Over 100 Fatalities In Iraq Since Start Of Iran War

    

The Baghdad Airport was the center of attention on March 30. During the day rockets hit the military part of the facility destroying an Iraqi Security Forces transport plane. Then at night a drone crashed into the logistics center and then another crashed on the military side. The security forces also found a truck laden with drones in the Musayib district in northern Babil that were also aimed at the airport. The facility has been a favorite target of the pro-Iran groups since the U.S. invasion. It is not only used by the Americans but the constant strikes are a sign that the government cannot keep the capital safe.

This Day In Iraqi History – Mar 31 Iraqi Communist Party founded

 

1915 UK Foreign Office wrote India Viceroy Lord Hardinge Agreed UK should take Basra

province and perhaps make Baghdad a protectorate

Pro-Iran Resistance Restarts Attacks Upon US Embassy In Iraq

  

The pro-Iran Resistance upped the anti once again in Iraq by attacking the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Two drones were shot down by the air defenses at the facility. This is the first such attack in ten days.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 30 UK Cairo Conference decided on indirect rule in Iraq Faisal would be made king with pro-UK govt allowing British forces to withdraw

 

1921 Cairo Conference decided on indirect rule in Iraq Would make Faisal King of a pro-British Iraqi govt

allowing withdrawal of British forces Would keep UK High Commissioner for Iraq British advisers in govt naval presence in Basra and RAF squadrons in rest of country

(Musings On Iraq How England Chose Feisal As 1^st King Of 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 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 Supremacy And Oil, Iraq, Turkey, and the Anglo-American World Order, 1918-1930)

(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)

(Musings On Iraq review Britain In Iraq, Contriving King and Country)

Iraq’s Resistance Claims Multiple Attacks Upon Jordanian Bases

  

Plenty happened in Iraq over the past three days due to the Iran War. That included multiple attacks upon Jordanian airbases by the pro-Iran Resistance to the U.S. or Israel hitting members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) again.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 29 Sayid Salih Jabr became Iraq’s first Shiite PM

 

1946 Iraq-Turkey Friendship Treaty Would cooperate over Tigris and Euphrates security

education communication economies

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 28 2 truck bombs in Tal Afar left 499 casualties Militias and police killed 70 in revenge

1918 British took Ana

Iraq Running Out Of Money Due To Iran War

  

The Financial Times reported on the economic crisis that the Iran War is causing for Iraq. It said that Baghdad has lost around $5.4 billion since the start of the conflict and it only has 1-2 months worth of cash to cover government salaries. The Central Bank on the other hand said its reserves could cover 12 months worth of oil exports. The problem is by law the bank can’t cover the government’s budget so it has to issue bonds or some other means to provide money. Government salaries and benefits are the largest part of the budget because adding public workers is the main means that the ruling parties have to maintain their support. Before the war Baghdad was running into problems meeting its obligations because of low oil prices. Now it is barely making any money with the Strait of Hormuz closed.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 27 Saddam said he was going to get a nuclear bomb with help of the Soviets so he could go to war with Israel

 

1918 British took Haditha

Iraq Outraged By Airstrike On Military Base In Anbar

  

A military base in Habaniya Anbar was attacked by jets setting off a new controversy. The planes hit a Hashd al-Shaabi intelligence department within the facility. Most news reports said that 7 soldiers were killed and 13 others wounded but Shafaq News said that 15 Hashd were killed and 14 wounded. The Iraqi government condemned the incident saying it was a direct attack upon its forces. This was not the first time a mixed Iraqi forces and Hashd target was hit but the high casualties made it unacceptable to Baghdad. The Sudani government is trying to walk a fine line between criticizing the Resistance which is part of the government and security forces for attacking international troops and businesses while also being upset when the pro-Iran factions suffer casualties.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 26 Iyad Allawi won 2010 election PM Maliki came in 2nd and would outmaneuver his opponent to gain another term

1918 Battle of Khan Baghdadi between Ottomans and British started

More Reports Of Iran Aiding The Iraqi Resistance

  

The Saudi paper Asharq al-Awsat ran a report on Iran’s role in assisting the Resistance in Iraq. It said as soon as the war started on February 28 members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Quds Forced moved into Iraq to advise and direct attacks by the Resistance against the U.S. They joined advisors who were already in the country. The operations are run out of a command center in Baghdad with sub-branches in Najaf, Diyala and Basra.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 25 Iraq’s Information Min Sahaf began telling media US losing during invasion of Iraq

 

1915 British infantry brigade and artillery landed at Basra as reinforcements

Iraq’s PM Sudani Criticizes Pro-Iran Resistance While Giving Them Concession During Iran War

  

Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani is trying to play a double game with the pro-Iran Resistance. On the one hand he is criticizing it for attacks upon the government on the other hand he is giving them concessions because factions are in his political camp and he is still hoping that he can win a second term in office with their support.

This Day In Iraqi History - Mar 24 Ayatollah Khamenei Pres Khatami decided to send Badr Brigade into Iraq to carry out ops vs US during invasion

 

1915 Gen Nixon made UK cmdr in Mesopotamia Told to hold Basra vilayet and all outlets to sea

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.