This Day in Iraqi History – May 10

1923 Sir Henry Dobbs wrote US Consul in Iraq that King Faisal was not a strong

            leader and he expected trouble from his rule

1941 New German ambassador to Iraq arrived in Mosul with 2 He 111 bombers

1941 Iraqis abandoned Fort Rutba allowing British to capture it

1941 UK India commander Gen Auchinlek advocated occupying Baghdad Mosul Kirkuk

            to preclude German intervention

1941 UK Mid-East commander Gen Wavell told Auchinlek that Iraq not as important

            as other fronts and he had limited resources

1941 British commander in Middle East Gen Wavell ordered that Baghdad was not to

            be occupied

1950 Grenade thrown at car company owned by Jews in Baghdad 4 injured 2^nd of 7 such

            attacks on Jews 1950-51

1950 Iraq prosecuted Jews for grenade attacks claiming Zionist plot to get Jews to move

to Israel Opponents argued most Jews already leaving Iraq so no need to scare them

1967 PM Naji Talib forced to resign by military Pres Abdul Rahman Arif became

            premier

1976 New Kurdish rebellion led by PUK started Kurds backed by Soviet Union, Syria,

            Iran, Libya

1991 Iraq rejected US French UK proposal for international police force to deploy

            to Kurdistan

2002 Gen Franks discussed war plans with Rumsfeld who was afraid Iraq might take

            initiative and launch a pre-emptive attack

2002 Gen Franks briefed NSC on Middle Eastern countries and their role in

            invasion plans

2002 CIA briefing book on Iraq’s WMD mentioned Iraq-Niger uranium deal

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

2003 Ayatollah Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim head of SCIRI returned to Iraq from Iran

2003 Outgoing ORHA head Garner flew to Qatar to brief incoming CPA head Bremer

            on situation in Iraq

2003 US forces surrounded Iranian opposition group Mujahadeen e-Khalq camp and

            demanded they disarm

2004 Human Rights Min Turki told Guardian Bremer warned in 2003 about prisoner

            abuse by US soldiers

2004 Blair denied he knew about British forces abusing Iraqi prisoners

2005 Parliament created 55 member constitution drafting committee but with no

            Sunni members

2008 Sadr announced ceasefire ending most fighting in Baghdad Led to many

            Special Groups and Asaib Ahl Al-Haq to flee to Iran

2008 Op Lion’s Roar started in Mosul after Charge of Knights ended

2010 Kurdish list in Ninewa said open to deal with Hadbaa to join provincial council

            which Kurds had boycotted since 09

2010 ISI carried out coordinated car bombings in Baghdad Hillah Iskandiriya Basra

2010 Iranian helicopters attacked Kurdish villages and got into shootout with

Peshmerga trying to target PJAK

2011 Analyst est Iraq had lost $493 bil 03-11 due to bad administration planning and

            project delays

2011 Army chief of staff Gen Zebari said US withdrawal would be bad for security in

            Iraq because ISF not ready to defend country until 2020

2011 Allawi released insulting letter to Maliki

2011 Protest in Mosul demanding US withdrawal release of prisoners govt reform

2012 KRG complained about Maliki holding cabinet meeting in Kirkuk Listed all

            grievances with Baghdad over oil Article 140 etc

2012 KRG Natural Resource Min said if Baghdad didn’t deliver regions’ share of

            budget it would truck oil for exports independently

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