Pro-Iran Resistance Picks Up Attacks In Iraq

  

On March 19 it was reported that the government got the pro-Iran Resistance to agree to a ceasefire. Violence went markedly down for two days but then on March 22 things were back to normal.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 23 Nuri al-Said became PM 1st of 9 times Went after opposition Closed newspapers Took control of parliament to assure passage of Anglo-Iraq Treaty

 

1915 French Amb to UK Cambon suggested that UK and France begin discussions on

dividing Ottoman Empire Would lead to creation of Iraq

Violence Down After Ceasefire In Iraq

  

On March 19 Al Hurra reported that the ruling Coordination Framework got the pro-Iran Resistance to agree to a ceasefire. Since then violence has decidedly dropped off in the country.

This Day In Iraqi History – Mar 22 Over 200 civilians killed in US airstrike in Mosul Abadi govt would launch disinformation campaign denying that it happened

 

1921 UK Cabinet approved Colonial Sec Churchill’s choice of Faisal as new ruler in Mesopotamia

(Musings On Iraq Churchill In His Own Words On Mesopotamia/Iraq)

(Musings On Iraq review Cairo 1921, Ten Days That Made the Middle East)

(Musings On Iraq review Churchill’s Folly, How Winston Churchill Created Modern Iraq)

(Musings On Iraq review Desert Hell, The British Invasion of Mesopotamia)

(Musings On Iraq review Foundations of British Policy In The Arab World: The Cairo Conference of 1921)

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

(Musings On Iraq review Imagining The Nation, Nationalism, Sectarianism and Socio-Political Conflict in Iraq)

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

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

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

Ceasefire Reported In Iraq But Not Followed

  

Al Hurra reported that the ruling Coordination Framework got the pro-Iran Resistance to agree to a ceasefire. This has occurred several times in the past when the government tried to step in and stop violence perpetrated by factions that undermine the country’s stability.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 21 Shock and Awe bombing campaign started during 2003 invasion of Iraq

 

1920 Iraq political officer Wilson wrote India Secretary Montague Said no connection between Iraq and Syria

and would reject rule by Faisal who’d been declared king of both before overthrown by France Said Iraq should have its own govt

Musings On Iraq In The News

I was quoted in this article "Iraq caught in the crossfire as Iran war crisis escalates" by Paul Iddon for The Irish Times. 

For a full listing of Musings On Iraq citations look here.

 

Iran Helping The Resistance Carry Out Attacks In Iraq

  

Al Hurra reported on Iran’s involvement in the violence going on in Iraq. On March 1 an Asaib Ahl Al-Haq headquarters in Diyala was hit that allegedly killed an Iranian Advisor. On March 17 a house in the Jadriya neighborhood of Baghdad was struck that killed six members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC). Al Hurra stated that they are involved in helping the Resistance carry out attacks. Quds Force commander General Esmail Qaani gave the Resistance the initiative to plan their own operations. The IRGC forces are there simply to assist them to make sure the attacks are successful.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 20 Start of 2003 invasion of Iraq

 

1919 French Foreign Min Picon argued for French mandate in Syria UK PM Lloyd George said no

claiming that would violate treaty made with Arabs during WWI US Pres Wilson suggested sending a commission to Syria and Iraq to determine what people there wanted

Iraq Starts Exporting Oil Once Again During Iran War

  

Iraq’s Oil Ministry announced that it was exporting petroleum once against through Turkey. After Irbil and Baghdad came to an agreement up to 250,000 barrels a day began flowing through a pipeline to the Turkish port of Ceyhan. The United States reportedly played a leading role in getting the two sides together as it wants more oil on the market to try to bring down prices.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 19 Bush ordered attack on farm in Baghdad hoping to kill Saddam as opening blow in Iraq invasion

 

1914 Ottomans agreed to merger of Turkish Petroleum Company that was to get oil concession in Mosul

vilayet with Anglo-Persian Oil Company

2 Breakthroughs To Allow Iraq To Export Oil Again During Iran War?

  

There was some fast breaking news on the oil front in Iraq. The Oil Ministry announced it was in talks with Iran to allow some tankers full of Iraqi petroleum to sail through the Strait of Hormuz which has been closed during the war. By the middle of the day Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani said that an agreement had been made on the issue. It would be quite an irony if Iraq and other countries are successful in these operations because it would make Tehran more powerful in the Persian Gulf as Trump keeps announcing that the U.S. is winning.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 18 4 pro-Najaf Hashd units asked to join Defense Min to protest pro-Iran groups control of Hashd Commission

 

1914 US consulate in Baghdad reported Ottomans had reconciled with Sayid Talib and Sheikh

Ajaimi of Montafiq Confederation They had de facto control of Basra vilayet

Spokesman For Kataib Hezbollah Killed As Iran War Continues To Escalate In Iraq

  

In another escalation of the Iran War’s impact upon Iraq the spokesman for Kataib Hezbollah Abu Ali Al-Askari was killed. This comes after his father Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi the secretary general of the group was either killed or injured on March 13. The U.S. and Israel has mostly hit units of the pro-Iran Resistance and their allies but has begun taking out leadership members now. Kataib Hezbollah is one of the most militant members of the Resistance and is also a political party with parliamentarians. If both father and son were taken out this would be a dramatic loss for the organization.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 17 Yasin al-Hashemi became PM 2nd time Was widely feared that he wanted to become dictator of Iraq

1639 Treaty of Zuhab ended Ottoman-Safavid War and gave Ottomans most of Mesopotamia

(Musings On Iraq review An Analysis of Hanna Batatu’s The Old Social Classes and the Revolutionary Movements of Iraq)

Political Dispute Blocks Iraq Exporting Oil Through Turkey During Iran War

  

Iraq’s oil exports have been cut off due to the Iran War. It is in discussions with the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) to use its pipeline to Turkey but the two can’t agree on the details.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 16 Iraqi WMD attack upon Halabja 5,000 killed

1917 UK War Cabinet created Mesopotamia administration committee to decide on form of

govt in captured areas

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

Resistance Leadership Targeted As French Soldier Killed And Italian Forces Withdraw From Iraq

US Embassy in Baghdad being hit

  

From March 13-14 Iran targeted members of the anti-Islamic State Coalition in Irbil while the U.S. and Israel went after more leaders of the pro-Iran Resistance.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 15 Ayatollah Khomeini called on Iraqis to rise up and overthrow Saddam

 

1915 Viceroy of India wrote UK interests were protecting Persian oil concession which meant Basra

vilayet should be controlled by UK while Baghdad vilayet should be ceded by Turkey and given native administration under UK influence

(Musings On Iraq review Desert Hell, The British Invasion of Mesopotamia)

(Musings On Iraq review Enemy On The Euphrates, The Battle For Iraq 1914-1921)

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

Review Edmund Candler, The Long Road to Baghdad, Volume II, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1919

  

Edmund Candler was a journalist who traveled with the British forces during the Mesopotamia campaign of World War I. This second volume of his book The Long Road to Baghdad covers the end of the war from 1917-1918. The vast majority of the writing is a blow by blow account of the various battles fought as the British conquered what would become Iraq. It does bring up larger issues however such as the lack of a strategy and the contempt the English had for the Ottomans and Arabs.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 14 Operation to free Tikrit stalled due to high Hashd casualties

 

1921 Colonial Sec Churchill wrote PM Lloyd George Said making Faisal king of Iraq best

chance for UK to save money in Iraq

(Musings On Iraq review Cairo 1921, Ten Days That Made the Middle East)

(Musings On Iraq review Desert Hell, The British Invasion of Mesopotamia)

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

(Musings On Iraq review Foundations of British Policy In The Arab World: The Cairo Conference of 1921)

Iraq Resistance Base Hit With Over 120 Casualties

   

On March 12 Ansar Allah’s 19^th Hashd Brigade was struck by at least two airstrikes in Akashat, Anbar. When rescue teams arrived they were hit as well. At least 35 were killed and around 90 were wounded. That was by far the highest number of casualties by any operation by the United States and Israel since the Iran War started. Before that the Hashd announced that there had been a total of 27 dead and 50 injured.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 13 Barzani officially ended his revolt after Shah of Iran cut off aid

 

1910 Ottoman army defeated Montafiq tribal confederation in present day Maysan province for rejecting

taxes

Iran Hits Two Oil Tankers In Iraqi Waters

  

In the late hours of March 11 two oil tankers off the coast of Iraq were hit by a booby trapped boat. One crew member was killed and several were injured. This was the second time a tanker was hit in Basra waters.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 12 Colonial Sec Churchill began Cairo Conference to determine future of Mesopotamia

 

1914 UK sent ultimatum to Ottomans If they wanted to increase tariffs had to allow merger

of Turkish Petroleum Company that was going to get oil concession in Mosul vilayet with Anglo-Persian Oil Company 1^st sign UK wanted to control Mesopotamian oil

Consulate In Iraq Attacked Along With Pro-Iran Resistance

  

The lead story in the Iran war’s impact on Iraq was that the United Arab Emirates’ consulate in Irbil was targeted by a drone either by Tehran or the Iraqi Resistance. This forced Baghdad into a series of phone calls with foreign countries to assure them that their diplomats would be safe in the country although  there is no guarantee that will happen.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 11 British captured Baghdad WWI

 

1917 British army captured Baghdad Led to widespread looting Driven off by soldiers

Population then celebrated arrival of British

(Musings On Iraq review Enemy On The Euphrates, The Battle For Iraq 1914-1921)

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

Drone, Missile and Airstrikes In Iraq As Iran War Continues

 

Iraq remains a secondary front in the Iran War. Everyday, the U.S., Israel and Iran attack something in the country.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 10 Barzani wrote letter to Sec State Kissinger reminding him of Nixon’s promise of aid Barzani said Kurds being destroyed by Iraqi govt Kissinger didn’t reply

 

865 Abu Ahmad’s army from Samarra reached gates of Baghdad to overthrow Abbasid Caliph

Mutasim

Foreign Oil Workers Leave Iraq While Production Cut Due To Iranian Attacks

  

Iran’s new policy of attacking Iraq’s oil industry to put pressure upon the Trump administration to stop the war is having an immediate impact.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 9 Russian price war with Saudi Arabia led to collapse in oil prices leading to economic crisis for Iraq the most oil dependent country in world

 

1916 British retreated from Dujail after failed attack on Ottomans