Review We Are Iraqis, Aesthetics and Politics in a Time of War

Al-Ali, Nadje and Al-Najjar, Deborah, We Are Iraqis, Aesthetics and Politics in a Time of War, Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 2013

 

We Are Iraqis, Aesthetics and Politics in a Time of War is about Iraqi culture and art during the U.S. occupation. It was compiled by Nadje Al-Ali and Deborah Al-Najjar. Together they wanted to create a book by and about Iraqis. Each chapter features a different writer or artist. Some are fictional stories. Some are interviews. Some are explanations of an artist’s work. Like any anthology the chapters are up and down but there’s enough good material to keep the reader interested until the end.

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 29 Chaldean archbishop Raho kidnapped and killed by insurgents

 

1984 Iran reached outskirts of Qurna Basra Sent in all its reserves to hold captured area in

Basra Iraq counterattacked using chemical weapons

(Musings On Iraq Origins Of Iraq’s WMD Programs)

(Musings On Iraq Iraq’s Use Of Chemical Weapons In Iran-Iraq War And Their Western Origin)

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

Iraqis Feeling Positive About Their Govt And Country In 2023

The Gallup company recently did a public opinion survey in Iraq about how people felt about their government and economy and compared it to other countries in the region. Iraqis felt generally positive about the current administration while acknowledging continued struggles with the economy.

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 28 Pres Bush announced Kuwait liberated Iraq defeated Saddam claimed he beat the United States in Gulf War

 

1915 Gen Hardinge telegraph said taking Nasiriya and Amara were necessary to secure

Basra vilayet

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

Iraq Improves On Corruption Index

Transparency International just released its Corruption Perceptions Index for 2023. Iraq’s score remained the same for the third straight year even as it moved up in overall rank amongst nations.

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 27 Iran’s 1st major victory on Iraqi territory during Iran-Iraq War Seized Majnoon Island in south

 

1923 UK High Comm Cox wrote London that Faisal complained Anglo-Iraq treaty was only

new phase of mandate instead of ending it

Security In Iraq February 15-21, 2024

For the second week in a row there were no reported attacks by either the Islamic State or pro-Iran groups in Iraq.

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 26 Saddam announced Iraq’s withdrawal from Kuwait Said it was a victory because Iraq stood up to the multi-national Coalition

 

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

ships sunk and 4^th captured Turned Ottoman retreat from Kut into a route Losses convinced Turks couldn’t hold Baghdad

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 25 1000s protested in Day of Rage against political system across Iraq 23 killed by police

 

1917 British attacked retreating Ottoman forces from Kut at Husaini bend British suffered

556 casualties

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 24 US led Coalition began expelling Iraq from Kuwait

 

865 Samarra organized army under Abu Ahmad son of assassinated Caliph Mutawwakil and brother of

Abbasid Caliph Mutasim to seize power and put Mutazz upon throne

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 23 1st Anfal Campaign began against PUK in Sulaymaniya

 

1917 British seized Sannaiyat outside Kut after 6 days of fighting British had 1,996

casualties

Review Iraq and the war on terror, Twelve months of insurgency 2004/2005

Rogers, Paul, Iraq and the war on terror, Twelve months of insurgency 2004/2005, London New York: I.B. Tauris, 2006

 

During the Iraq War the Oxford Research Group would issue monthly reports on developments in that conflict and the state of terrorism in general. Iraq and the war on terror, Twelve months of insurgency 2004/2005 by Paul Rogers collects together several of those reports from 2004-2005. Those were probably very informative when they came out but today they are a bit dated.

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 22 Zarqawi bombed Askari shrine in Samarra Militias carried out retaliatory attacks against Sunnis across Iraq

 

1917 British attacked Sannaiyat outside Kut 2^nd time Also crossed Tigris River at Shumran

New Provincial Govts In Iraq After Dec Election

 

Most of the new provincial governments in Iraq were decided in February. The Coordination Framework took most of the governors as expected because their main rival Muqtada al-Sadr boycotted. The list did not have its way however.

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 21 Govt killed 20 protesting assassination of Ayatollah Sadiq al-Sadr 3000 followers would be arrested and 450 executed

 

1258 Mongol leader Hulagu had Abbasid Caliph Mutasim and some family members executed

outside Baghdad

Coordination Framework Takes Over Maysan Govt From Sadr

Maysan in the south was one of the major contested provinces after December’s election. That was because it had been run by Sadr’s followers for years and the Coordination Framework wanted to put that to an end. The list was finally successful.

This Day In Iraqi History - Jan 20 Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance created to run Iraq 2 months before war

 

1915 UK troops and ships attacked Turks and Arabs in Ruta Creek, Basra Turned back Did wound Ottoman

commander in Basra who was sent to Baghdad

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

Security In Iraq February 8-14, 2024

From February 8-14 not a single act of violence by any armed group was reported in Iraq by the media. This has happened before in recent history. The last time was the first two weeks of October 2023.

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 19 King Ghazi ordered invasion of Kuwait PM Said stopped it

 

1934 King Ghazi accepted PM Midfai’s resignation after disagreements within cabinet made continuation

of govt impossible

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 18 Ayatollah Sadiq al-Sadr assassinated by Saddam

 

1921 Colonial Sec Churchill drafted outline of agenda for Cairo Conference Included Faisal being

made king of Iraq

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

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 17 PM Maliki claimed most of the 511 candidates banned from 2010 election were fmr Saddam era intel officers who were trying to infiltrate the govt

 

1915 UK forced to retreat from Muzaira, Basra due to bad weather and flooding

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 16 Report 1972 Nixon and Shah agreed to arm and fund Barzani’s revolt vs Bakr govt but didn’t want him to win just drain Iraq

 

1917 British suffered 10,204 casualties since offensive began to recapture Kut in Dec 1916

Review The Role Of Government In The Industrialization Of Iraq 1950-1965

Jalal, Ferhang, The Role Of Government In The Industrialization Of Iraq 1950-1965, London and New York: Routledge, 1972

 

The Rise Of Government In The Industrialization Of Iraq 1950-1965 by Ferhang Jalal is an academic book about Iraq’s attempt to develop industry. He starts in the 1950s because that was when oil became the main revenue source for the government providing plenty of money for its plans. Jalal believes Baghdad largely failed however due to politics and an inefficient government.

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 15 US led Coalition began ground operations to expel Iraq from Kuwait

 

1917 British launched 3^rd attack and captured Ottoman positions in Dahra bend outside Kut

Iraq’s Oil Revenues Continue To Decline In January 2024

Iraq’s oil exports and revenue slightly dipped in January 2024.

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 14 PM Said hanged chairman of Communist Party Farhad to put down protests

 

1949 Communist Chairman Farhad hanged by PM Said to try to squash opposition protests

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

(Musings On Iraq review The Modern History of Iraq)

(Musings On Iraq review A People’s History Of Iraq, The Iraqi Communist Party, Workers’ Movements, and the Left 1924-2004)

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

(Musings On Iraq review Iraq’s Democratic Moment)

(Musings On Iraq review A History of Iraq)

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

(Musings On Iraq Is Iraq’s Prime Minister Maliki More Like Premier Nuri al-Sa’id Than Saddam? An Interview With Historian Phebe Marr)

(Musings On Iraq Revolutionary Times, Gen. Qasim And Iraq’s 1958 Coup, Interview With Western Kentucky’s Prof. Juan Romero)

Security In Iraq Feb 1-7, 2024

Violence in Iraq took a dramatic drop during the first week of February.

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 13 Iran scored 2nd major victory on Iraqi territory during Iran-Iraq War seizing Faw peninsula in Basra

 

1940 PM Said proposed to High Defense Council declaring war on Germany Send 2 Iraqi divisions to

Libya or Balkans Was rejected

Coordination Framework Can’t Rally Its Own MPs To Hold Parliamentary Vote To Demand US Leave Iraq

(Acting Speaker of Parliament Mandalawi's Office)

On February 10 Iraq’s parliament was to meet and vote on a resolution demanding the U.S.-led Coalition depart Iraq. That didn’t happen because of a boycott by Sunni and Kurdish parliamentarians. Not only that but a large number of lawmakers from the largest bloc the Coalition Framework didn’t show up either.

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 12 Cleric Hakim issued fatwa against joining Communists Clergy afraid youth becoming secular and joining Communists

 

1915 Lord Hardinge wrote India Office Said taking Baghdad was likely ultimate objective of

British occupation of Mesopotamia

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

Musings On Iraq In The News

 I was quoted in this article by Paul Iddon on US retaliation against pro-Iran groups in Iraq and Syria. "The US strikes on Iran-linked militants seem to be working, but that likely won't last long" in Business Insider. 

Click here to see all of Musings On Iraq's citations.

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 11 Executive Comm of Shias manifesto said monarchy discriminated against Shiites Called on UK to remove King Faisal and empower Shiites

 

1917 British renewed attack upon Dahra bend outside Kut

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 10 Abbasids surrendered Baghdad to Mongols who then massacred population

 

1258 Abbasid Caliph Mustasim surrendered Baghdad to Mongols Residents taken to camps where they were

executed Christians and Jews spared Mongol leader Hulagu said he killed 200,000 City eventually burned

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 9 General Qasim executed in 1963 coup

 

1915 UK fought skirmishes with Sehikh Ajaimi’s men from Montafiq Confederation in

Basra

Review The 2008 Battle of Sadr City

Johnson, David, Markel, M. Wade, Shannon, Brian, The 2008 Battle of Sadr City, Santa Monica, Arlington, Pittsburgh: RAND Corporation, 2011

 

The 2008 Battle of Sadr City by David Johnson, M. Wade Markel and Brian Shannon is a disappointing read. It was published by the RAND Corporation as a review of the fighting in Baghdad to stop the Mahdi Army militia from firing rockets and mortars at the Green Zone which is the seat of the Iraqi government and where the U.S. embassy is. Instead of going through the fighting it turned out to just be an exposition on weapons and assets the U.S. military used.

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 8 Baathist-military coup overthrew Gen Qasim

 

1922 UK Sec of War Evans wrote cabinet Iraqi army weak British military presence small

Iraq vulnerable to Turkey tribal unrest so UK should withdraw from Mosul

Coordination Framework Loses In 3 New Provincial Govts In Iraq

The Coordination Framework which runs the central government was hoping to take over most of the provinces after the December local elections. They have faced three early defeats however.

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 7 Report Trump said PM Abadi and Iraqis he met at White House were greatest group of thieves he’d ever met

(AFP)

 

1916 British withdrew from Butaniya and attacked by tribesmen British suffered 373 casualties Arabs

1,000

Sadrists And Asaib Ahl Al-Haq Return To Violence In Southern Iraq

(AFP)

The Sadrists and Asaib Ahl Al-Haq have a longtime rivalry which has heated up once again in southern Iraq. After the December 2023 provincial elections the two sides have resorted to violence in an attempt to assert their control.

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 6 Bakr govt put down protests led by Dawa killing 16 Arrested 2000 including Ayatollah al-Hakim

 

1919 Gertrude Bell met with Naqib of Baghdad who said he wanted British rule in Iraq under Sir Percy Cox

Warned that Shiites should not be trusted Said didn’t want any of the Sharifan family to rule because were not from Iraq

(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)

Islamic State Picked Up Attacks In Iraq While Pro-Iran Groups Maintained Campaign Against US And Israel

The Islamic State has been increasing its attacks in Iraq in the last 3 months but they are still insignificant. Pro-Iran groups on the other hand have kept up a steady pace of operations against the U.S. and Israel over the Gaza War.

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 5 Sec State Powell gave UN speech claiming Iraq had WMD and ties to Al Qaeda

 

1914 Lord Hardinge visited Basra Assured locals that British would protect their interests

Met by anti-UK protests in Qurna and Shaiba

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 4 Sykes-Picot Agreement approved Baghdad and Basra would’ve gone to UK Mosul to France Sharif Hussein would’ve gotten his own state

 

1916 Sykes-Picot agreement approved by UK Foreign Office Gave Baghdad and Basra

vilayets to UK Mosul to France Included independent Arab state for Sharif Hussein

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

(Musings On Iraq review U.S. Policy In Post-Saddam Iraq)

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 3 Blair govt issued report on Iraq’s deception campaign to hide its WMD Turned out it was plagiarized from a college student’s paper

1917 British attacked Hai River salient 3^rd time outside Kut Ottomans withdrew afterward

Since start of campaign to retake Kut in Dec 1916 British lost 8,524 casualties Ottomans 10,000 casualties and prisoners

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 2 PM Sadr said new Anglo-Iraq Treaty would not be ratified due to opposition Came after 1000s protested against it

 

1920 General Haldane made commander in Iraq Told to draw down troops to save money for

London

(Musings On Iraq review U.S. Policy In Post-Saddam Iraq)

Review Lessons Of The Iraqi De-Ba’athification Program For Iraq’s Future And The Arab Revolutions

Terrill, W. Andrew, Lessons Of The Iraqi De-Ba’athification Program For Iraq’s Future And The Arab Revolutions, Carlisle: Strategic Studies Institute, 2012

 

In Lessons Of The Iraqi De-Ba’athification Program For Iraq’s Future And The Arab Revolutions W. Andrew Terrill lays out how deBaathification was a disaster for the United States and Iraq. He argues it was based upon the wrong assumptions, was not necessary, helped lead to the insurgency, inflamed sectarianism, and devastated the Iraqi government.

This Day In Iraqi History - Feb 1 Reagan envoy Rumsfeld met Saddam 2nd time to improve US-Iraq relations during Iran-Iraq War

 

1917 British attacked Hai River salient 2^nd time outside Kut Failed again