Kataib Hezbollah’s Role Along The Iraq-Syrian Border: Security Profits Supporting Iran

Kataib Hezbollah base in Qaim hit by US (Reuters)

On December 29 the United States hit three Kataib Hezbollah bases in western Anbar in the Qaim district in retaliation for a rocket attack upon a base in Kirkuk that killed a U.S. contractor along with two Iraqi policemen. Kataib Hezbollah has been in Qaim since 2017 when it was liberated from the Islamic State. Afterward the group banned families from returning claiming they were creating a security zone along the border with Syria. It wasn’t only interested in fighting the Islamic State however it moved its men back and forth into Syria to support Iran and the Assad regime. It also set up its own informal border crossing into Syria, which it ran for a profit taxing the vehicles passing through, as well as smuggling goods between the two countries. When the Qaim border point officially re-opened in September 2019 it operated that as well opening up another opportunity to make money. This was not the first time Kataib Hezbollah had suffered an air strike and casualties in that district either as it was hit likely by the Israelis in August 2019 killing two and wounding another.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 31

1920 High Commission Sir Cox reported that many sheikhs of large confederations

supported Mandate and didn't want an Iraqi govt

(Musings On Iraq book review Inventing Iraq: The Failure of Nation Building and a History Denied)

1980 Attacks upon Iranian oil facilities and ports cost it $6 bil in 1980 Attacks on Iraqi oil facilities

and ports cost $4 bil

1981 End of 1^st yr of Iran-Iraq War 22,000 Iraqi 38,000 Iranian dead

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Anthony Tucker-Jones on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Tom Cooper on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review Iran-Iraq War, The Lion of Babylon, 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War)

2002 UN inspector told press they were finding no evidence of Iraq’s WMD and Western intel

providing nothing substantive

(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)

2003 Bush said couldn’t tell whether Iraq had a nuclear weapon or not

(Musings On Iraq article on how poor US intel work led to claim Iraq rebuilt its nuclear weapons program)

2003 3 dead 20 wounded after Arabs and Turkemn stormed PUK office in Kirkuk

2007 Iraqi govt reported 16,232 civilians deaths in 07 up from 12,360 in 06

2007 Deadline to hold referendum on future of disputed territories under Constitution’s Article 140

passed

2007 Deadline for committee to revise Iraqi constitution missed Was 4^th time delayed Never finished

job

(Musings On Iraq interview with constitutional scholar Zaid al-Ali on Iraq’s constitution)

2007 Report Govt had hired 150,000 police from Sep to Dec 07 8 provinces asked for 45,000 more police

Most had no training Interior Min only agreed to 12,000

2011 US withdrew forces from Iraq under Status of Forces Agreement

(Musings On Iraq book review The United States And Iraq Since 1990: A Brief History with Documents)

(Musings On Iraq book review Quicksilver War, Syria, Iraq and the Spiral of Conflict)

2011 Asaib Ahl Al-Haq and Sadrists got into gunfight in Sadr City and Kadhimiya Baghdad

(Musings On Iraq article on history of Asaib Ahl Al-Haq)

2013 Anbar council negotiated withdrawal of 2 ISF units from Ramadi to try to control protests and

fighting

2013 PM Maliki said he would withdraw ISF from cities in Anbar after closed protest sites led to fighting

2013 Speaker Nujafi announced Mutahidun withdrawing from govt to protest PM Maliki shutting down

Ramadi protest site

(Musings On Iraq article on PM Maliki crackdown on Anbar protests)

2013 10 houses in Babil’s Jurf al-Sakhr blown up by ISI forcing 84 families to flee

2013 Army base outside Ramadi hit by rockets Base in Baghadi Anbar shot at Police station in

Ramadi taken over 2 army bases in Haditha and Baghdadi overrun

(Musings On Iraq article on insurgent offensive in Anbar)

(Musings On Iraq article on aftermath of shutting down Anbar protest sites)

View the Iraq History Timelines

US Retaliates Against Kataib Hezbollah Raising Question Of What Comes Next?

US struck 5 Kataib Hezbollah camps in Iraq and Syria (Reuters)

 

On December 29, the U.S. fired missiles at three Kataib Hezbollah bases in Iraq and two in Syria. Kataib Hezbollah claimed that 25 of its fighters including a brigade commander and 51 others were wounded in Anbar. Reportedly, three Iranians lost their lives as well. This was the first time that the Trump administration responded to Iranian provocation in Iraq.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 30

1959 Qasim govt passed Law of Personal Status Equalized inheritance for men and women

Restricted polygamy Set legal marrage age at 18

2002 For Sec Straw and Sec of State Powell thought UN inspections would not provide

smoking gun against Iraq so alternatives needed

2002 UN inspectors said they had gone to all major suspected WMD sites and found nothing

(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)

2002 Report Reagan admin and its Middle East envoy Rumsfeld did nothing while Iraq used WMD

in Iran-Iraq War

2002 NYTimes article said CIA looking into Iraq buying smallpox from a Russian scientist

2003 White House meeting on what to do about Governing Council going to UN to ask them with

help to transition to sovereignty White House decided they would try to block any UN plans for Iraq because wanted to keep control of process Meeting then turned to security VP Cheney said he wanted to eliminate Sadr

2005 Oil Min Uloom put on leave after opposing govt plan to increase prices on gas and cooking oil

Replaced by Dep PM Chalabi

2005 South Korea’s parliament okayed plan to withdraw 1/3 of its forces from Iraq Korea had 3^rd

largest Coalition force in Iraq

2006 Iraqi govt hanged Saddam Hussein while Sadrists taped it and chanted Moqtada

2006 Naqshibandi insurgent group formed by Baathists

2007 Basra police chief escaped 2 IEDs Was 7^th attempt on his life since Jun 07

2009 British hostage Peter Moore released by Asaib Ahl Al-Haq in return for release of leader Qais

Khazali Moore and 4 bodyguards kidnapped from Fin Min building Baghdad in May 2007 Op planned by Iran’s Rev Guard Brits were held in Iran for most of 2 year captivity 4 bodyguards were killed

(Musings On Iraq Iranians Planned Kidnapping And Held British Captives Taken In Iraq) 

(Musings On Iraq interview with Naval Postgraduate School’s Ostovar on history of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard)

(Musings On Iraq book review Vanguard of the Imam, Religion, Politics, and Iran’s Revolutionary Guard)

2009 2 suicide bombers hit provincial council building in Ramadi killing 27 and injuring 100

including Gov Fahadawi

(Musings On Iraq Voter Dissatisfaction Growing In Anbar?)

2013 Anbar sheikhs gave govt 12 hour ultimatum to release MP Alwani arrested by PM Maliki

2013 PM Maliki used death of army’s 7^th Div cmdr to order Ramadi and Fallujah protest camps to be

closed Led to call to arms in Fallujah Closure helped insurgency to return

2013 Gunmen appeared in Fallujah after protest site there closed setting up checkpoints and fighting

with ISF Some mosques in Ramadi called for jihad Police cars seized in Ramadi and burned Clashes in Hit

(Musings On Iraq article on PM Maliki crackdown on Anbar protests)

(Musings On Iraq article on aftermath of shutting down Anbar protest sites)

2013 Army base east of Fallujah hit by mortars as part of new insurgent offensive

(Musings On Iraq article on insurgent offensive in Anbar)

View the Iraq History Timelines 

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 29

1979 US placed Iraq on list of State Sponsors of Terrorism for backing Palestinian terrorist

Abu Nidal and others

1981 Syria said it would start talks with Iran to try to end Iran-Iraq War

1988 Iran-Iraq agreed to joint commission to implement ceasefire to end war

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Anthony Tucker-Jones on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Tom Cooper on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review Iran-Iraq War, The Lion of Babylon, 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War)

1990 Joint Chief head Gen Powell told CENTCOM Cmdr Gen Schwarzkopf to be ready to start Gulf

War by 1/17/91

1996 Dawa announced campaign to assassinate top Iraqi officials

2002 US Senate authorized war against Iraq

2003 Iraqi Governing Council voted to replace family laws with sharia

2005 Zarqawi took responsibility for rocket attack on Israel Said he was fulfilling promise to bin Laden

2005 US military found 3 more secret prisons run by Badr within Interior Ministry where torture used

(Musings On Iraq interview with Jerry Burke police and Interior Min adviser on how Badr took over Interior Ministry)

2006 Military Times did poll of its military subscribers Found 50% thought success possible in Iraq

Down from 83% in 2004 42% said they disapproved of Bush’s handling of the war versus 35% who approved 41% said US should have gone to war with Iraq in the first place Down from 65% in 2003 13% said US should have no troops in Iraq

2007 bin Laden video said that insurgency had to rally around ISI Criticized Awakening and those

undermining the jihad

2013 Head of Anbar council called for end of Ramadi protests in exchange for govt releasing MP

Alwani

(Musings On Iraq article on PM Maliki crackdown on Anbar protests)

2016 2^nd phase of Battle of Mosul officially began attacking east side of city Attack actually began

Dec 24

(Musings On Iraq article on 2^nd phase of Battle of Mosul)

(Musings On Iraq Review They Will Have to Die Now: Mosul and the Fall of the Caliphate)

(Musings On Iraq Review Shatter the Nations, ISIS and the War for the Caliphate)

View the Iraq History Timelines 

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 28

1929 Fmr Iraq High Comm Dobbs said if Iraq moved forward in its own dysfunctional way

and was better off than it was under Ottomans England would have succeeded

1998 US began attacks upon Iraqi air defense system in north as part of no fly zones

1998 Italian paper claimed Saddam and bin Laden made pact to act against US and Iraq offered

Saddam safe haven False story

2001 Gen Franks presented Bush with latest version of Iraq war plan Included 7 lines of operation

that could be used independently or in conjunction and 9 parts of Iraq that could be targeted Franks wanted to start building up US forces in Gulf and information campaign immediately Franks said that US would be ready for war with Iraq by April to June 2002 Franks also wanted US to start working with Iraqi opposition inside Iraq

(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)

2001 CIA Dir Tenet said Iraqi opposition wouldn't work with US without seeing strong commitment

from Washington

2001 Bush asked Gen Franks if plan good enough to win Franks said yes with some work

2001 Bush told Gen Franks he wanted Saddam removed as soon as possible and suggested 2002 for

            war

(Musings On Iraq Review Hubris, The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal, And The Selling Of The Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Bush Administrations and Saddam Hussein, Deciding on Conflict)

2001 Bush ordered State and Defense Depts to start building up support amongst regional countries

for Iraq invasion

2001 Def Sec Rumsfeld told Bush Iraq war would be over fast and quick US would quickly turn over power

to Iraqis and withdraw

(Musings On Iraq article on Part I Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Hard Lessons Planning for Postwar Iraq September 2001 to May 2003)

2001 Pentagon’s Def Policy Board’s Richard Perle OpEd in NY Times said US had to attack Iraq

(Musings On Iraq book review Wanting War: Why the Bush Administration Invaded Iraq)

2002 Report NSC Sr Dir Near East Abrams drafted plan for US to seize control of Iraq’s southern oil

fields

2003 Iraqi Governing Council wrote letter to UN about CPA’s plans to hold caucuses instead of

elections for new Iraq parliament

2004 Bin Laden online statement praised Zarqawi giving him allegiance

(Musings On Iraq interview with former CIA analyst Nada Bakos who tracked Zarqawi)

2005 UN endorsed December elections for a permanent Iraqi parliament

2006 Report Mahdi Army moving block by block across Ghaziliya Baghdad forcing out Sunnis Many

displaced Sunnis moved to center of district where sheikh set up militia to protect them from Mahdi Army

(Musings On Iraq book review Voices From Iraq, A People’s History, 2003-2009)

(Musings On Iraq Columbia University Charts Sectarian Cleansing Of Baghdad)

2006 NSC agreed that Gen Petraeus would be new Iraq commander for Surge

(Musings On Iraq interview with Prof Mansoor on the Surge)

(Musings On Iraq interview with New America Foundation’s Ollivant On Reassessing the Surge)

2010 PM Maliki said no changes would be made to the SOFA agreement with the US and all its

troops would leave Iraq

2010 Sadrist Dway became governor of Maysan in return for Sadr’s support for Maliki’s 2^nd term

(Musings On Iraq article on Sadr-Maliki quid pro quo Maysan governorship for 2^nd term for Maliki)

2012 Protests spread from Fallujah to Diyala Ninewa and Salahaddin in response to PM Maliki issuing

warrant for Fin Min Issawi

(Musings On Iraq article on PM Maliki’s moves against Fin Min Issawi)

2013 PM Maliki ordered arrest of MP Alwani for taking part in protests Gun battle ensued killing

Alwani’s brother and some of his bodyguards

(Musings On Iraq article on PM Maliki crackdown on Anbar protests)

2013 Speaker Nujafi said arrest of MP Alwani illegal due to parliamentary immunity Called for

investigation

2013 Speaker Nujafi’s parliamentary investigative group into arrest of MP Alwani blocked from

entering Anbar by ISF

2013 PM Maliki ordered arrest of Sheikh Sulaiman for his role in Anbar protests Sulaiman fled to Irbil

(Musings on Iraq article on warrant for Sheikh Sulaiman)

2013 Curfew imposed in Ramadi

2014 Iran announced Iranian Rev Guard Gen Taqavi died in Salahaddin fighting IS 5^th IRGC

member killed in Iraq during war

(Musings On Iraq article on death of IRGC general)

(Musings On Iraq interview with Naval Postgraduate School’s Ostovar on history of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard)

(Musings On Iraq book review Vanguard of the Imam, Religion, Politics, and Iran’s Revolutionary Guard)

2015 Iraqi forces freed Ramadi

2016 Last bridge crossing Tigris in Mosul destroyed by Coalition airstrike to prevent IS retreating

from eastern to western section of city

2017 KRG PM Barzani said that PM Abadi was punishing the Kurds and unwilling to compromise

while Maliki was offering reconciliation Came afer Maliki gave interview to Rudaw saying that Baghdad-Irbil relations needed to be improved

(Musings On Iraq article on Maliki-KDP reconciliation) 

View the Iraq History Timelines 

Iraq’s President Threatens To Resign Over Unpopular Nominations For Premier

Protest in southern Iraq against nomination of Basra Gov Eidani for PM (Al Mirbad)

The pro-Iran Bina bloc headed by the Badr Organization’s Hadi Amiri has proposed one unpopular candidate for premier after another. President Barham Salah has rejected both fearing that they would only inflame the street more. In protest he offered his resignation claiming that he’s gotten contradictory information about which coalition represents the largest bloc in parliament, and thus has the right to name the next prime minister.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 27

1945 Regent of Iraq gave speech promising political reform improved social security fighting

employment redistribution of wealth

(Musings On Iraq book review of ‘Independent Iraq’ The Monarchy & British Influence, 1941-1958 on Said govt)

1986 Iraq counterattack recaptured Um al-Rassas island in Basra Ended Iran Op Karbala 4

            Iran lost 800 dead 200 prisoners Iraq lost 800 dead 2000 wounded

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Anthony Tucker-Jones on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Tom Cooper on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq book review Iran-Iraq War Volume 3: Iraq’s Triumph)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review Iran-Iraq War, The Lion of Babylon, 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War)

1990 100 congressmen asked Bush to give Iraq sanctions chance to work

1993 State Dept accused Iraq of indiscriminate shelling/bombing burning villages and executions in

southern marshes

2001 Gen Franks briefed Rumsfeld on war planning

(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)

2003 Attacks on govt buildings and foreign troop bases in Karbala killed 19 wounded 120

2004 Al Jazeera aired bin Laden tape calling Zarqawi the prince of Al Qaeda in Iraq Bin Laden said

focus of the Islamic world was war against US in Iraq

(Musings On Iraq interview with former CIA analyst Nada Bakos that tracked Zarqawi)

2004 Iraqi Islamic Party withdrew from January 2005 election saying violence made vote impossible

2005 Al Qaeda in Iraq fired 2 rockets from south Lebanon into Israel

2005 Kurdish Col in army’s 2^nd Div in Ninewa said unit would not allow Def Min to add Arab

soldiers to division

2006 Frederick Kagan and Ret Gen Jack Keane wrote OpEd in Wash Post arguing for troop Surge in

Iraq that they conceived

(Musings On Iraq interview with Prof Mansoor on the Surge)

2007 Report Islamists running many US prisons Camp Bucca indoctrinating prisoners into Islamism ISI

members went after Anbar tribal members in prison blaming them for Awakening

2008 3,000 marched in Basra city demanding province be turned into a federal region

(Musings On Iraq article on move to make Basra a federal region)

2009 Barzani held meeting to create Peshmerga Ministry in attempt to unify KDP and PUK’s forces

2009 Dep US Cmdr in Iraq said govt integration of Sahwa would have to wait until after 2010

elections Maliki govt originally agreed to integrate them by end of 2009

(Musings On Iraq article on problems in integrating Sahwa)

2011 Salahaddin council voted to turn province into a federal region Blocked by PM Maliki

2012 Protest in Mosul called for Iraqi forces to withdraw from city after arbitrary arrests

2012 Tribal delegation from Basra joined Ramadi protest

2013 PM Maliki said would be last time Friday prayers held at Ramadi protest site Demanded tribes end

protest

2013 Iraqi forces tightened security around Ramadi protest site searching people coming and going

2013 Army vehicle attacked near Ramadi protest site Blamed on ISI

2013 Pro-Maliki Sheikh Hayes said Ramadi base for Al Qaeda Called on PM Maliki to burn down the

Anbar protest camps Hayes met with delegations from Albu Diab Albu Jaber Albu Ali al-Jassim Albu Fahd Albu Shaban Albu Hamza tribes who all pledged support for govt

(Musings On Iraq article on splits within Anbar tribes over protests)

2013 Several sheikhs warned govt about closing down Ramadi protest site

(Musings On Iraq article on PM Maliki crackdown on Anbar protests)

2013 Commander Anbar Rapid Reaction Force hit by IED Army base east of Ramadi hit by mortars

(Musings On Iraq article on insurgent offensive in Anbar)

2013 Ansar al Sunna claimed ISI killed 40 of its members in inter-insurgent fighting

2015 IS head Baghdadi released message US afraid to fight IS and Islam destined to rule world until

judgment day

View the Iraq History Timelines 

-->

Review Culture, History & Ideology in the Formation of Ba’thist Iraq, 1968-89

Review Baram, Amatzia, Culture, History & Ideology in the Formation of Ba’thist Iraq, 1968-89, New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1991

Culture, History & Ideology in the Formation of Ba’thist Iraq is a very short and concise history of the Baath Party’s move away from pan-Arabism to a new form of Iraqi nationalism that occurred after it took power for the second time. The Baath originally pushed a radical and revolutionary ideology of overthrowing Arab regimes and championed the Palestinians against Israel. A series of internal and external events however, changed it to focus upon securing its position within Iraq after the 1968 coup. University of Haifa’s Dr. Amatzia Baram provides a convincing argument for why this occurred and how it played out.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 26

1961 Iraq announced it would reconsider diplomatic relations with any country that recognized

Kuwait as independent country Withdrew diplomats from US Jordan Tunisia Lebanon and others as a result

1980 Saddam said frontline in war would be new border with Iran and demanded Tehran give self-

rule to Arabs in southwestern Iran

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Anthony Tucker-Jones on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Tom Cooper on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review Iran-Iraq War, The Lion of Babylon, 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War)

1991 Syria invited Iraqi opposition parties to Damascus

2006 Appeals court upheld Saddam’s death sentence

2007 Car bomb hit Sahwa-army checkpoint in Baiji killing 25 Suicide bomber hit funeral of Sahwa

fighter in Baquba Part of ISI campaign against Sahwa

2007 Kurds agreed to delay implementing Article 140 on referendum on Kirkuk for 6 months

Constitutional review committee would miss Dec 31 deadline to amend constitution 4^th time missed deadline

(Musings On Iraq interview with constitutional scholar Zaid al-Ali on Iraq’s constitution)

2009 Pilgrims to Karbala launched protest against PM Maliki over corruption and Iranians stealing oil

(Musings On Iraq Anti-Government Protests In Both Southern and Northern Iraq)

2012 Fin Min Issawi addressed Ramadi protest camp condemning actions of PM Maliki

(Musings On Iraq article on Maliki’s moves against Fin Min Issawi)

2013 2 Suicide bombers attacked 1^st Rapid Reaction Brigade HQ in Garma Anbar Ops Command HQ

mortared in new insurgent offensive in Anbar

(Musings On Iraq article on insurgent offensive in Anbar)

View the Iraq History Timelines 

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 25

1920 Gertrude Bell wrote that Feisal was the only solution to Iraq and its first choice to be king

(Musings On Iraq book review of Gertrude Bell And Iraq)

(Musings On Iraq book review Gertrude Bell, Explorer of the Middle East)

1943 PM Nuri al-Said formed his 3^rd cabinet Made Mullah Mustafa Barzani Minister of Kurdish

Affairs in failed attempt to co-opt him and end his revolt

(Musings On Iraq book review of ‘Independent Iraq’ The Monarchy & British Influence, 1941-1958 on Said govt)

(Musings On Iraq book review of The Kurds, A Modern History)

(Musings On Iraq book review Kurds of Iraq, Tragedy and Hope)

1986 Iraqi counterattack pushed Iranians back into Shatt al-Arab Ended Iran’s Op Karbala 4 Iran lost

9,000-12,000 casualties vs 3,000 Iraqi casualties

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Anthony Tucker-Jones on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Tom Cooper on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review Iran-Iraq War, The Lion of Babylon, 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq book review Iran-Iraq War Volume 3: Iraq’s Triumph)

2005 Report US mismanaged developing Iraq’s electricity network Installed 26 natural gas turbines

at 7 plants when Iraq didn’t have gas or infrastructure to support them

2012 Iraqiya boycotted cabinet 2^nd time over arrest warrant for Fin Min Issawi

(Musings On Iraq article on Maliki’s moves against Fin Min Issawi)

2013 Acting Def Min Dulaimi said govt would not shut down Ramadi protest site

(Musings On Iraq article on PM Maliki crackdown on Anbar protests)

View the Iraq History Timelines 

Iraqis In Kirkuk And Salahaddin Feel Safer But Worried About Future

(US Business Council in Iraq)

Kirkuk and Salahaddin used to be two of the foundations of the insurgency. Today, both are relatively secure with a decline in attacks. Two surveys by PAX show that people there are feeling safer, but have some trepidations about the future.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 24

1922 Anglo-Iraq declaration to League of Nations talked about giving Kurds rights and own

govt in their region

(Musings On Iraq book review Kurds of Iraq, Tragedy and Hope)

1938 Golden Square army colonels overthrew PM Jamil Midfai for trying to remove pan-Arab

officers Coup backed by Nuri al-Said who became PM and Taha al-Hashimi who became Def Min Rashid al-Gaylani became Chamberlain of Royal Office

(Musings On Iraq book review The Role of the Military In Politics, A case study of Iraq to 1941)

(Musings On Iraq book review of Rashid Ali al-Gailani, The National Movement in Iraq 1939-1941)

1938 PM Said moved to punish ex-PM Sulaiman

1963 Arif govt promised to settle problems with foreign oil companies

1980 Iraq air force bombed Iran’s main oil terminal at Kharg Island for 1^st time Iran bombed Basra

refinery in retaliation

(Musings On Iraq book review Iraqi Mirages, The Dassault Mirage Family In Service With The Iraqi Air Force, 1981-1988)

1980 Iraqi division moved into Iran in north Took control of Rashah and Rayat Passes to block any

Iranian move upon Sulaymaniya

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Anthony Tucker-Jones on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Tom Cooper on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review Iran-Iraq War, The Lion of Babylon, 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq book review Iran-Iraq War Volume 4: The Forgotten Fronts)

2002 UK For Sec Straw told Sec of State Powell a 2^nd UN resolution was needed to gain UK political

support and legal justification for war

(Musings On Iraq Book Review The Report of the Iraq Inquiry, Executive Summary)

2002 Niger Premier said that his country did not try to sell uranium to Iraq

2003 Report President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board found White House disregarded

warnings by CIA about Iraq-Africa uranium story

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

2004 Def Sec Rumsfeld told troops in Iraq insurgency could be defeated

2005 National Security Adv Rubaie met with Ayatollah Sistani Said Sistani rejected calls for revote

due to complaints and violations Rubaie said Iraq would re-arrest Baathist officials just released by US

2005 Iraq court barred 90 candidates from election for Baathist ties

2006 Acting upon warrants issued by Basra judge for 62 police officers UK forces raided HQ of Serious

Crime Unit in Basra city Found 127 prisoners 80% were tortured Some Basra councilman protested against raid Interior Min Bolani said he would disband Serious Crime Unit PM Maliki Basra Gov Waili and sheikhs all supported raid Crime Unit responsible for death squads Attacks on UK Criminal activity Ties to Mahdi Army

2007 Report US general in charge of northern Iraq said most people in Sahwa were there for $ Of

15,000 Sahwa in north only 20% wanted to join ISF In some areas more people were volunteering for Sahwa then needed Iraqi economy didn’t have enough jobs for Sahwa after US money for program ended

2007 US military said violence in Iraq down 60% from Jun to Dec 07

2008 Iraqi National Dialogue Council left the Iraqi Accordance Front (IAF) claiming that the Islamic

Party was attempting to monopolize power Ended IAF

(Musings On Iraq article on break-up of the Iraqi Accordance Front)

2009 2^nd day of protests in Pirmargrun Sulaymaniya over mayor and lack of services PUK guards

broke up demonstration using gunfire

(Musings On Iraq Anti-Government Protests In Both Southern and Northern Iraq)

2013 PM Maliki ordered ISF to surround Ramadi protest site

(Musings On Iraq article on PM Maliki crackdown on Anbar protests)

2013 Acting Def Min Dulaimi’s convoy hit by IED

(Musings On Iraq article on insurgent offensive in Anbar)

View the Iraq History Timelines 

Hezbollah Helping Iran Negotiate New Premier For Iraq

Hezbollah's Kawtharani has been in Iraq coordinating with Iran to pick a new prime minister (Long War Journal)

As the Iraqi parliament is deadlocked over deciding who should be the next prime minister, Iran is applying a full court press to make sure the candidate is favorable to it. That includes deploying its Hezbollah ally in the form of Mohammed Kawtharani. He has been assisting Iranian Revolutionary Guards Qods Force Commander General Qassim Soleimani in lobbying Iraqi leaders.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 23

1920 Iraq-Syria border set with Deir Ezzour going to latter

(Musings On Iraq interview with Princeton’s Sara Pursley on Sykes-Picot and creation of Iraq)

1983 Jordan gave Iraq $125 mil line of credit to help Baghdad in Iran-Iraq War

1986 Iran Op Karbala 4 Crossed Shatt al-Arab to attack Fish Lake defensive line before Basra city

Iraq warned beforehand by intel

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Anthony Tucker-Jones on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Tom Cooper on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review Iran-Iraq War, The Lion of Babylon, 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq book review Iran-Iraq War Volume 3: Iraq’s Triumph)

2004 UK intel did review of its 2002 reporting on Iraq’s WMD and said its assessments were all wrong

(Musings On Iraq Book Review The Report of the Iraq Inquiry, Executive Summary)

2004 Fallujah was reopened to displaced to return after 2^nd battle for city

2004 UK intel report 2005 elections would happen on time Assassinations and intimidation would likely

increase beforehand Hardline Sunnis would reject any new govt and continue with insurgency

2005 IMF approved $685 mil loan for Iraq

2006 Report Baladiyat Zayun Ghadir Nariya neighborhoods in Baghdad almost all Shiite now 400

Shiite families fleeing Baquba settled in Nariya and New Baghdad Iraqi army helped Shiite families move into Adil Mahdi Army moved into Sabi al-Bour northern Baghdad town to secure it Public Works Ministry proposed land grants to victims of Saddam and insurgents in 6 Sunni towns known for being insurgent bases Was believed to be move by Maliki govt to move Shiites into those areas

(Musings On Iraq book review Voices From Iraq, A People’s History, 2003-2009)

(Musings On Iraq Columbia University Charts Sectarian Cleansing Of Baghdad)

2007 Shootout in Baghdad’s Dora between Sahwa and Mahdi Army

2007 Dep Natl Sec Adv Hussein said that if Sahwa continued would lead to civil war with militias Said

half of Sahwa were insurgents and contacting Baathists

2008 Speaker Mashadani forced to resign after he praised reporter for throwing shoe at Pres Bush

and PM Maliki

2009 Protest in Pirmargrun Sulaymaniya turned into a riot after mayor said population didn't

appreciate his improvements to the community People complained about corruption and lack of services Asayesh and riot police called out

(Musings On Iraq Anti-Government Protests In Both Southern and Northern Iraq)

2009 Protests in Karbala and Anbar against Iranian troops occupying Well No 4 in Fauqi oil field in Maysan

(Musings On Iraq More Questions Than Answers On Iran-Iraq Oil Field Dispute)

2011 PM Maliki adviser said that Fin Min Issawi suspected of connections to terrorism Sadrists would

not go along with his removal

(Musings On Iraq article on PM Maliki targeting Fin Min Issawi in 2011)

2012 Iraqiya boycotted parliament over arrest warrant for Fin Min Issawi

(Musings On Iraq article on Maliki’s moves against Fin Min Issawi in 2012)

2013 Sheikh Sulaiman said tribes would protect Ramadi protest site against Maliki govt

(Musings On Iraq article on PM Maliki crackdown on Anbar protests)

2013 Anbar Ops Command outside Ramadi hit by mortars in new insurgent offensive

(Musings On Iraq article on insurgent offensive in Anbar)

2017 PKK said it was creating its own region in Qadil northern Kurdistan

View the Iraq History Timelines 

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 22

1638 Ottoman Sultvan Murad IV began siege of Baghad Captured it by end of year

Massacred Shiites

1916 British forces began digging lines towards Ottomans defenses at Khadairi Bend

1922 British cabinet said it wanted an independent Iraq and that Anglo-Iraq treaty would be best

way to maintain relationship

(Musings On Iraq book review Supremacy And Oil, Iraq, Turkey, and the Anglo-American World Order, 1918-1930)

1986 Iraqi intel reported Iranians preparing for major offensive in Basra Saddam ordered bombing of

assembly areas

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Anthony Tucker-Jones on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Tom Cooper on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review Iran-Iraq War, The Lion of Babylon, 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq book review Iran-Iraq War Volume 3: Iraq’s Triumph)

2002 Iraq invited CIA into country to find its WMD

2004 Kurdistan Referendum Movement presented petition with 1.7 mil signatures to UN calling for

            referendum on Kurdish independence

2005 Iraqi Islamic Party National Dialogue Front Iraqiya threatened to boycott new parliament

Called elections fraudulent Demanded new vote

2006 Ret Gen Keane told Natl Sec Adv Hadley US needed 5 brigade troop surge in Iraq not less

(Musings On Iraq interview with Prof Mansoor on the Surge)

2006 PM Maliki spokesman said that Dawa and SCIRI close to agreement to crackdown on militias Were

also going to send delegation to Najaf to get Sadr back in govt

2006 US Intel report Mahdi Army was planning to kidnap US soldiers in Baghdad to undermine PM

Maliki’s reconciliation program Were using Mahdi Army commander who had been trained in Iran by Hezbollah and IRGC

2007 ISI leader Baghdadi described the Awakening as agents of the cross and called on followers to

kill them

2007 Ghazilya Guardians sahwa group bombed Blamed militia and Iraqi army Said they wanted

retaliation

2007 Def Min Obeidi said that after fighting over Sahwa would be disbaned Govt told US it would

integrate 25% of Sahwa into ISF and rest given jobs Interior Min agreed to hire 10,000 Sahwa

2007 Anbar Sheikh Suleimani claimed Islamic Party using Sahwa to regain popularity and claimed

            he would form Awakening group loyal to Baghdad

2007 Top State Dept official on Iraq said that Iran had decided to cut back support for militias Evidence

was reduction in EFP attacks upon US

(Musings On Iraq article on Iran’s Iraq policy)

2008 Oil Min Shahristani said only central govt had authority to sign deals to develop Iraq’s oil Was

criticism of KRG

(Musings On Iraq article on breakdown of Baghdad-KRG oil talks)

2010 PM Maliki’s second administration approved

(Musings On Iraq book review Iraq From War To A New Authoritarianism)

2011 Govt officials told press that Maliki govt would investigate Fin Min Issawi over allegations he

was connected to a militia in Fallujah that killed political opponents Some of Issawi’s bodyguards arrested as a result

(Musings On Iraq article on PM Maliki targeting Fin Min Issawi)

2012 Iraqiya boycotted cabinet over arrest warrant for Fin Min Issawi

(Musings On Iraq article on Maliki’s moves against Fin Min Issawi)

2013 PM Maliki announced major military campaign in western Anbar desert region after IS killed

leadership of 7^th Div

2013 Anbar council said it would work with govt to fight ISI

2013 PM Maliki said Ramadi protest site base for ISI and demanded it closed

(Musings On Iraq article on PM Maliki’s accusations against Anbar protests)

2013 Ramadi protest sheikhs said Ramadi would take up arms against any forces trying to stop

demonstrations

(Musings On Iraq article on PM Maliki crackdown on Anbar protests)

2014 Fmr Communications Minister Allawi acquitted of corruption charges for lack of evidence

View the Iraq History Timelines 

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 21

1956 Communist uprising in Al-Hay put down and leaders executed

(Musings On Iraq book review Red Star Over Iraq, Iraqi Communism Before Saddam)

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

1981 Kuwait and UAE agreed to loan Iraq $2 bil to help during Iran-Iraq War

1998 Russia France Germany called for ending sanctions on Iraq

1998 Report Iraq intel officer Hijazi met with bin Laden in Afghanistan and offered him asylum False story

2001 UK Def Min Hoon asked ministry for plans for military action against Iraq

2001 Vanity Fair article claimed Iraq involved in 9/11 based upon INC defector

2001 Vanity Fair author appeared on CNN and NBC repeating his story that INC defector claimed

Iraq involved in 9/11

2002 Dep CIA Dir McLaughlin briefed Bush on intel on Iraq WMD Said Iraq had precursors and biological

components Showed rocket engine test site that passed prescribed ranges Showed satellite photo of suspected clean up of chemical weapons spill Showed UAV flown 500km past UN limit of 150km CIA went over reports of Iraq having mobile WMD labs Played recording of 2 Republican Guard officers talking about removing nerve agents Said Saddam met with nuclear scientists talking about resuming their work

(Musings On Iraq article on mobile labs story)

(Musings On Iraq article on how poor US intel work led to claim Iraq rebuilt its nuclear weapons program)

(Musings On Iraq article Iraq, One Of The Worst Intelligence Failures In US History)

(Musings On Iraq book review Leap of Faith, Hubris Negligence, and America’s Greatest Foreign Policy

Tragedy)

2002 Bush Natl Sec Adv Rice and Chief of Staff Card unimpressed by CIA presentation on WMD CIA Dir

Tenet said case was a “slam dunk” Administration had been making assertions about threat of Iraq’s WMD and when presented with facts Bush didn’t believe the case

2003 Massoud Barzani article said Kurds would take regional autonomy and nothing else in new

Iraqi constitution

2004 Insurgents attacked US camp in Ninewa killing 24 including 19 US soldiers Wounded 60

Deadliest attack on US so far

2004 Insurgents released 2 French reporters they kidnapped 4 months ago

2004 Center for Strategic and Intl Studies report Iraqi forces wouldn’t be ready to operate

independently until late 2006 at best

2005 Iraq Election Comm reported 10.9 mil of 15.6 mil voters participated in Dec 15 elections

Anbar vote went from 1% in Jan to 32% in Oct to 55% in Dec

2005 NSC presented 10 goals for new Iraqi govt to Bush Including competent ministers fighting

corruption

2005 Commando from 1^st Commando brigade based in Samarra said most of the unit was from

Mahdi Army and didn’t respect their commander only Sadr

2006 US arrested Gen Mohsen Chirazai commander of Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force’s

Dept 600 and 5 other IRGC members at home of Badr head Amiri Chirazai and 1 other released next day under pressure from PM Maliki and Pres Talabani Other 4 turned over to Iraqis Dec 28 and released the next day

(Musings On Iraq Iranians Planned Kidnapping And Held British Captives Taken In Iraq) 

2006 8 Marines charged with executing Iraqi civilians in Haditha None were convicted 

2010 PM Maliki finally put together new govt 9 months after elections Cabinet approved by parliament

2011 PM Maliki ordered Dep PM Mutlaq removed from office in response to Mutlaq calling for

Maliki to be replaced

(Musings On Iraq article on Maliki’s moves against Iraqiya)

2012 Protests started in Fallujah in response to OM Maliki issuing arrest warrant for Finance Min Issawi

2013 7^th Div commander and leadership of division all killed by IS booby trapped house in Anbar

(Musings On Iraq article on death of 7^th Div leadership)

2013 Insurgents attacked al-Assad air base in Anbar

2015 Peshmerga and YPG captured Sinjar from IS

2017 2 killed 300 wounded in protests against the KRG

View the Iraq History Timelines 

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 20

1983 Reagan envoy to Middle East Rumsfeld met with Saddam as part of new US policy to

back Iraq in Iran-Iraq War

(Musings On Iraq book review The Saddam Tapes)

2001 NYT article with Iraqi defector Haideri provided by INC claimed he went to 20 WMD sites

Haideri’s claims used in CIA DIA and White House reports Later found to be unreliable by US intel May 02 labeled fabricator by DIA

2002 IAEA inspectors said Tuwaitha facility involved in civilian nuclear research not involved in

weapons program

(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)

2002 CIA blocked UN Amb to UN Negroponte mentioning Iraq-Niger uranium deal in speech to

Security Council

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

2004 Bush said he expected violence to increase before Jan 05 elections

2006 US military turned over Najaf 3^rd province to Iraqi forces

2006 Report Ayatollah Sistani backed creation of new ruling coalition behind PM Maliki that would

exclude Sadr Orchestrated by US Maliki opposed idea afraid that new coalition would oust him

2006 Bush said that US not winning but not losing in Iraq November he said US was absolutely

winning New line came from his military advisers

2007 Report Govt bus program to return refugees from Syria only lasted 2 trips Sunni refugees/displaced

afraid to sign up with govt for aid out of fear of retribution No process to handle property disputes after forced displacement

(Musings On Iraq book review Children of War, Voices Of Iraqi Refugees)

2009 Iran said it withdrew its troops from Well No 4 in Fauqi oil field in Maysan it occupied 2 days later

but Iraqis said they were still on Iraqi territory

(Musings On Iraq More Questions Than Answers On Iran-Iraq Oil Field Dispute)

(Musings On Iraq Disputed Oil Field Leads To Flare Up Between Iraq And Iran)

2011 VP Hashemi gave TV speech from Irbil denying terrorism charges against him

(Musings On Iraq article on charges against VP Hashemi)

(Musings On Iraq book review Iraq From War To A New Authoritarianism)

2011 3 car bombs hit checkpoints in Karbala during pilgrimage Killed 52 Wounded 203

2013 Sheikh Fahadawi’s house hit by mortars in Ramadi in spate of violence against Anbar notables

(Musings On Iraq article on Anbar violence)

View the Iraq History Timelines