Security In Iraq Nov 22-28, 2022

Iraq witnessed a new low in violence the third week of November. There were only two incidents reported in the press, both by the Islamic State. The previous low was 3 incidents a week which happened twice in 2022.

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 30 UK political officer Sir Wilson set up plebiscite that would only support UK rule in Iraq

 

(Wikipedia)

1915 Ottomans attacked retreating UK forces from Ctesiphon/Salman Pak at Um at Tubul

Forced UK to retreat further south UK suffered 37 dead 218 missing 218 wounded 520 taken prisoner along with 2 ships Turks had 748 casualties

Chilcot Inquiry Section 9.6 28 June 2007 To April 2008

Section 9.6 of the Chilcot Inquiry covers the new British government of Prime Minister Gordon Brown who wanted to withdraw from Iraq and the Charge of Knights security operation launched in Basra against the Mahdi Army. The irony was the British made deals with the Sadrists so it could pull out its forces and then the Iraqi government went after Sadr’s militia and the UK was drawn back into the fight.

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 29 PM Abdul Mahdi resigned under pressure from Ayatollah Sistani over killing protesters

(BBC)

 

1914 Gen Barrett and Sir Percy Cox asked that UK occupation of Basra be announced as

permanent believing it would sway Arabs to UK side Request turned down

(Musings On Iraq review When God Made Hell, The British Invasion of Mesopotamia and the Creation of Iraq, 1914-1921)

PM Sudani Plays Politics With Iraq’s Latest Corruption Scandal

(Radio Free Europe)

On November 27 Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani  announced that $125 million had been recovered from a corrupt businessman who was involved in the theft of $2.5 billion from the Iraqi tax authority. Nour Zuhair Jassim was arrested and had his assets frozen in October. The premier then was just trying to “show progress” in the latest graft scandal when in reality nothing new happened.

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 28 Qasim claimed all of Shatt al-Arab waterway in latest dispute with Iran

(Wikipedia)

 

1915 Arabs attacked UK ships on Tigris River forcing one to run aground and captured another

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 27 Iran destroyed much of Iraq’s oil infrastructure in south ending its ability to export from Persian Gulf

(Hush-Kit)

 

1914 London told Gen Barrett wasn’t time to seize Baghdad vilayet but that Qurna, Basra

should be taken

(Musings On Iraq review When God Made Hell, The British Invasion of Mesopotamia and the Creation of Iraq, 1914-1921)

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 26 1920 Revolt ended vs British Mandate in Iraq

(Shia Waves)

 

1914 Gen Barrow in India was against further advances by British in Mesopotamia Did want to

seize Qurna, Basra

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 25 Report Pres Trump asked PM Abadi twice for Iraq’s oil in return for invading Iraq

(NBC)

 

1915 Battle of Ctesiphon/Salman Pak ended British lost and withdrew to Kut

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 24 Colonial Sec Churchill said when King Faisal could pay for his govt he could decide the future of Iraq Until then UK was in control

(Flikr)

 

1915 UK decided to retreat from Ctesiphon/Salman Pak due to heavy casualties

Review Endgame, Solving The Iraq Crisis

Ritter, Scott, Endgame, Solving The Iraq Crisis, New York: Simon & Schuster, 2002

 

Endgame, Solving The Iraq Crisis was Scott Ritter venting his frustration with the United Nations weapons inspections in Iraq in the 1990s. Ritter was one of the chief inspectors and believed that the United States gave up on the process and allowed Iraq to hide its weapons of mass destruction. A few years later however he completely flipped around his perspective questioning the Bush administration’s argument to remove Saddam Hussein in 2003.

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 23 Military govt formed under PM Mahmoud to put down 1952 Intifada protests against monarchy and UK

(Wikipedia)

 

1914 Sir Percy Cox issued statement in Arabic that British had occupied Basra and UK was

at war with Ottomans and had no ill will towards locals

(Musings On Iraq review When God Made Hell, The British Invasion of Mesopotamia and the Creation of Iraq, 1914-1921)

Security In Iraq Nov 15-21, 2022

For the 6^th straight week security incidents in Iraq were in single digits. There were 8 incidents from November 15-21 all by the Islamic State. That was up from 6 the second week of the month and 7 the 1^st week. For 29 of 43 weeks incidents have been in single digits in 2022.

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 22 1952 Intifada started against Regent of Iraq

(Wikipedia)

 

1914 Looting started in Basra city after it fell to British UK appointed governor of vilayet

Iran Strikes Kurdish Opposition Parties in Iraq’s KRG Blaming Them For Protests

(Wladimir Van Wilgenburg)

On November 20 Tehran launched its third strike on Iranian opposition groups inside Iraq’s Kurdistan. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard hit a refugee camp and a headquarters of the Iranian Kurdistan Democratic Party and Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan with drones and missiles. Previously on November 14 and September 28 those parties were attacked.

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 21 King Faisal asked for full Iraqi independence from UK

(Wikimedia Commons)

 

1914 UK troops entered Basra after Ottomans abandoned city

(Musings On Iraq review When God Made Hell, The British Invasion of Mesopotamia and the Creation of Iraq, 1914-1921)

This Day In Iraqi History Nov 20 Pres Arif put down Baathist revolt

(Alamy)

 

1914 Arab tribes told British forces Ottomans had abandoned Basra British forces set out to

take city

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 19 Sir Percy Cox met with Iraqi officials and Ibn Saud to draw border between Iraq and what would become Saudi Arabia

(Cricistan)

 

1914 British troops took Fort Zain, Basra Ottomans retreated to Basra city

(Musings On Iraq review When God Made Hell, The British Invasion of Mesopotamia and the Creation of Iraq, 1914-1921)

Review Days Of Fire, Bush and Cheney in the White House

Baker, Peter, Days Of Fire, Bush and Cheney in the White House, New York, London, Toronto, Sydney, Auckland: Doubleday, 2013

 

Peter Baker wrote Days Of Fire, Bush and Cheney in the White House to refute the idea that Vice President Dick Cheney was the driving force behind President George Bush. Baker argues that the two largely agreed about issues during the first administration but then drifted apart in the second. The Iraq War was an example of their relationship since both individuals wanted to overthrow Saddam Hussein. The author also pointed out how badly the war was handled by the White House.

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 18 Ottoman Sultan Soleiman conquered Baghdad from Safavids

(Lemage/Corbis)

 

1534 Ottoman Sultan Suleiman I conquered Baghdad from Safavids

Security In Iraq Nov 8-14, 2022

Violence in Iraq remains at a very low level as it has been throughout 2022. There were only 7 incidents from November 8-14 and all were by the Islamic State. This was the seventh week in a row and the 28th of 41 weeks this year when incidents were in single digits.

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 17 In Iran Ayatollah Hakim announced creation of Supreme Assembly for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq

(Wikipedia)

 

1914 British attacked Sahil, Basra backed by 4 gunships and won Ottomans lost 1,500-2,000

casualties British 489

(Musings On Iraq review When God Made Hell, The British Invasion of Mesopotamia and the Creation of Iraq, 1914-1921)

This Day In Iraqi History – Nov 16 UK political officer Wilson claimed Iraqis wanted British rule

(Wikipedia)

 

1914 British forces attacked Ottomans in Fort Zain, Basra

(Musings On Iraq review When God Made Hell, The British Invasion of Mesopotamia and the Creation of Iraq, 1914-1921)

Chilcot Inquiry Section 9.5 June 2006 To 27 June 2007

By the summer of 2006 the British were much more realistic about their assessments of the situation in Iraq than their American counterparts. While the Bush administration was full of hope for the new government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki the UK said he was weak. There was report after report to London that violence was out of control. What was similar between the Bush and Blair governments however was that they both were focused upon withdrawing from Iraq.

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 15 Gertrude Bell went from wanting Iraq to be colonized to creating Arab govt to rule it

(Middle East Institute)

 

1914 Ottomans attacked British at Saihan, Basra Forced to retreat British lost 62 casualties Turks

126

Security In Iraq Nov 1-7, 2022

The Islamic State is barely operating in Iraq. For another week incidents were in the single digits.

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 14 British army ordered to seize Basra vilayet WWI

 

1914 Sheikh of Islam called for jihad against British and French during WWI Call was repeated in

all Sunni mosques in Mosul, Baghdad and Basra vilayets

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 13 PM Sadoun shot himself over criticism of his govt Said he couldn’t live being seen as a puppet to the British

(Wikipedia)

 

1939 PM Sadoun shot himself due to criticism he faced over his performance Suicide note said he

couldn’t live being seen as a puppet of the British

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 12 Baath National Guard went on rampage in Baghdad after party leader Saadi expelled Saadi’s followers in air force bombed presidential palace

(Wikipedia)

 

1914 British forces in Faw launched reconnaissance in force near Saihan, Basra

(Musings On Iraq review When God Made Hell, The British Invasion of Mesopotamia and the Creation of Iraq, 1914-1921)

Review Worthy Fights

Panetta, Leon with Newton, Jim, Worthy Fights, New York: Penguin Press, 2014

 

Worthy Fights is an autobiography of Leon Panetta written by the Los Angeles Times’ Jim Newton. Panetta went from a Congressman specializing in the budget to heading budget matters with the Clinton administration to President Clinton’s chief of staff to the CIA director and Defense Secretary under President Obama.

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 11 League of Nations announced the British mandate in Iraq

 

1914 Ottomans declared war on England and France

REVISED Pro-Iran Group Kills American English Teacher In Iraq

(Al Mada)

NOTE: Early reporting that Ashab al-Kahf was involved in this murder now appears to be wrong.

On Monday November 7, an American English teacher Stephen Troell was killed in Baghdad. Gunmen in a car with no license plates drove up next to him and shot him. The vehicle went through several checkpoints without any incident pointing to some group connected with the government being involved. There are reports that the attackers originally wanted to kidnap him, but something obviously went wrong.

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 10 Irbil Agreement led to PM Maliki’s 2nd term Allawi to head new strategic council Deal never implemented

(Getty Images)

 

1958 Iraqi Communist Party issued plan for Kurdistan saying it supported Kurdish self-govt within

Iraq

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

(Musings On Iraq A History Of The Iraqi Communist Party Interview With Univ of East Anglia’s Johan Franzen)

PM Sudani and the Coordination Framework Attempt To Fill Positions In New Iraqi Gov

(Reuters)

As the largest list the Coordination Framework is attempting to parcel out the positions within the new government of Prime Minister Mohammed Sudani. Some of these have been questionable appointments, while other times Sudani is attempting to exert some independence.

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 9 Jamil Midfai became PM 1st of 5 times would hold office

(Wikipedia)

 

1914 With English attack on Basra coming locals went to Shiite clergy asking for help to defend

city

Iraq Sees Slight Increase In Oil Revenues After 3 Month Decline

After three months Iraq’s oil revenues finally went up in October. That was due to a slight increase in exports while prices actually remained stable.

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 8 British forces took Karbala one of centers of 1920 Revolt

(ShiaWaves)

 

1914 British troops after landing at Faw Peninsula Basra captured Ottoman Faw Fort

(Musings On Iraq review When God Made Hell, The British Invasion of Mesopotamia and the Creation of Iraq, 1914-1921)

Violence Hits New Low In Iraq

Violence has been dropping in Iraq since the Islamic State’s annual summer offensive ended. October saw the lowest monthly incident total since 2003.

History - Nov 7 2nd 2nd Battle of Fallujah began

(VFW)

 

1914 British troops started march from the port of Faw to the city of Basra

(Musings On Iraq review When God Made Hell, The British Invasion of Mesopotamia and the Creation of Iraq, 1914-1921)

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 6 Iraq used mustard gas 1st time in Iran-Iraq War

(Washington Institute)

 

1914 British troops landed at Faw, Basra starting war against Ottomans in Mesopotamia

(Musings On Iraq review Iraq In World War I, From Ottoman Rule to British Conquest)

(Musings On Iraq review When God Made Hell, The British Invasion of Mesopotamia and the Creation of Iraq, 1914-1921)

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 5 UK and France declared war on Ottomans WWI Would lead to creation of Iraq

(Britannica)

 

1914 England and France declared war on Ottoman Empire Would lead Mesopotamia into WWI

(Musings On Iraq review The Chatham House Version and other Middle-Eastern Studies)

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 4 Abdul Mahdi govt cut Internet to stop organizing protests while ISF arrested activists in night raids in Baghdad

(Reuters)

 

1913 Constantinople Protocol set new border between Ottomans and Persia Ottomans kept

Shatt al-Arab waterway

Review The Gulf Conflict 1990-1991, Diplomacy and War in the New World Order

Freedman, Lawrence and Karsh, Efraim, The Gulf Conflict 1990-1991, Diplomacy and War in the New World Order, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1993

 

The Gulf Conflict 1990-1991, Diplomacy and War in the New World Order by Lawrence Freedman and Efraim Karsh is one of the most comprehensive books about the Gulf War. Most others on the topic follow the same script. They go over Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, the U.S. led response, Iraq’s intransigence and then the Gulf War. Freedman and Karsh have that plus the international response from countries like England, France, the Soviet Union and Japan along with all the diplomatic negotiations that led up to the war. If you want to get a complete story of the crisis then The Gulf Conflict should be at the top of your list.

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 3 UK attacked Ottoman forces in Basra before Ottomans joined WWI

(National Army Museum)

 

1914 UK troops arrived at mouth of Shatt al-Arab while warship bombarded Ottoman fort on Faw

Peninsula before Ottomans joined WWI

(Musings On Iraq review When God Made Hell, The British Invasion of Mesopotamia and the Creation of Iraq, 1914-1921)

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 2 British forces told to seize Mosul after WWI armistice signed

(Wikipedia)

 

1915 Ottoman police in Baghdad city began arresting notable Jews and Christians Believed they

            were pro-British

Security In Iraq Oct 22-28, 2022

Violence almost disappeared in Iraq during the last week of October. The Islamic State was barely active and there were no incidents by pro-Iran groups.

This Day In Iraqi History - Nov 1 Churchill govt advised to remove PM Gaylani for contacts with Nazis and Italy

(Times of Israel)

 

1918 Ottoman cmdr in Mosul vilayet asked British to retreat to Qayara and not threaten Mosul

            city