This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 31 Pro-Iran Hashd groups allowed into Green Zone Attacked US Embassy

(EPA)

 

1920 High Commissioner Sir Cox reported that many sheikhs of large confederations supported

Mandate and didn't want an Iraqi govt

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

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 30 Saddam executed while Sadrists chanted Moqtada

(Al-Iraqia)

 

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

Restricted polygamy Set legal marriage age at 18

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 29 2nd Phase of Battle of Mosul began with attack upon eastern side of city

(The Guardian)

 

1934 Yasin al-Hashemi Rashid Ali Al-Gaylani of Ikha criticized PM Ayubi Jawadat for elections he

held because excluded them Senate criticized vote PM started being called a tyrant

(Musings On Iraq review Independent Iraq 1932-1958, A Study in Iraqi Politics)

Review Iraq Confidential, The Untold Story of the Intelligence Conspiracy to Undermine the UN and Overthrow Saddam Hussein

Ritter, Scott, Iraq Confidential, The Untold Story of the Intelligence Conspiracy to Undermine the UN and Overthrow Saddam Hussein, New York: Nation Books, 2005

 

Iraq Confidential, The Untold Story of the Intelligence Conspiracy to Undermine the UN and Overthrow Saddam Hussein was former U.N. inspector Scott Ritter’s second book on his experiences working in Iraq. He claimed the United States undermined the inspection process from the start not supporting it, trying to manipulate it, and ultimately giving up on it. The problem is much of his story contradicts what he wrote in his first book Endgame, Solving The Iraq Crisis. That begs the question of which version is the reader supposed to believe?

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 28 Def Sec Rumsfeld told Bush Iraq war would be short and US would withdraw quickly

(Wikimedia)

 

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 UK would have succeeded

Political Payback Time In Iraq

(Iraqi Parliament Media Office)

The Coordination Framework is continuing with its campaign against former Prime Minister Mustafa Kazemi. After the Washington Post reported that Kazemi’s anti-corruption investigative body called Committee 29 allegedly tortured suspects new PM Mohammed Sudani sent the case to the judiciary to see whether charges could be made.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 27 Regent Ilah announced sweeping political and social reforms PM Pachachi opposed

(Wikipedia)

 

865 Ibn Tahir deposed Abbasid Caliph Mutasin Ordered people of Baghdad to pledge allegiance to

Mutazz as new caliph City rejected Mutazz Forced Ibn Tahir to back down Caliph Mutasin appeared saying he was still caliph

Security In Iraq Dec 15-21, 2022

After 12 police were killed in an Islamic State attack in Kirkuk the media came alive again about the Iraqi insurgency. There were reports about its return. How to counter the threat and more. The third week of December had the most casualties since the spring but the number of attacks is still at an all-time low showing the weakness of the movement.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 26 Political parties started discussing removing PM Maliki in no confidence vote accusing him of being an autocrat

(U.S. Air Force Photo)

 

1920 Iraq High Commissioner Sir Percy Cox wrote Iraqis wanted an outsider as ruler UK didn’t need

an election to pick one Could fix it so Faisal would become King

(Musings On Iraq review Empires of the Sand, The Struggle For Mastery In The Middle East 1789-1923)

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 25 Asaib Ahl Al-Haq threatened to attack Interior Min and free men arrested for rocket attack upon Green Zone

(AFP/Getty Images)

 

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

(Musings On Iraq review Gertrude Bell And Iraq)

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

(Musings On Iraq movie review Letters from Baghdad)

(Musings On Iraq review Desert Queen, The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell: Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of Arabia)

(Musings On Iraq review Empires of the Sand, The Struggle For Mastery In The Middle East 1789-1923)

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 24 PM Jamil Midfai overthrown in military coup by pan-Arab Golden Square officers

(Wikipedia)

 

1915 Ottomans began 2^nd attack upon British at Kut Breached defense but attack faltered

because of bad coordination

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 23 Iraq-Syria border set with Deir Azzor going to latter

(Radio Farda English)

 

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

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

This Day In Iraqi History Dec 22 Ottoman Sultan Murad IV began siege of Baghdad

 

1638 Ottoman Sultan Murad IV began siege of Baghdad Captured it by end of year

Massacred Shiites

Review The Clausewitz Delusion, How the American Army Screwed Up the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (A Way Forward)

Melton, Stephen, The Clausewitz Delusion, How the American Army Screwed Up the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (A Way Forward), Minneapolis: Zenith Press, 2009

 

In The Clausewitz Delusion, How the American Army Screwed Up the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (A Way Forward) the U.S. Army Staff College’s Stephen Melton argues that the U.S. military’s doctrine led it to fail in its most recent conflicts. The author believed that America threw away decades worth of history fighting offensive wars and subsequent occupations that started in colonial times for a defensive approach during the Cold War and planned for short imperial battles after embracing Carl von Clausewitz after Vietnam. That left the U.S. unprepared for wars like Afghanistan and Iraq.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 21 Saddam paid Carlos the Jackal and PFLP to kill Saudi and Iranian oil ministers at OPEC meeting for supporting Kurdish revolt Ministers were taken prisoners but then released

(EPA)

 

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

(Musings On Iraq review The Modern History of 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)

New Iraqi Govt Continues Budget Payments To KRG

(Bas News)

The Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan agreed to join with the Coordination Framework and back Mohammed al-Sudani as the new prime minister in return for concessions including monthly budget payments to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 20 Reagan envoy Donald Rumsfeld met with Saddam to improve US-Iraq ties

(Getty Images)

 

1974 Govt secretly tried 25 Shiite leaders and executed 5 of them after religious pilgrimage

turned into protest against Bakr govt

Security In Iraq Dec 8-14, 2022

After a short spike in attacks during the start of December security incidents went back to their norm during the second week of the month.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 19 US-UK Op Desert Fox launched to punish Iraq for ending UN weapons inspections Stopped Iraq’s plans of rebuilding its WMD programs

(Council on Foreign Relations)

 

869 Abbasid Caliph Muhtadi had to flee capital Samarra as Turkish troops looted palace Muhtadi

confronted troops calling for their loyalty and received it

(Musings On Iraq review when baghdad ruled the muslim world, the rise and fall of islam’s greatest dynasty)

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 18 Qasim began supporting Arabs in Iran in escalating of dispute with Tehran

(Wikipedia)

 

1959 Gen Qasim called Ahwaz and Mohammareh in Iran Arab Started supporting Arabs in

Khuzistan province

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 17 PM Maliki issued warrant for VP Hashemi on terrorism charges Latest move by Maliki vs his opponents

(AP)

 

1917 US consulate report Since British took Baghdad all trade cut off Businesses closed People out

of work

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 16 League of Nations set Turkey-Iraq border with Mosul going to Iraq

 

1922 UK Lord of the Admiralty told Iraq commission Iraq oil would be important in case of war in

Far East

Review Aftermath, Following the Bloodshed of America’s Wars in the Muslim World

Rosen, Nir, Aftermath, Following the Bloodshed of America’s Wars in the Muslim World, New York: Nation Books, 2010

 

Journalist Nir Rosen said others in his field spent too much time talking to American officials, the U.S. military and the Iraqi government and ignored what was happening to regular people during the Iraq War. His goal was to create something like a people’s history of the conflict focusing upon the street. He did that in large sections of Aftermath, Following the Bloodshed of America’s Wars in the Muslim World, but then there were major problem as well. While he was great at telling the stories of average Iraqis he completely misread the country’s politics. He also went to other countries like Jordan, Lebanon and Afghanistan which distracted from his main theme and often were completely unrelated. Finally, his anti-Americanism tainted his analysis as well.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 15 Elections held for Iraq’s 1st permanent parliament after 2003 invasion

(CNN)

 

1932 League of Nations Mandate Comm rejected Assyrian petition for autonomy Said Iraqi

govt would settle Assyrians within country or outside of it

(Musings On Iraq review The Tragedy of the Assyrian Minority in Iraq)

(Musings On Iraq review State and Society in Iraq)

U.N. Iraq Entering 3rd Year of Drought Along With Increasing Food Import Prices

(AP)

The United Nation’s World Food Programme recently released a report on how a third year of drought is affecting Iraq’s economy.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 14 PM Askari and UK agreed on new Anglo-Iraq Treaty Would put Iraq under UK influence for decades

(Wikipedia)

1927 PM Askari and Foreign Office agreed on new Anglo-Iraq Treaty Had to be passed by Iraqi

parliament

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

Activist Imprisoned Over Tweet Leads To Deadly Protests In Iraq

(AFP)

On December 5 activist Haidar Hamid Fenian Fadhil was given 3 years in prison for Tweeting about dead leader Abu Muhandis and the Hashd. The courts found him guilty under an old Saddam era law against defaming government officials. His sentence sparked a series of protests in Dhi Qar where he came from.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 13 US forces captured Saddam

(AP)

 

1916 British made diversionary attack at Sannaiyat and took Hai in offensive to retake Kut from

Ottomans

Security In Iraq Dec 1-7, 2022

At the start of December there was a jump in attacks by the Islamic State. This might have been in response to the group announcing the death of its leader Abu Al Hassan Al-Hashemi Al-Qurashi. It wanted to show that it was still around after this loss by increasing operations in Iraq.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 12 Dawa members including Abu Muhandis bombed US & French embassies in Kuwait killing 8 Retaliation for air strikes in Lebanon

(AFP)

 

1922 Sir Herbert Samuel proposed UK create Arab state of Iraq Hijaz Palestine Trans-Jordan

maybe Najd Samuel believed Arab state would contain pan-Arabism and contain fears of increased Jewish presence in Palestine

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 11 Gen Qasim nationalized 99% of Iraq Petroleum’s concessions and created Iraq National Oil Company

 

1922 UK Colonial Office wrote only reason King Faisal accepted in Iraq was because he was

backed by British

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 10 PUK made deal with Saddam not to fight for Iran in Iran-Iraq War 3000 peshmerga quit in protest

(BBC)

 

1936 Elections started for new parliament after 1936 coup Gen Sidqi wanted to control MPs and

exclude reformist Ahali who were part of govt Sidqi followers won 30 seats Ahali only 12

(Musings On Iraq review Independent Iraq 1932-1958, A Study in Iraqi Politics)

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 9 UN said Abdul Mahdi govt used excessive force and abused protesters While groups were abducting and killing activists

(AFP)

 

1914 Ottoman forces surrendered in Qurna, Basra 1,034 Ottomans taken prisoner End of 1^st

            phase of Mesopotamian campaign

Review War, Institutions, and Social Change in the Middle East

Heydemann, Steven, Editor, War, Institutions, and Social Change in the Middle East, Berkeley, Los Angeles, London: University of California Press, 2000

 

War, Institutions, and Social Change in the Middle East is an anthology of around a dozen articles about how war impacted the Middle East. Unlike most collections this one is remarkably consistent with one interesting piece after another. The editor Steven Heydemann wanted to put together articles that contradicted the Eurocentric view dominant in academia at the time that the changes Europe went through during wars in the 1600-1700s were applicable around the world.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 8 After US soldiers complained about not having adequate equipment Def Sec Rumsfeld said you go to war with the army you have

(Dept of Defense)

 

1985 Saudis announced attempt to end the Iran-Iraq War through dialogue with Tehran

(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 review The Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988)

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

(Musings On Iraq review The Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq review The Longest War, The Iran-Iraq Military Conflict)

(Musings On Iraq review The Iran-Iraq War Volume 1: The Battle for Khuzestan, September 1980-May 1982)

(Musings On Iraq review The Iran-Iraq War Volume 2: Iran Strikes back, June 1982-December 1986)

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

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

Iraq’s Ruling Parties Drop Idea Of Early Elections

(AFP)

When Iraq’s ruling parties were negotiating a new government in the summer and fall of 2022 they were discussing early elections. This was mostly pushed by Moqtada al-Sadr and supported by his allies Speaker Mohammed Halbusi and the Kurdistan Democratic Party. The idea was that the elite would agree upon a compromise premier but then hold elections again for a more permanent government. Sadr was initially in the dominant position with the most seats in parliament and thought he would do even better if voting was held again solidifying his position as the new leader in the country.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 7 Saddam said Iraq going on defensive in Iran-Iraq War 3 months into war

(Biography)

 

1914 UK made 2^nd attack on Qurna, Basra forcing Ottomans to retreat Lost around 200 killed

130 taken prisoner UK lost 10 killed 118 wounded

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

Oil Market Cools Causing 5 Month Decline In Iraq’s Revenues

Iraq was more than happy when Russia invaded Ukraine because it set off a bubble in the oil market. That is now ending and Iraq’s revenues are declining as a result.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 6 Kataib Hezbollah fired into Baghdad protesters Killed 85 Wounded 130

(AP)

 

1915 UK cmdr Gen Townsend sent his cavalry and transport south from Kut so would have fewer mouths

to feed Believed relief coming from Basra

Violence In Iraq At An All-Time Low

Violence in Iraq remains at an all-time low. In November there were only 23 security incidents reported. That was the same amount as October. Those were the lowest monthly totals since 2003.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 5 PM Maliki and his State of Law tried to stop case against Trade Min Sudani who stole $400 mil which helped fund party

(Getty Images)

 

1940 US Amb to Iraq sent note to PM Gaylani saying he was worried about direction of Iraq-

UK relations because of Gaylani’s overtures to the Axis

(Musings On Iraq review Persian Gulf Command, A History of the Second World War In Iran and Iraq)

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

(Musings On Iraq review Iraq And Syria 1941, The Politics and Strategy of the Second World War)

This Day In Iraqi History Dec 4 Siege of Kut began Would become UK’s 2nd largest defeat in WWI

(Daily Sabah)

 

1914 UK forced landed at Muzaira, Basra to seize Qurna Didn’t have troops to take town Retreated

(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 - Dec 3 Arif govt shut down all media to try to control opposition

(Wikipedia)

 

1915 Retreating UK forces reached Kut after loss at Battle of Ctesiphon/Salman Pak UK suffered

5,187 casualties over last 10 days

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 2 PM Pachachi govt told oil companies not to employ Jews after creation of Israel

(Wikipedia)

 

1920 US Consul in Baghdad said England hadn’t taken any serious steps to create an independent

Iraqi govt

Review The Fires of Spring, A Post-Arab Spring Journey Through the Turbulent New Middle East, Turkey, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, and Tunisia

Culbertson, Shelly, The Fires of Spring, A Post-Arab Spring Journey Through the Turbulent New Middle East, Turkey, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, and Tunisia, New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2016

 

The Fires of Spring, A Post-Arab Spring Journey Through the Turbulent New Middle East is a travel journal by author Shelly Culbertson as she went through five countries to see how the Middle East had changed after the Arab Spring protests of 2011-12. She tried to give a brief history of each nation and then interviewed several people to try to find out what direction each country was going in. It’s a good introduction to the politics and societies of the region in the 2010s.

This Day In Iraqi History - Dec 1 UK got France to give up Mosul vilayet after WWI for stake in Iraqi oil

 

1915 Retreating British force attacked pursuing Ottomans at Um at Tubul after loss at Battle of

Ctesiphon/Salman Pak