war Iraq plans. One scenario was that the U.S. would quickly turn over power to Iraqis like what happened in Afghanistan. The other plan was much longer and consisted of the U.S. ruling Iraq and eventually transitioning over to an Iraqi government. President Bush was initially for the first concept as he was against nation building, but then quickly switched over to the long-term plan when the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) was created. That showed the president had no over-arching view of post-Saddam Iraq, and went with whatever his advisers at the time suggested.

This Day In Iraqi History – Feb 21

1922 UK Sec of War Evans told Foreign Office it should back King Faisal because

            that would allow UK to exit Iraq and escape expenses of running country

1984 Iraq warned that it could use chemical weapons against next Iranian offensive

1986 Iraq fired poison gas shells at Iranians in Fao Peninsula Bad weather dissipated

            effects

1991 Russia announced proposal for Iraq withdrawal from Kuwait in return

            for lifting of sanctions US rejected offer

1999 Govt killed 20 protesting assassination of Ayatollah Sadiq al-Sadr by Saddam

            and arrested 250 across Iraq

2002 Fmr Amb Joseph Wilson left for Niger to investigate Iraq buying uranium from it

(Musings On Iraq article on Iraq-Niger uranium story)

2003 ORHA staff met in DC to have run through their Iraq postwar plans

2003 Blair met Bush at Camp David to reaffirm their alliance to remove Saddam

2004 Report US did not brief UN inspectors on 21 of 105 WMD sites in Iraq US claimed

            it gave info on all sites

2004 UN Secretary General Annan said UN was ready to assist Iraq with elections but

            couldn’t happen before end of June 2004

2006 PBS Frontline show “The Insurgency” said Iraqi insurgency expanded and

            Islamists replaced former regime members as leaders

2008 Op Sun 800 Turkish troops entered Kurdistan to attack PKK

2011 Group of men attacked protesters in Baghdad’s Tahrir Square while police looked on

2015 National Alliance MPs complained that Abadi didn’t consult with them about his

            reforms

2015 Sadrists said Abadi missed great chance to reform country Sadrists had been

            Abadi’s main supporters

View the Iraq History Timelines

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 20

1940 Gen Umari Mosul garrison commander attempted coup rather than be forced

            to resign by Regent Put down by Golden Square officers

1969 Bakr govt executed opponents in central Baghdad

1985 US and Soviet officials met to discuss ways to end Iran-Iraq War Nothing

            came of it

1991 US 1^st Cav Div launched large attack into Iraq Engaged 7 Iraqi divisions

            to deceive Iraqis on where invasion would come from

1995 KDP and PUK resumed fighting in Rawandaz ending ceasefire

1996 Hussein Kamal and brother Saddam Kamal accepted pardon from Saddam

            and returned to Iraq Were later killed

1998 UN Sec Gen Annan met with Saddam to try to restart UN weapons inspections

1998 U.N. report said Iraq’s electricity situation was in dire straights

1998 UN Res 1153 increased Iraq’s exports from $2 bil in oil each 6 months to $5.2 bil

            and expanded imports from food and medicine to infrastructure needs

1999 Supreme Council accused govt of killing Ayatollah Mohammed Sadiq al-Sadr

2002 Secret CIA team entered Kurdistan to prepare for ops inside Iraq called

            Northern Iraq Liaison Elements

2002 CIA gave fmr Amb Johseph Wilson talking points for his trip to Niger to

            investigate Iraq-Niger uranium deal

(Musings On Iraq article on Iraq-Niger uranium story)

2002 UK Joint Intel Comm chief Scarlett briefed For Sec Cook on Iraq’s WMD Cook

            thought Iraq didn’t have capability for large scale WMD attack

2003 Chief UN Inspector Blix told Blair intelligence he’d gotten wasn’t great and

            maybe Iraq didn’t have much WMD

2003 UN sources told press US intel on Iraq WMD was not turning up anything

2003 Report interviews with Iraqi scientists by inspectors had not turned up any evidence

            of a nuclear program

2012 Saudi Arabia named its Jordan Ambassador as non-resident ambassador to Iraq as

            relations were slowly improving

2013 Iraq signed deal to build natural gas pipeline from Iran across Iraq to Syria

2016 Abadi said financial crisis meant reforms needed Called for end of quota

            system in govt

2016 Sadr created committee to nominate technocrats for Abadi’s new cabinet

 View the Iraq History Timelines 

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 19

1949 PM Said said Jews had been mistreated in Iraq and warned that things

            could get worse for them due to Israel

1963 New Arif govt started talks with Mustafa Barzani and KDP to end Kurdish

rebellion

1986 US condemned Iraq’s use of chemical weapons against Iran in Fao Peninsula

            in Basra Iran-Iraq War

1987 NSC official said US attempted to assist Iraq in Iran-Iraq War without

            providing it with arms

1990 Saddam demanded that US warships leave the Persian Gulf

1991 US 1^st Cav division launched probing attack into Iraq

1995 Saddam representatives met with bin Laden in Sudan who asked for

            broadcast of jihadist lectured and asked for joint ops against Saudis

1995 Iraq-bin Laden meeting confirmed in Iraqi intel report Only confirmed meeting

            between two sides

1996 Saddam’s son-in-law Hussein Kamal sent letter to Iraq asking about returning to

            country after defected to Jordan

1998 Blair said UN weapons inspections had to continue or action would be taken against

            Iraq

1998 Comm for Peace and Security in the Gulf publishes letter to Clinton saying US

            should overthrow Saddam

1998 Report Al Qaeda operative was to travel to Iraq to talk with govt False story

1999 Followers of Ayatollah Sadr met in Saddam City after his assassination by govt

Fired upon by army 80 killed Led to more protests

2002 CIA met with fmr Amb Joseph Wilson to ask if he would go to Niger to

            investigate alleged Iraq yellowcake deal  

(Musings On Iraq article on Iraq-Niger uranium story)

2003 ORHA head Garner briefed Natl Sec Adv Rice to use Iraqi army and police to

            help rebuilding Iraq after war

2004 UN endorsed CPA’s timetable for transferring power back to Iraqis in June 2004

2004 CPA had to abandon idea of unelected caucuses choosing interim govt to

            write new Iraq constitution

2011 Sulaymaniya protesters went to KDP headquarters to protest shooting of

            demonstrators on Feb 17

2017 Attack on West Mosul began by Iraqi forces

View the Iraq History Timelines

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 18

1940 PM Said resigned over growing problems with pan-Arabist Golden

            Square officers

1940 PM Said wanted Gaylani to become PM and he would become Foreign Minister to

            maintain pro-British policies

1940 Golden Square objected to Gaylani govt because it would include Said and

            Gen Hashemi Went to Regent calling for their exclusion from new govt

1940 Regent disagreed with Golden Square officers over new govt and made Gen

            Umari Mosul garrison commander retire as a result

1984 UN negotiated deal for Iran and Iraq to stop attacking civilian areas

            Didn’t last

1991 Tariq Aziz went to Moscow and accepted Soviets unconditional withdrawal plan

            from Kuwait Then demanded end to all UN sanctions and resolutions

1999 Ayatollah Mohammed Sadiq al-Sadr assassinated by Saddam

(Musings On Iraq interview with Univ of Haifa’s Prof Baram on legacy of Ayatollah Sadiq al-Sadr)

1999 Fmr CIA counterterrorism officer Cannistraro said Iraqis met bin Laden in

            Dec 98 False story

2002 US Embassy in Niger said new details on Iraq-Niger uranium deal

            meant a new look into story was needed

(Musings On Iraq article on Iraq-Niger uranium story)

2005 Al Qaeda in Iraq suicide bombers hit Shiite pilgrims in Kadhimiya

2007 Blair announced plants to cut British troop strength in Iraq from 7000 to 4000

View the Iraq History Timelines

Iraq Has Highest Oil Revenue Since Sep 2014

Iraq’s oil production and exports have continued to climb throughout the last year. That has coincided with an increase in international oil prices. Together that led Baghdad to earn the most money in January 2018 since the fall of 2014.

This Day In Iraqi History – Feb 17

1917 British crossed Shumran bend outflanking Ottoman forces in campaign to recapture Kut

1981 UN Rep Palme went to Iran and Iraq for 3^rd time to try to negotiate ceasefire

1995 Temporary ceasefire made between PUK and KDP during civil war

1998 Clinton told Pentagon US had to stop Iraq from getting WMD and nuclear weapons

2003 U2 spy planes began flying over Iraq for UN weapons inspectors

2003 Turkish parliament delayed vote to allow deployment of US troops for Iraq invasion

            due to domestic opposition

2003 IAEA found that Iraq-Niger uranium docs were fakes

(Musings On Iraq article on Iraq-Niger uranium story)

2008 2 car bombs at Awakening meeting in Anbar kill more than 20

2011 Protests in Sulaymaniya began demanding reform in KRG Attacked KDP HQ Fired upon by

            guards killing 2

2012 Mahoum Sarkhi offices set on fire Blamed on followers of Ayatollah Sistani

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Security In Iraq, Feb 8-14, 2018

Security has remained steady in Iraq since the start of the new year. Nearly every week there has been around 60 incidents. That was slightly above the rate seen at the end of 2017. The main cause of the increase was an uptick in attacks in Baghdad, followed by occasional outbursts in Diyala, Kirkuk, Ninewa and Salahaddin.

This Day In Iraqi History – Feb 16

1917 British defeated Ottoman forces at Dahra Bend

1979 Saddam said unifying Iraq and Syria was part of the Arab revolution

1979 Saddam said Iraq would respect choice of the Iranian people with their revolution

1984 Iran cut Basra-Baghdad highway between Maysan and Wasit

1989 Iraq formed Arab Cooperation Council with Egypt Jordan Yemen to counter

            Gulf Cooperation Council

1991 US troops destroyed Iraqi radar facility while Apache helicopters conducted raid

            in depth behind Iraqi lines in Iraq

1992 Defense Secretary Cheney said that if U.S. had overthrown Saddam would have to

decide what kind of govt to establish Would have been hard to capture Saddam

1992 Def Sec Cheney said if US had overthrown Saddam would have to decide how many

casualties willing to take How many troops would have to stay in Iraq to keep govt going

2001 Bush told speechwriter David Frum that he was going to get rid of Saddam  

2001 UK Attorney Gen Lord Williams approved air attacks out of no fly zones

            in Iraq for self defense

2001 US and UK planes bombed 20 radar and command and control centers in Iraq 

2002 Bush signed secret NSC directive calling for covert action against Iraq by CIA

            Had budget of $189 mil for 2 years

2002 CIA plan included supporting Iraqi opposition Sabotage missions inside Iraq

            Working with other countries Information campaign vs Iraq

2002 CIA plan included attacking Iraqi revenue sources and disrupting its smuggling

            operations

2003 Rice claimed Iraq was deceiving UN weapons inspectors

2004 Report Iraqi and US sources said Iraqi forces would not be able to provide

            security after sovereignty transferred to Iraq

2004 CIA said it still believed Iraqi defector CURVEBALL was credible source for

            intel that Iraq had mobile WMD labs Turned out to be false source

2006 Sec State Rice told Senate oil production and electricity below postwar levels in

            Iraq

2006 Sec State Rice told Senate initial problems with rebuilding Iraqi security forces

            fixed and as Iraqi forces stood up US forces would do less

2006 Sec Def Rumsfeld told House US was not in Iraq to do nation building that was up

            to Iraqis to do that

2010 ISI set off 4 suicide car bombs targeting hotels in Baghdad where foreign press

            stayed

2011 Maliki visited Kuwait after Kuwait premier visited Iraq in 1^st high level meet

            between 2 countries since 1990

2016 Allawi said no reason to remove cabinet until Abadi presented a strategic plan

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