Musings On Iraq review Confronting Al Qaeda, The Sunni Awakening and American Strategy In Al Anbar
Musings On Iraq review Death of the Mehdi Army, The Rise, Fall, and Revival of Iraq’s Most Powerful Militia
Musings On Iraq review Fallujah Redux, The Anbar Awakening and the Struggle With Al-Qaeda
Musings On Iraq review Illusions of Victory, The Anbar Awakening And The Rise Of The Islamic State
Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance
Musings On Iraq review Iraq From War To A New Authoritarianism
Musings On Iraq review Iraq’s Dysfunctional Democracy
Musings On Iraq review The ISIS Reader, Milestone Texts of the Islamic State Movement
Musings On Iraq review The Marines Take Anbar, The Four-Year Fight Against Al Qaeda
Musings On Iraq review Overreach, Delusions of Regime Change In Iraq
Musings On Iraq review Patriotic Ayatollahs, Nationalism In Post-Saddam Iraq
Musings On Iraq review The Report of the Iraq Inquiry, Executive Summary
Musings On Iraq review The Sheriff of Ramadi, Navy SEALS and the Winning of Anbar
Musings On Iraq review The Struggle For Iraq, A View from the Ground Up
Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War
Musings On Iraq review The Unraveling, High Hopes And Missed Opportunity In Iraq
Musings On Iraq review Voices From Iraq, A People’s History, 2003-2009
Musings On Iraq interview with Reuters’ Parker on Maliki’s biography
Musings On Iraq interview with Inside Iraqi Politics’ Sowell on whether Maliki became a dictator
Musings On Iraq interview with Historian Phebe Marr comparing PM Maliki with MP Said
Musings On Iraq Argument for Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman
2008
Jan 1 Migration Minister said that govt plan was to return refugees to their homes and neighborhoods
Gen Petraeus didn’t think that possible because demographics had changed during civil war Said it would lead to violence Said many refugees would never return to their homes
(Musings On Iraq review Children of War, Voices Of Iraqi Refugees)
(Musings On Iraq Refugees International Report On Iraq’s Refugees and Displaced)
(Musings On Iraq January 2009 U.N. Report On Iraq Refugee Returns)
Jan 2 Female suicide bomber killed Sahwa leader in Baquba Part of ISI campaign vs sahwa
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Behind The Revival Of The Islamic State in Iraq, Interview With Naval War College Prof Craig Whiteside)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Jan 3 Representatives of Sadr and ISCI met for second time to try to reconcile after a half year of
fighting across the south Signed pact in October but didn't stop violence
Jan 4 Report Lancet II report est 654,965 Iraqi deaths from 03-06 10 times higher than other ests Health
Min est 50,000 died 03-Jun 06 Iraq Body Count est 45,000 dead 1st Lancet est 100,000 excess deaths during 1st 19 months of war In Fallujah survey recorded 52 deaths in 29 households 71% of total deaths in report Extrapolated would mean 50-70,000 deaths in Fallujah by Sep 04 Was so high Fallujah was dropped from final results Lancet II recorded 302 deaths in 1849 households up to Jun 06 Customary for surveys to release work to show that it could be repeated and verified Lancet II didn’t VP of Natl Opinion Research Center said Lancet II didn’t use routine methods to prevent fraud Sample size might’ve been too small Lancet II visited 47 clusters each with 40 households UN did survey of 2200 clusters of 10 houses each Est 24,000 deaths Lancet II sample size small so each death accounted for 2000 deaths overall Might suffer from main street bias Go to main streets to do survey which have highest violence Lancet II said only 1.7% of households less than 50 total were unoccupied or didn’t want to participate Asked how 98% of households cooperated if only surveyed in 1 day and most men would be at work and women less likely to answer questions alone Lancet II claimed most deaths confirmed with death certificates Didn’t show any proof of certificates Didn’t record any info from certificates Under pressure Lancet II authors released some data Raised more questions 22 death certificates for violent deaths missing and all were in Ninewa Meant there were no other missing certificates for 180 deaths in 15 provinces 70 violent deaths didn’t mention certificates 1 author later said surveyors forgot to ask for certificates when claimed all deaths verified by them 1 Baghdad survey cluster reported 24 car bombs deaths in early July Iraq Body Count only recorded 1 car bomb during period that killed 60 Survey was supposed to end in Jun so shouldn’t have included any bombs in Jul Because small survey size those 24 deaths counted for 48,000 deaths in total 1 incident tripled total car bomb deaths to 76,000 Iraq Body Count only recorded 5,046 car bomb deaths from 03-Aug 06 Didn’t ask for certificates for 24 car bomb deaths Authors released Lancet I and II right before US elections to affect politics Iraq Body Count study of Lancet II est that if correct only 1/10 of deaths were being reported
(Musings On Iraq Comparing Surveys of Iraqi Deaths During The War)
(Musings On Iraq Major Flaws With The Lancet Reports On Iraqi Deaths Part I)
(Musings On Iraq Major Flaws With The Lancet Reports On Iraqi Deaths Part II)
(Musings On Iraq New Survey On Estimated Deaths In Iraq Refutes Lancet Reports)
(Musings On Iraq interview with Prof Mark Van Der Laan on Lancet Reports)
(Musings On Iraq interview with Prof Michael Spagat on Lancet reports)
Jan 4 Iraqi Red Crescent reported 45,913 refugees returned from Syria from Sep-Dec 07 Govt claimed
60,000 had returned because inflating numbers 38,736 went to Baghdad Around 10,000 displaced returned home from Nov-Dec 07 Returnees finding it hard to find housing school health care
(Musings On Iraq review Children of War, Voices Of Iraqi Refugees)
(Musings On Iraq Refugees International Report On Iraq’s Refugees and Displaced)
(Musings On Iraq January 2009 U.N. Report On Iraq Refugee Returns)
Jan 4 Report bin Laden said those that joined the sahwa sold out their religion for money
(Musings On Iraq What’s In The Future For The Sons of Iraq?)
Jan 5 PM Maliki said Sahwa infiltrated by ISI and Baathists and attacked ISF
(Musings On Iraq What’s In The Future For The Sons of Iraq?)
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
Jan 6 Report Basra police chief transferred 1000 police outside city to try to diminish power of militias
Already transferred 2000 other police
Jan 7 Report Iraqi Red Crescent said ¼ of Baghdad’s population displaced Many went from district to
district in city Number didn’t include those that had left city altogether
Jan 8 6 churches in Mosul and Baghdad bombed
Jan 8 US Op Phantom Phoenix began to secure Baghdad and belts in Diyala Salahaddin
Ninewa US kept offensive secret from most ISF fearing they would leak offensive to insurgents Still many insurgents escaped
Jan 8 Ret Gen McCaffrey warned that Awakening and Sahwa were good short term security solution but
didn’t mean long term political stability in Iraq
(Musings On Iraq interview with author Carter Malkasian on Anbar Awakening)
(Musings On Iraq review Illusions of Victory, The Anbar Awakening And The Rise Of The Islamic State)
Jan 9 World Health Org study est 151,000 deaths from Mar 03-Jun 06 Compared to Lancet study/s
600,000 deaths Mar 03-Jul 06 WHO study had larger sample size than Lancet which was widely criticized for being inaccurate
(Musings On Iraq Comparing Surveys of Iraqi Deaths During The War)
(Musings On Iraq Major Flaws With The Lancet Reports On Iraqi Deaths Part I)
(Musings On Iraq Major Flaws With The Lancet Reports On Iraqi Deaths Part II)
(Musings On Iraq New Survey On Estimated Deaths In Iraq Refutes Lancet Reports)
(Musings On Iraq interview with Prof Mark Van Der Laan on Lancet Reports)
(Musings On Iraq interview with Prof Michael Spagat on Lancet reports)
Jan 9 Harith al-Dhari head of Assocation of Muslim Scholars claimed sahwa were all ISI members who
left insurgency for the money
Jan 10 Amb Crocker and Gen Petraeus said that US no longer expected Iraq to reach benchmarks Said
Iraqis could solve their own problems now
Jan 11 Report Unpublished UN paper said 1000s detained in KRG for political crimes Govt contracts
given to political allies and friends in patronage networks
Jan 11 Report Contracts in KRG often given to relatives to KDP-PUK officials Passed through series of
companies each one taking a cut
(Musings On Iraq Corruption and Reporting in Kurdistan)
Jan 12 Accountability and Justice Commission replaced deBaathification Commission
(Musings On Iraq New DeBaathification Law)
Jan 12 145 MPs from Iraqiya Sadrists part of Dawa National Dialogue Front and others said they were
against turning over Kirkuk to Kurds
Jan 13 Sadrists Iraqiya, National Dialogue List signed agreement to maintain national control of Iraq’s
oil and oppose independent KRG oil contracts Nothing came of agreement
Jan 13 Report Could’ve been fraud by Iraqi teams that did Lancet II study on Iraqi deaths Lancet authors
didn’t have enough checks to make sure survey teams were not faking info Thought claim majority of people who reported deaths had death certificates might have been case of faked data Analyst went over data and found correlation between when teams forgot to ask for death certificates and certain types of deaths Thought correlation proved teams purposely asked for death certificates sometimes and not in others
(Musings On Iraq Comparing Surveys of Iraqi Deaths During The War)
(Musings On Iraq Major Flaws With The Lancet Reports On Iraqi Deaths Part I)
(Musings On Iraq Major Flaws With The Lancet Reports On Iraqi Deaths Part II)
(Musings On Iraq New Survey On Estimated Deaths In Iraq Refutes Lancet Reports)
(Musings On Iraq interview with Prof Mark Van Der Laan on Lancet Reports)
(Musings On Iraq interview with Prof Michael Spagat on Lancet reports)
Jan 13 Report Baghdad and major cities facing worst electricity crisis since 2003 Turkey cut off natural gas
exports that fueled power stations Turkey and Kuwait also cut electricity exports Insurgents continued to blow up power lines
Jan 14 PM Maliki met with Presidency Council They told him he needed to reform govt consult with
them more get rid of some ministers and replace them with technocrats Warned there would be no confidence vote to remove him if didn’t act
Jan 14 Defense Minister Qadir said that Iraq couldn’t take responsibility for internal security until 2012
and wouldn’t be able to defend its borders until at least 2018
Jan 14 KDP said it opposed forming Sahwa units in disputed territories Said Peshmerga and Asayesh
were enough
Jan 14 Report US began vocational training for Sahwa because so few of them would be hired by govt
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
Jan 14 Report Oct ISC and Mahdi Army fought in Diwaniya Nov fought in Maysan Also fought in Basra
during end of 07
Jan 15 Sec State Rice told Talabani Barzani Hashemi Abdul Mahdi that PM Maliki not problem they were
because they controlled more votes in parliament
Jan 17 UN envoy to Iraq said country only had 6 months to turn security improvement into
reconciliation Said too much distrust within govt
Jan 17 US military reported 75% of Baghdad secured up from 8% in Feb 07
Jan 18 Fighting broke out between Soldiers of Heaven and Iraqi forces in Nasiriya and Basra Over 300
killed and wounded Group claimed persecution by govt Maliki govt claimed they were Baathists in attempt to cover up fighting
Jan 18 Gen Dubik in charge of training said ISF lacking in personnel, equipment, weapons, logistics and
would need U.S. help for up to a decade
Jan 18 Iraqi Accordance Front said that Accountability and Justice law met their demands and willing to
end boycott of cabinet Wouldn’t happen until July
Jan 19 National Security Adviser Rubaie was trapped inside mosque by angry Sadrists crowd ISF had to
rescue him
Jan 19 Report Mahdi Army trying to get rid of rogue units Special unit killed some militiamen
Jan 20 US general said number of EFP attacks down but Iran showed no sign of ending supplies and
training to militias
(Musings On Iraq How Iran Used Explosively Formed Projectiles (EFPs) To Influence events In Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq A History Of Iranian Weapons Shipments To Iraq Interview With Arkenstone Blog’s Galen Wright)
(Musings On Iraq Overview of Iran’s Influence In Iraq)
Jan 21 Fighting continued in Basra Nasiriya Diwniya for 3rd day between ISF and Soldiers of Heaven 200
casualties in Basra alone
Jan 21 Report Civilian deaths down from around 3000 in Nov 06 to 700 in Dec 07 Attacks down 60% by
Dec 2007 Was not around same level as early 2005 Ethnosectarian deaths down from 2200 in Dec 06 to 200 in Nov 07
Jan 21 Suicide Bomber killed Awakening leader Sheikh Issawi in Fallujah
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Jan 22 Mahdi Army tried to kidnap PM Maliki’s national security adviser Mowafaq Rubaie in
Baghdad
Jan 22 Oil Min blacklisted companies that signed oil deals with KRG
(Musings On Iraq Iraqi Kurdistan’s Failed Independent Oil Strategy)
Jan 23 Iraqi Ninewa campaign began to secure Mosul
Jan 23 20,000 pound bomb went off in Mosul Killed 15 wounded 132
Jan 24 Report 200 Sahwa killed and 500 wounded Jun-Dec 2007 by ISI 100 were killed just in Jan in
Baghdad and Diyala Increased after Dec 29 message by bin Laden against Awakening/Sahwa
(Musings On Iraq What’s In The Future For The Sons of Iraq?)
Jan 24 Report 4 yrs after 2 battles of Fallujah city still largely destroyed Only 4 hrs of power Little
running water Sewage system didn’t work 70% unemployment Lack of fuel Tight security hindered trade and development US reconstruction projects small and local and couldn’t address large problems with services Fallujah blamed Baghdad neglect
Jan 26 FBI agent that interviewed Saddam after capture said he never expected a US invasion Thought
Bush would only bomb Iraq Saddam considered Iran real threat
Jan 27 Of roughly 100,000 Sahwa 9,000 were signed and screened to join the ISF Was far below what
govt promised
(Musings On Iraq What’s In The Future For The Sons of Iraq?)
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
Jan 28 Electricity Min said no improvement in power supply in 2007 Said would have to wait until 2011
for progress
Jan 28 12 political parties signed agreement to resolve Kirkuk after Article 140 not implemented in 2007
Was never done
Jan 28 Report Iran backed Special Groups were attacking Sahwa units in parts of Baghdad
Jan 28 Report PM Maliki continued to be sectarian Sunni areas in Baghdad only got avg 2 hrs of
electricity/day vs 8 hrs/day in Shiite ones Maliki only listened to small group of Dawa members Used Commander in Chief to undermine Def Min US officials complained about Maliki but had no alternative
Jan 29 PM Maliki refused to have officials close to him be investigated for corruption
Jan 29 Suspicious fires at Central Bank of Iraq and Labor Ministry Some MPs claimed this was to
destroy documents implicating officials in corruption
(Musings On Iraq interview with Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart Bowen on corruption in Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq interview with anti-graft US official Vincent Foulk)
Jan 29 Iraqi Red Crescent reported 46,000 refugees returned to Iraq Driving up housing prices in
Baghdad Many couldn’t return to their homes because demographics changed during civil war and militia control
(Musings On Iraq review Children of War, Voices Of Iraqi Refugees)
(Musings On Iraq Columbia University Charts Sectarian Cleansing Of Baghdad)
Jan 30 Report Saudi Arabia and Kuwait each pledged $500 mil in aid to Iraq Saudis only provided 17% and
Kuwait 27% of that aid
Jan 31 Report US military blamed Bassima al-Jadiri on National Reconciliation Comm for blocking
integration of Sunnis into ISF Accused her of being sectarian US general in charge of police training said Jadiri should be removed Iraqi general submitted list of army recruits Jadiri rejected all the Sunnis US general sent list of 3,000 Sahwa to be integrated into police Jadiri only accepted Shiites
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
Jan 31 Report Iraq Family Health Survey Est 151,000 violent deaths from Mar 03-Jun 06 Deaths usually
underreported during violent times Compared survey with Iraq Body Count and Lancet studies Matched up with Iraq Body Count Not with Lancet Thought Lancet overestimated deaths considerably Lancet est 925 violent deaths/day from Jun 05-Jun 06 Would mean 87% of deaths were missed by Healthy Survey and 90% by Iraq Body Count Highly improbable to miss that many Health Survey also used much larger sample size which meant more quality control than Lancet
(Musings On Iraq Comparing Surveys of Iraqi Deaths During The War)
(Musings On Iraq Major Flaws With The Lancet Reports On Iraqi Deaths Part I)
(Musings On Iraq Major Flaws With The Lancet Reports On Iraqi Deaths Part II)
(Musings On Iraq New Survey On Estimated Deaths In Iraq Refutes Lancet Reports)
(Musings On Iraq interview with Prof Mark Van Der Laan on Lancet Reports)
(Musings On Iraq interview with Prof Michael Spagat on Lancet reports)
Feb 1 Female suicide bomber hit pet market in Baghdad 45 killed 82 wounded Followed
by another woman bomber hitting another market 27 dead 67 wounded
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq review Voices From Iraq, A People’s History, 2003-2009)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Feb 2 Accountability and Justice law passed to replace deBaathification legislation
(Musings On Iraq New DeBaathification Law)
Feb 2 Bombing 2 markets in Baghdad killed 99 wounded 145
(Musings On Iraq review Voices From Iraq, A People’s History, 2003-2009)
Feb 2 Interior Min Bolani said large drop in Saudi foreign fighters coming to Iraq
(Musings On Iraq The Saudi Role In The Iraqi Insurgency)
Feb 3 Report US military said more attacks in Jan 08 by Iran-backed Special Groups then in last year EFP
attacks happened almost every day from Apr-Oct 07
Feb 3 Report Car bombs in Baghdad went from 206 in Jan 07 to 253 in Feb 186 in Jul 13 in Nov and 12 in
Dec Improved security under Surge
Feb 4 Sadr renewed Mahdi Army ceasefire after 6 months
(Musings On Iraq Sadr’s Leadership Or Lack Thereof)
Feb 4 Report Leader of Fadhil Baghdad sahwa said his neighborhood was independent Said didn’t want ISF
to be there Leader was fmr Baathist Pro-Saddam graffiti was in neighborhood
Feb 5 Report Police carrying out kidnappings murder blackmail for money Many part of militias
Feb.5 Report Turkey carried out 12 hour bombing campaign against PKK in KRG
Feb 6 Head of reconciliation for U.S. military in Iraq asked whether Shiite govt really wanted to
reconcile with Sunnis
Feb 6 Report Maliki govt only spent between 4-24% of its 2006 capital budget of $2.6 bil for investment
(Musings On Iraq GAO August 2008 report On Iraq’s Budget And Spending)
(Musings On Iraq NY Times Finds Iraq Spends Even Less Of Its Budget)
Feb 7 UN reported surge in refugees returning to Syria over Said most returned to Iraq not because Iraq
safer but because couldn’t afford to live in Syria anymore Now more Iraqis leaving Iraq then returning Intl Org for Migration said only 20-30% of returnees able to return to homes 50% unemployed and no govt aid Some become displaced
(Musings On Iraq review Children of War, Voices Of Iraqi Refugees)
(Musings On Iraq Refugees International Report On Iraq’s Refugees and Displaced)
(Musings On Iraq January 2009 U.N. Report On Iraq Refugee Returns)
Feb 7 Report Mahdi Army had systematic strategy for taking over Sunni areas of Baghdad Started with
assassination of businessmen and community leaders Tried to co-opt Shiite residents before launching full attack upon area
Feb 7 Islamic Party head Samarrai said the Anbar Salvation Council had no support and backed
insurgency in 2007 Part of dispute for control of Anbar govt between Islamic Party and Awakening
(Musings On Iraq review Illusions of Victory, The Anbar Awakening And The Rise Of The Islamic State)
Feb 7 Report ISCI persecuted Sadrists in Diwaniya Kicked out 300 Sadrist families form city
Feb 7 Report Sadrists moved into Interior Min and local police in 2006 Gave Sadrists legal cover and
freedom of movement Collaborated in sectarian attacks on Sunnis Officers had to confiscate phones before ops otherwise would warn Mahdi Army
Feb 8 Sahwa in Diyala went on strike demanding provincial police chief be replaced
accused of running death squads and torturing prisoners arresting Sahwa
(Musings On Iraq Diyala Province Backgrounder)
Feb 8 US military said number of attacks on Sahwa doubled since Oct 07
Feb 8 Report ISI trying to win back popular support by changing tactics Being more selective in
targeting and not trying to kill civilians
Feb 8 Constitutional Committee asked for another extension to amend the constitution Never finished
(Musings On Iraq interview with constitutional scholar Zaid al-Ali on Iraq’s constitution)
Feb 8 State Dept official in charge of Iraq said pro-Iran groups increasing attacks in 2008
Feb 8 Oil Min Shahristani asked international oil companies to invest in Iraq for first time
(Musings On Iraq Oil Minister Under Attack On Eve Of Awarding New Contracts)
Feb 9 Anbar Salvation Council gave Islamic Party 30 days to leave provincial council or be forced out
Two also competing over reconstruction contracts
(Musings On Iraq review Illusions of Victory, The Anbar Awakening And The Rise Of The Islamic State)
(Musings On Iraq interview with author Carter Malkasian on Anbar Awakening)
Feb 10 US and ISF started op in Mosul Found nothing Insurgents likely tipped off beforehand
Feb 10 ISI set off 2 female suicide bombers in Baghdad markets 99 dead 2 car bombs hit tribal meeting
of Sahwa leaders 22 dead 42 wounded Part of ISI campaign vs sahwa
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Behind The Revival Of The Islamic State in Iraq, Interview With Naval War College Prof Craig Whiteside)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Feb 11 Sadr renewed freeze on Mahdi Army for another 6 months
Feb 11 Report US Army buried 2005 RAND study of Iraq war planning because criticized White House
Report faulted Bush for never resolved rivalries between State and Def Depts over war planning Pentagon given control of postwar Iraq even though lacked planning and execution capabilities State’s Future of Iraq Project was not an action plan for Iraq Gen Franks had complete misunderstanding of postwar situation US believed Iraqi police and govt would be working day after war Believed Iraq could be rebuilt cheaply Lack of troops made situation worse Lack of planning and sealing borders increased insurgency Said more realistic discussion of cost of war could’ve undermined support for invasion
(Musings On Iraq review Losing Iraq, Inside The Post War Reconstruction Fiasco by David Phillips)
(Musings On Iraq review Leap of Faith, Hubris Negligence, and America’s Greatest Foreign Policy
Tragedy)
(Musings On Iraq review Fiasco: The American Military Adventure In Iraq)
Feb 11 Baquba Sahwa held another protest demanding Diyala police chief be fired for attacking Sunnis
(Musings On Iraq Diyala Province Backgrounder)
Feb 12 Report Sahwa in north Baghdad’s Tarmiya wanted to be integrated into police but Inter Min
refused Police arrested head of Sahwa on no charges
Feb 12 ISI commander from north Iraq interviewed Said group had been forced out of many cities and
was in difficult situation Said killing of civilians had cost group its reputation
(Musings On Iraq review The Caliphate At War, Operational Realities and Innovations of the Islamic State)
(Musings On Iraq The Demise But Not Death of Al Qaeda In Iraq)
Feb 12 Report Russia forgave $12.9 bil in debt In return Russia got assurances its claims to Iraqi oil fields
would be maintained Agreed to invest $4 bil into oil
Feb 13 Parliament passed Provincial Powers Act to devolve authority to governorates
Never really implemented
Feb 13 Awakening leader Sheikh Abu Risha announced political party Iraq’s Awakening to run in 2009
provincial elections
(Musings On Iraq Anbar’s Forgotten Sheikh)
Feb 13 Report Anbar Awakening splitting over politics Sheikh Abu Risha made deal with VP Hashemi
and Islamic Party Sheikh Suleiman accused Hashemi of attempting to take over Awakening Accused Islamic Party of working with ISI
(Musings On Iraq review Illusions of Victory, The Anbar Awakening And The Rise Of The Islamic State)
(Musings On Iraq interview with author Carter Malkasian on Anbar Awakening)
Feb 13 Report Only 10% of Sahwa started training to join ISF Govt promised 25% would join
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
Feb 14 Jordan put visa restrictions on Iraqis to try to stop flow of refugees moving there
Feb 14 Iraq justice system overwhelmed by prisoners captured during Surge More than half 26,000
prisoners held haven’t gone to trial and some have waited for years Prisons overcrowded Police often ignored orders to release prisoners Many guards worked with militias and released them Iraq didn’t have enough judges to deal with cases Not supported by govt
Feb 14 Report Fmr SWAT cmdr went to Baghdad to testify against Diyala police chief Accused of
kidnapping torture not allowing Sunnis to join police 10,000 Sunnis in Diyala protested demanding his removal
Feb 15 Report leaked US doc said Maliki govt didn’t feel urgency to integrate Sahwa Said ministries
interested in taking on Sahwa didn’t have capacity to do so
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
Feb 16 Maliki said Al Qaeda in Iraq had mostly been driven from Baghdad
Feb 17 2 car bombs at Awakening meeting in Anbar kill more than 20
Feb 17 Sadr announced end of truce with ISCI made in Oct 07 Didn’t stop fighting between two parties
Feb 17 Report 2007 avg 200 attacks per day against ISF Start of 2008 only avg of 82 per day
Feb 17 Report Almost half of displaced said they wouldn’t return to their old neighborhoods because
demographics changed in civil war Baghdad’s Adil neighborhood 70% of violence caused by conflicts between returnees and squatters occupying their homes ISF helping Shiites keep homes by arresting Sunnis and not allowing families back
Feb 17 US accused Iran of increased arms shipments to militias in Iraq Said ¼ of weapons caches found were
Iranian weapons for militias
(Musings On Iraq A History Of Iranian Weapons Shipments To Iraq Interview With Arkenstone Blog’s Galen Wright)
Feb 18 Report Kurdish police arrested activists trying to organize people to demand better services in
KRG
Feb 18 United Iraqi Alliance and Islamic Party made deal to end protests in Diyala against provincial
police chief accused of being sectarian and attacking Sunnis
Feb 19 1st day of trial of Sadrist fmr Dep Health Min Zamili and ministry security chief Gen Shammari
accused of killing and kidnapping Sunnis in hospitals 7 of 9 witnesses threatened Judge in case accused of agreeing to acquit 2 before trial
Feb 20 After Sadrist members were arrested Mahdi Army started fighting Iraqi army in Basra In
Diwaniya Sadrists accused ISCI controlled police of blowing up 4 houses
Feb 20 Report Trial for Dep Health Min Zamili and head of ministry security Gen Shammari for killing and
kidnapping Sunnis Jun 06 Dep Health Min Mahdawai went to ministry in Baghdad and not seen again Witnesses against Zamili and Shammari failed to appear some of them threatened 1 judge said the suspects were not guilty trial judge was removed
Feb 21 Op Sun 800 Turkish troops moved 10 mil into Kurdistan to attack PKK Also moved out of base
inside KRG and stopped by Peshmerga who surrounded the camp
Feb 21 Mahdi Army fought army unit controlled by Supreme Council in Baquba Diyala
Feb 21 Report Maliki govt agreed to 12000 sahwa joining ISF Only 490 finished training Were 25000 sahwa
in Baghdad 10000 were to joint ISF By Dec 07 635 sahwa had joined police 2000 okayed to join Interior Min Fewer joined army US wanted more sahwa integrated Maliki never followed promise of full integration
Feb 22 Sadr renewed his freeze on Mahdi Army
Feb 23 Sadr said he failed because US still occupying Iraq and many of his followers
had left his movement
Feb 23 2 suicide bombers killed Sheikh Mutairi of Anbar Salvation Council in Fallujah Part of ISI
campaign against Awakening/Sahwa
(Musings On Iraq Behind The Revival Of The Islamic State in Iraq, Interview With Naval War College Prof Craig Whiteside)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Feb 23 US general in charge of Baghdad said attacks down 75% since June 07 90% drop in civilian
deaths 85% drop in murders
Feb 23 Report Basra beset by violence between militias Professionals politicians and officials all
subjected to assassinations and kidnappings Many times police carry out murders Interior Min issued warrant for head of Basra Serious Crime Unit connected o Sadrists accused of running death squads but nothing done
Feb 23 Report Basra was a mess Clashes amongst militias and political parties common 100 women killed for
not following Islamic law Professionals and sheikhs killed Police controlled by parties Sheikhs said police carried out political killings for parties 2006 Serious Crime Unit ran death squads 2008 Interior Min issued warrant for cmdr Serious Crime Unit but nothing happened because Mahdi Army 2007 848 deaths and 383 kidnappings in Basra city Police general said 30% of soldiers in city controlled by militias Basra police cmdr said his own officers tried to kill him 10 times since he took office 7 months ago When he took over said 250 police cars and 5000 pistols stolen by militias
(Musings On Iraq Review What Kind of Liberation? Women and the Occupation of Iraq)
Feb 24 Sheikh Suleiman of Anbar Salvation Council called for Anbar council to be dissolved because
controlled by Islamic Party
(Musings On Iraq interview with author Carter Malkasian on Anbar Awakening)
Feb 26 Health Min Hasnawi blamed corrupt officials for importing expired and counterfeit medicines
Feb 26 Fmr Defense Min Allawi said right after 03 invasion Badr Brigade sent in 10,000 fighters into
Iraq and took control of Baquba Kut and other southern cities along Iranian border
(Musings On Iraq Badr Organization A View Into Iraq’s Violent Past And Present)
Feb 26 Report Tehran received files on Iraqi intel officers under Saddam that worked on Iraq and carried
out campaign to assassinate them
Feb 26 Report Badr provided intel on Sadrists to Americans to eliminate their rivals
Feb 26 Report Turkey said latest op vs PKK in KRG was new era in US-Turkish relations Turkey told US
and Baghdad before attack KRG Pres Barzani approved op
Feb 27 Iraq’s intel chief accused Iran of sabotaging Sahwa
Feb 27 Amnesty Law passed Was supposed to speed up release of prisoners Released many people accused of
corruption
Feb 28 Report attacks on Sahwa went from 26 in Oct 07 to 100 in Jan 08 as part of ISI campaign
(Musings On Iraq What’s In The Future For The Sons of Iraq?)
Feb 28 Report Interior Min investigation found 15-20% of police or 11,000 officers didn’t exist Anbar
25% of police didn’t exist US general in charge of police training claimed Interior fixed problem Didn’t
Feb 28 Report US intel said Iran was attacking the sahwa
Feb 28 Report Sadrist spokesman said Mahdi Army would be turned into political and social movement Said
armed resistance was over and time for politics Would disarm militia Didn’t happen
Feb 29 Chaldean Archbishop of Iraq Raho kidnapped and later found dead
Feb 29 Report Turkey said it would build 11 security bases along Iraq-Turkey border to prevent PKK
presence there
Mar 2 Mahdi Army and ISCI controlled ISF announced ceasefire in Nasiriya after 10 killed and 60
wounded in fighting between two sides
Mar 2 Report Before Iran Pres Ahmadinejad came to Iraq Pres Talabani said Iraq would expel Mujahadeen e-
Khalq PM Maliki said he would work on matter as well
Mar 3 Court dropped charges against Sadrist fmr Dep Health Min Zamili and fmr head of Health Min
Facility Protection Force Shammari for lack of evidence Several witnesses did not appear after death threats Charged with allowing Mahdi Army to use Health Min vehicles and kidnapping and killing Sunnis at hospitals Stealing from contracts
Mar 3 Report Some est 30,000 Iranian agents in Iraq 2,000 Iranian students studied in Najaf and Karbala
Some believed 1/3 of students worked for Iranian intel Iran one of Iraq’s largest trading partners Free trade zone in southern Iraq Iran had good ties with PUK-KDP leaders Iran wanted to keep Iraq weak with a friendly govt Believed had more long term influence in Iraq than US
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
Mar 4 Head of National Reconciliation Council announced 12,000 Sahwa had joined ISF Was still below
the number govt promised
(Musings On Iraq What’s In The Future For The Sons of Iraq?)
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
Mar 5 Gen Petraeus and Amb Crocker said Iran failed to follow through with promise to PM Maliki to
cut support for militias Gen Odierno and CENTCOM cmdr Adm Fallon said that Iran biggest long term threat to Iraq Sill training and directing militias
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Overview of Iran’s Influence In Iraq)
Mar 5 Cabinet approved Oil Ministry to sign technical support agreements with foreign oil companies for
first time
Mar 5 Emergency security plan in Basra announced to hunt down militias after Nasiriya police inspector
general assassinated week before
Mar 6 Twin ISI bombing in Baghdad killed 68 wounded 120 Deadliest attack in 9 months
Mar 6 Fadhila called for early elections to replace PM Maliki
Mar 6 After Turkey’s Op Sun vs PKK in Feb 08 KRG asked Ankara to remove two army units with
1,200 troops total in four bases that had been in Kurdistan since 1996 Turkey refused
Mar 6 Report Dora Baghdad 3 sahwa cmdrs 1 fmr insurgent 1 fmr Saddam intel officer from Mujahadeen
Army 3rd fmr ISI Believed sahwa led to reconciliation between insurgents and US but not with Iraqi govt Mahdi Army increased attacks on sahwa in Baghdad in battle to control Sunni areas US study found no plan to create jobs for Sunnis USAID said didn’t want to be responsible for program because wouldn’t work
Mar 6 Report State and Defense Depts said Special Groups greatest threat in Iraq Number of EFP attacks up
in 2008 Jan 08 had most EFP attacks in over a yr Gen Odierno said Special Groups focusing on Baghdad Shaab and Ur in Baghdad Special Group centers Felt threatened by spread of sahwa into two areas One route for Iranian weapons to Iraq went through Diyala into NEBaghdad
Mar 6 Report National Police unit in Dora Baghdad almost all Shiite Known to go after Sunnis Of 542 police
in unit only around 200 show up Some are ghost police Have 500 weapons missing from unit Some weapons believed to be given to militias
Mar 7 Pres Talabani visited Turkey Sign that Turkey was changing policy towards Kurds Refused to
meet with KRG Pres Barzani
Mar 8 5000 protested in Basra against army and police over deteriorating security and rising crime
Mar 8 Mahdi Army and army got into shoot out in Sadr City 18 soldiers taken prisoner
Mar 8 Report Sadr sent letter to followers who asked why he hadn't been seen in public for so long Said he
felt like a failure for not kicking US out of Iraq and creating an Islamic country Said some of his followers had betrayed him Hadn't been seen in public since May 07 Was in Iran having fled Surge
Mar 9 Basra officials said security situation worsening because of flood of weapons
from Iran and called for Basra Operations commander to resign
Mar 10 Female suicide bomber killed sheikh and Sahwa leader in Diyala as part of ISI campaign against
Sahwa
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Behind The Revival Of The Islamic State in Iraq, Interview With Naval War College Prof Craig Whiteside)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Mar 10 Report Iraqi intel said Sadr’s ceasefire and move to Iran during surge benefited Tehran the most
which was able to break away large sections of Mahdi Army
Mar 10 Speaker Mashadani said KRG had right to sign oil contracts Said courts would have final say on
matter
Mar 10 Study of captured Baath docs found no evidence of operational link between Saddam and Al
Qaeda Said Saddam didn’t trust Islamists Mar 06 US military released study of Iraqi docs and found same thing
Mar 10 US military spokesman said caches found of Iranian weapons Accused Iran of recruiting Iraqis to
train them in Iran Hezbollah did much of the training
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Overview of Iran’s Influence In Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Hezbollah’s Role In Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq A History Of Iranian Weapons Shipments To Iraq Interview With Arkenstone Blog’s Galen Wright)
Mar 10 Report Hashd leader Abu Muhandis interviewed Said Iraq was almost defeated in 2014 when Iran
came to its aid Gave weapons advisors planning Said Iran stopped sectarian war in Iraq Said Hezbollah was in Iraq as well Claimed Iran and Hezbollah stopped capture of Samarra Said Iran only country that stood with Iraq Said Iran also kept Assad in power in Syria
Mar 11 Report Awakening had broken up into 3 main factions under Sheikh Abu Risha Sheik Suleiman
and Sheikh Hayes They were fighting for political power in both Anbar and in Baghdad
(Musings On Iraq Anbar’s Forgotten Sheikh)
(Musings On Iraq review Illusions of Victory, The Anbar Awakening And The Rise Of The Islamic State)
(Musings On Iraq interview with author Carter Malkasian on Anbar Awakening)
Mar 11 Mahdi Army fought ISCI controlled police in Kut after they raided Sadrist areas Clashes in
several other southern cities ISCI leader in Babil assassinated Sadr said that Mahdi Army could use arms in self defense leading to new round of confrontations with its main rival for control of south Iraq
Mar 12 2nd day of fighting Mahdi Army forced police out of Kut Came after Sadr said militia could
defend themselves during freeze Police raided Sadrists areas in city leading to fighting
Mar 12 Pentagon said it would not publicly release its study that found no Iraq-Al Qaeda links based
upon 600,000 captured Iraq docs Would not even be posted on the Internet
Mar 12 US reported violence hit nadir Dropped from Nov 07-Feb 08 Avg number of insurgents
attacks went from 180 per day in Jun 07 to 60 per day in Jan 08
Mar 12 Sir Synnott former CPA official in charge of south Iraq said UK wanted to portray stable Iraq
after invasion but didn’t spend time and money to rebuild country Said CPA focused on large projects but not small sustainable ones that would have benefited more Iraqis
(Musings On Iraq Review The Report of the Iraq Inquiry, Executive Summary)
Mar 13 Dep PM Salah said strong military presence needed in Basra to get rid of militias Natl Sec Adv
Rubaie said Basra Gov Waeli had ultimatu to fight militias or lose backing of Baghdad Waeli replied Baghdad didn’t understand situation and neglected province Lead up to PM Maliki’s attack upon Mahdi Army
Mar 13 Army and US Special Forces deployed to take Kut back from Mahdi Army after it had expelled
police following raid on Sadrists areas of city Was 3rd day of fighting
Mar 13 Head of Baghdad Operations Command Gen Qanbar said sectarian violence down 90% in capital
Mar 13 Gen Petraeus complained that Iraqi leaders were not taking advantage of
improved security in Iraq to move forward on reconciliation
Mar 13 US military said that ISI could be reduced but would not go away because it
was so adaptable
Mar 13 Body of Chaldean Archbishop of Iraq Raho found outside of Mosul after being kidnapped
Mar 14 Basra commander Gen Mohan outlined security plan to US Would start in March Gen Petraeus
was unhappy with plan
Mar 16 US-Iraqi meeting discussed security in Basra US said couldn’t be taken care of until Mosul op
over PM Maliki said he was going to take on security in Basra and that he was going to lead effort personally
Mar 16 Mahdi Army fought police in 2 villages in Diyala
(Musings On Iraq Diyala Province Backgrounder)
Mar 16 Fmr head of Defense Policy Board Perle NYTimes OpEd said plan to turn over Iraq to Iraqis right
after invasion stopped by Sec State Powell Natl Sec Adv Rice and CIA Dir Tenet Said US thought it knew better than Iraqis Said Iraqi opposition should have run Iraq Said underestimated how badly Bush admin could mess things up
Mar 16 CPA head Bremer NYTimes OpEd Said US didn’t have postwar Iraq plan Didn’t have
counterinsurgency plan after invasion Only sent half the troops necessary Regreted not pushing for better military plan
(Musings On Iraq review Fiasco: The American Military Adventure In Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq review Losing Iraq, Inside The Post War Reconstruction Fiasco)
(Musings On Iraq review Leap of Faith, Hubris Negligence, and America’s Greatest Foreign Policy
Tragedy)
Mar 16 Report 1/3 or more of fuel from Baiji refinery stolen in 07 believed worth $2bil ISI thought
to make up to $100,000/day from refinery Feb 08 head of intel at refinery arrested for smuggling and supporting insurgents
Mar 16 Report PM Maliki advisor said would take years to rebuild Iraq’s infrastructure Adv to
Electricity Min said budget for reconstruction only half of what was needed Power plants only producing at 50% capacity
Mar 17 Clashes between Mahdi Army and police spread to Karbala 35 killed 130 wounded Before was
fighting in Diyala and Wasit Sadr blamed PM Maliki for violence
Mar 17 Female suicide bomber hit crowd of Shiites in Karbala 40 killed 65 wounded
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq review The ISIS Reader, Milestone Texts of the Islamic State Movement)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Mar 17 ISCI and Dawa delegation made deal with Sadrists to end week’s worth of fighting between ISF
and Mahdi Army in Kut Govt agreed to release Sadrist prisoners and only conduct raids with warrants
Mar 17 BBC ABC NK ARD poll found 55% of Iraqis said lives were good vs 39% in Aug 07 62% said
security better vs 43% in Aug 07 45% said next year would be better vs 29% in Aug 07
Mar 18 Report UK Chief of Def Staff Lord Boyce First Sea Lord Adm West and head of army General
Jackson were all unsure of legality of Iraq invasion
Mar 18 IOM reported 2.7 mil displaced Only 1% of refugees returned Most can’t go back to homes
because occupied or destroyed
(Musings On Iraq review Children of War, Voices Of Iraqi Refugees)
Mar 19 Report US gave $20 mil contract to repair bridge Only cost $1 mil rest disappeared
Mar 19 Sadrists withdrew from reconciliation conference hosted by Maliki govt saying it was all
for show
Mar 20 Report Gen Furayji in charge of Basra said militias had to be defeated in province before
provincial elections
Mar 20 Fighting restarted between Mahdi Army and police in Kut after ceasefire negotiated Mar 17
Clashes began Mar 11
Mar 21 Fighting continued between Mahdi Army and police in Kut Clashes began Mar 11 Sadrists
claimed PM Maliki and ISCI were trying to attack party before provincial elections
Mar 21 Basra cmdr Gen Furayji briefed US on security plan for Basra Would be long term strategy starting
in Sep or Oct Natl Sec Adv Rubaie told US PM Maliki wanted to meet about Basra
Mar 21 4 sahwa units quit 38 threatening to go on strike 2 on strike for not being paid by govt
Mar 22 PM Maliki told Gen Petraeus pre-emptive action had to be taken immediately in Basra Didn’t
want to wait for plan Said he was going to Basra next day Blamed UK for problems in Basra Asked for US support Petraeus said yes
Mar 23 PM Maliki flew to Basra to personally to head Charge of Knights op
Mar 23 Mahdi Army in Sadr City started firing rockets at Green Zone Over 1,000 fired by mid-May Left
269 casualties Started attacking checkpoints around Sadr City Some police joined the militia By end of day took half the checkpoints around Sadr City
Mar 23 Report US asked UK to send troops back into Basra but London refused because set on
withdrawal
(Musings On Iraq Review The Report of the Iraq Inquiry, Executive Summary)
Mar 24 PM Maliki officially launched Charge of Knights against Mahdi Army in Basra Claimed op was
against militias and criminals Didn’t go after Badr or Fadhila only Sadrists who were biggest rival to Maliki’s plans for provincial and national elections Iraqi army brigade broke Half quit other half retreated
(Musings On Iraq A Divided Sadr Trend)
Mar 24 Mahdi Army attacked joint US-Iraqi security station on edge of Sadr City
Mar 24 Bush told Gen Petraeus and Amb Crocker US wanted PM Maliki to step up and he
finally did with Charge of Knights and US would back him
Mar 24 Oil Min asked foreign companies to submit plans to develop Iraq’s oil and natural gas fields for
first time since 03
Mar 24 Gen Petraeus blamed Iran for recent spate of rocket attacks upon Green Zone
Mar 24 Report Bush was never a fan of INC’s Chalabi before 03 invasion
(Musings On Iraq Ahmad Chalabi Was Not President Bush’s Man For Iraq)
Mar 24 Report Neither Sec State Powell nor Natl Sec Adv Rice objected to Pentagon taking control of
postwar Iraq Powell thought State would eventually take charge Rice thought US would only be in Iraq for a few months
Mar 24 Report From 03-08 demand for electricity increased 125% Supply increased during that period
but couldn’t keep up with demand
Mar 24 Report Sadrists complained about ceasefire Said they came under attack from PM Maliki and US
Claimed 2,000-2,500 of their followers arrested since start of ceasefire Blamed ISCI for attacks upon them in south Said they received new weapons and cash from Iran
Mar 25 U.S. Seal team arrived in Basra to liaison with Iraqi forces during Charge of
Knights op against Mahdi Army
Mar 25 Curfew and vehicle ban imposed on Basra as part of Charge of Knights PM Maliki said militias
criminals and the local govt responsible for Basra’s problems
Mar 25 Mahdi Army seized 5 of 18 districts in Kut Sadrists marched in Samawa against Charge of
Knights Curfew imposed on those two cities Fighting between ISF and Mahdi Army in Nasiriyah and Hilla
Mar 25 Mahdi Army kidnapped policemen belonging to Badr in Baghdad Fought ISF and Badr in 6
neighborhoods Fired rockets at Green Zone Sadr offices called for civil disobedience in city Attacked 2 Dawa and Sistani offices in Sadr City Overran half of the checkpoints around Sadr City 230 police deserted in Shula neighborhood of Baghdad
Mar 25 PM Maliki called on US and ISF to stop rocket attacks on Green Zone and take on Mahdi Army in
Sadr City Started battle for district
Mar 25 US general in charge of Anbar said US hoped rebuilding would begin when security improved
but didn’t happen
Mar 26 Fighting between ISF and Mahdi Army in Basra, 5 neighborhoods in Baghdad Kut Diwaniya
Hilla Karbala Mortars fired on Green Zone Mahdi Army attacked US checkpoints in east Baghdad Clashes between Mahdi Army and Badr and Dawa office burned in Sadr City
Mar 26 PM Maliki gave gunmen 72 hours to turn in weapons in Basra
Mar 26 Sadrists walked out of parliament over govt crackdown on movement Called for no confidence
vote against PM Maliki
Mar 26 US and Iraqi forces began moving into Sadr City I Op Striker Denial as fight against Mahdi Army
moved from Basra to Baghdad Goal was to stop rocket and mortar attacks on Green Zone
(Musings On Iraq review Death of the Mehdi Army, The Rise, Fall, and Revival of Iraq’s Most Powerful Militia)
Mar 26 Mass grave with 52 bodies of people executed by ISI found in Diyala River Valley
(Musings On Iraq Diyala Province Backgrounder)
Mar 27 UK reported ISF suffered bad intelligence and bad planning and had to change Charge of Knights
op Also reported Iraqi Special Forces had failed to take any of their targets and had to withdraw Mahdi Army controlled most of Basra
Mar 27 Fighting between ISF and Mahdi Army continued in Basra Kut Diwaniya Amara Spread to Dhi
Qar Mahdi Army fired mortars at 2 neighborhoods in Baghdad and Green Zone Fighting in 2 of Baghdad’s neighborhoods Basra police chief escaped suicide car bomb Mahdi Army kidnapped spokesman for Baghdad Ops Command
Mar 27 Electricity Min said most power plants in south stopped working after attacked by mortars and
gunfire
Mar 27 Report Basra Ops Commander Gen Mohan wanted to wait 3 months to build up forces and
strategy to take on Mahdi Army but PM Maliki started early Warnings about fighting spreading throughout south Iraq were ignored by Maliki
Mar 27 Sadr called for talks to end Charge of Knights Maliki said no publicly but talks were going on in
Najaf Iran mediating
Mar 27 US general arrived in Basra to coordinate with ISF Set up drones to take out Mahdi Army mortar
teams
Mar 27 US told that Maliki did not want US advisers in Charge of Knights just US firepower
Mar 27 Pipeline in Basra blown up cutting exports by 1/3
Mar 27 Presidential Council approved General Amnesty Law as part of reconciliation Allowed release of
thousands of prisoners
(Musings On Iraq Iraq’s Amnesty Law)
Mar 28 Report Govt invoking Sec 136B to avoid corruption cases Interior Min Bolani used it to stop case
against Gen Gharwari who ran secret prison in Baghdad Also used to stop 11 cases against ministers and Central Bank of Iraq
(Musings On Iraq interview with Special Inspector Gen for Iraq Reconstruction Bowen on corruption in Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq interview with fmr anti-graft official Vincent Foulk on corruption in Iraq)
Mar 28 Report ISF made little progress in Basra 100s of police in city switched sides and joined Mahdi
Army
Mar 28 UK report Charge of Knights op in Basra stalemated and likely protracted fight
Mar 28 PM Maliki extended deadline for militias to turn over weapons in Basra until Apr 8
Mar 28 US carried out air strikes in support of Charge of Knights campaign in Basra for 1st time
Mar 28 Presidential Council KDP and PUK said they supported Charge of Knights campaign vs Sadr
Mar 28 1000s marched in Sadr City calling for removal of PM Maliki
Mar 28 Badr offices in Amarah Maysan attacked Sadrsits arrested in Babil and Qadisiyah Mahdi Army
seized control of Nasiriya and Shtra in Dhi Qar Fighting in 13 neighborhoods of Baghdad
Mar 28 Rockets fired at Green Zone by Mahdi Army
Mar 28 Pres Talabani met with Gen Suleimani about stopping fighting between govt
and Mahdi Army
(Musings On Iraq Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Commander General Suleimani And His Role In Iraq, An Interview With The New Yorker’s Dexter Filkins)
Mar 29 PM Maliki’s deadline for militia to turn over weapons ended with few complying Was extended
until Apr 8
Mar 29 Defense Min Obeidi said Charge of Knights had not gone as planned Was shocked by resistance
by Mahdi Army
Mar 29 Sadr said he was talking with Ayatollah Sistani to negotiate ceasefire with Maliki Also called for
Qais Khazali and Asaib Ahl Al-Haq to rejoin his organization
(Musings On Iraq Asaib Ahl Al-Haq From A Breakaway Sadr Militia To Defenders Of Iraq)
Mar 29 Maliki delegation met with Sadr in Iran to work out ceasefire in Basra
Mar 29 At meeting Gen Petraeus said that Maliki govt had set goals in Basra it couldn’t achieve National
Security Adv Rubaie told UK official Maliki had been led by his advisers into starting Charge of Knights by telling him Basra in more desperate situation than it was in
Mar 29 More police in Basra switched sides to Mahdi Army Reports more than 100 police fired in Basra
due to losing weapons and fleeing posts
Mar 29 Nasiriya retaken from Mahdi Army Fighting between ISF and Mahdi Army in Karbala Babil
Baghdad
Mar 29 UK started air strikes on Mahdi Army in Barsa US carried out air strikes in Basra and Sadr City
Mar 29 Rockets fired at Green Zone
Mar 29 Report Iraqi army had no artillery planning communications system logistics transportation
service hospitals
Mar 30 Sadr announced ceasefire in fight vs ISF Mahdi Army handed over weapons to ISF in 2 Baghdad
neighborhoods Deal worked out between Dawa ISCI Badr and Sadr with Iran Rev Guards Quds Force cmdr Gen Suleimani as moderator
(Musings On Iraq Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Commander General Suleimani And His Role In Iraq, An Interview With The New Yorker’s Dexter Filkins)
(Musings On Iraq interview with Naval Postgraduate School’s Ostovar on history of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard)
(Musings On Iraq review Vanguard of the Imam, Religion, Politics, and Iran’s Revolutionary Guard)
Mar 30 Fighting continued in Babil and Karbala between ISF and Mahdi Army Green Zone hit by
rockets
Mar 30 UK report situation in Basra unchanged during Charge of Knights Said ISF had no coherent
plan and morale low
Mar 30 Report PM Maliki was shocked that his offensive in Basra caused fighting throughout south and
Baghdad Was actually warned by ISF that would happen beforehand but he ignored it
Mar 30 Tribes in Dhi Qar and Dulaim in Wasit joined govt in crackdown against Mahdi Army
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
Mar 30 ISCI held pro-govt demonstration in Karbala against Sadr
Mar 31 Report 103 bodies killed by ISI found around Zahamm in Diyala River Valley When ISI first
entered village said they were opposing occupation Set up training camp and weapons caches Then began kidnapping and executing people who worked with ISF or didn’t follow rules like banning music smoking wearing the veil breaking curfew Extorted money from residents
(Musings On Iraq review The Caliphate At War, Operational Realities and Innovations of the Islamic State)
Mar 31 PM Maliki said would continue to go after Mahdi Army in Basra that didn’t follow
cease-fire
Mar 31 Interior Min announced 1000s of police would be fired for refusing to fight Mahdi Army in Basra
Baghdad and cities in the south 2 army regiments refused to fight Mahdi Army in Baghdad
Mar 31 Report US special forces in Basra to help with air strikes vs Mahdi Army
Apr 1 Maliki sent 1st Quick Reaction Division from Anbar to Basra to restart Charge of
Knights offensive
Apr 1 PM Maliki said 10,000 tribesmen in Basra would be organized into a Sons of Iraq program Would
become Tribal Support Council
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
(Musings On Iraq Maliki’s Tribal Support Councils Appear To Be Paying Off)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Apr 1 Maliki praised Badr and Dawa militia for helping to fight Mahdi Army in Basra
(Musings On Iraq Badr Organization A View Into Iraq’s Violent Past And Present)
Apr 1 Maliki promised jobs and better services after Charge of Knights in Basra
Apr 1 Report 400 ISF in Basra and 65 in Baghdad joined Mahdi Army 1 army brigade refused to fight in
Sadr City during Charge of Knights
Apr 2 Retired Gen McCaffrey said ISI’s urban insurgency was defeated but that the war was
unsustainable for US
Apr 2 Council on Foreign Relations’ Biddle told Senate US would have to stay in Iraq for a very long
time to maintain stability
Apr 2 Revenue Watch’s Said told Senate Iraq wasn’t using improved security to carry out any political
reforms Said ruling parties consolidating power and incapable of providing for public
Apr 2 Center for a New American Security’s Flournoy told Senate couldn’t have any more security gains
without political reforms Surge made Iraqis believe in US not Baghdad Iraqi govt unwilling to make any changes and US didn’t have strategy to get Baghdad to change
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
Apr 3 PM Maliki officially extended Charge of Knights op against Mahdi Army to Sadr City
Apr 3 PM Maliki said he would spend $100 mil for services in Basra and create 25,000 jobs Didn’t
happen
Apr 3 Report Western official said 50% of police in Sadr City sided with Mahdi Army during Charge of
Knights Interior Min fired 407 police in Basra 1000 soldiers deserted during fighting in Basra ISF only held ¼ of city before ceasefire
Apr 3 Report Charge of Knights stalled in Basra Was saved by massive influx of US support including
advisers air strikes and supplies Was due to PM Maliki ordering attack without a plan
Apr 3 UK Cabinet officials reported PM Maliki didn't’ tell UK about Charge of Knights beforehand
Excluded UK military from command center Then blamed UK for not helping ISF when it ran into problems in Basra
Apr 3 Iraqi special forces arrested head of Thar Allah party in Basra claiming it was stealing
govt property and behind violence
Apr 3 RAND’s Kelly told Senate Iraqis probably wouldn’t reconcile for a generation US couldn’t
achieve all of its goals in Iraq because didn’t have capabilities Questioned whether Iraq could become functioning democracy
Apr 4 PM Maliki said he would stop raids against Sadrists
Apr 4 PM Maliki said he didn’t negotiate ceasefire with Sadr but Iran did
Apr 4 PM Maliki said he would recruit 10,000 local tribesmen into security forces in Basra
after Charge of Knights
Apr 4 Report PM Maliki integrated 10,000 Dawa and Badr members into army
Apr 4 Report 30% of soldiers went AWOL during Charge of Knights in Basra Mahdi Army was supplied
by Iran during fight
Apr 4 Report National Intel Estimate said that Surge decreased violence but security fragile Insurgents
still capable of large attacks Slow progress towards reconciliation
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
(Musings On Iraq interview with Prof Mansoor on the Surge)
(Musings On Iraq interview with New America Foundation’s Ollivant On Reassessing the Surge)
Apr 4 Pres Talabani banned PUK members from criticizing govt in media or could be expelled Came
after PUK accused of corruption and power struggles
(Musings On Iraq Corruption and Reporting in Kurdistan)
Apr 5 Meeting of ruling parties decided to back Maliki in Charge of Knights and
criticized Sadr
Apr 5 PM Maliki called on all political parties to disband their militias or they might get
banned from politics
Apr 5 ISF and US forces cordoned off Sadr City as fighting continued between Mahdi Army and US
(Musings On Iraq review Death of the Mehdi Army, The Rise, Fall, and Revival of Iraq’s Most Powerful Militia)
Apr 5 Iran’s Gen Suleimani met Pres Talabani and promised to stop arming militias Said
Sadr was uncontrollable Iran had armed Mahdi Army throughout Charge of Knights
(Musings On Iraq Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Commander General Suleimani And His Role In Iraq, An Interview With The New Yorker’s Dexter Filkins)
Apr 6 PM Maliki said Mahdi Army needed to be disbanded if Sadrists wanted to run in
2009 provincial elections
Apr 6 PM Maliki deployed militias to checkpoints in Baghdad
Apr 6 Green Zone and US base in south Baghdad hit by rockets by Mahdi Army Fighting continued in
Sadr City between Mahdi Army and US forces
(Musings On Iraq review Death of the Mehdi Army, The Rise, Fall, and Revival of Iraq’s Most Powerful Militia)
Apr 6 Report US military believed that Iran had advisers in Basra helping Mahdi Army during Charge of
Knights
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
Apr 6 69 sheikhs signed pact to support govt, rejected violence in effort by PM Maliki to
build up patronage amongst tribes
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Apr 6 Fmr UnderSecDef Feith interviewed on 60 Min Said US invaded Iraq to prevent next terrorist
attack after 9/11 Claimed Saddam’s record showed he was going to attack the US in the future Denied US invaded because Iraq imminent threat with its WMD Said didn’t think US should have based war on WMD Claimed Rumsfeld predicted some of the major problems that would happen in Iraq Admitted US didn’t have enough forces to secure Iraq after invasion Denied he wrote deBaathification plan Claimed Iraq would have been better off if US had given power to Ahmed Chalabi after invasion Blamed State CIA and Gen Franks for problems in Iraq
(Musings On Iraq review War and Decision, Inside The Pentagon At The Dawn Of The War On Terrorism)
Apr 7 Sadr said Mahdi Army would not disarm after demand by PM Maliki and threat to exclude him
from 2009 provincial elections Then said would consider it if Ayatollah Sistani and Iranian clerics suggested it
Apr 7 Iran officially backed PM Maliki’s Charge of Knights Supported Mahdi Army during fighting and
then negotiated ceasefire
Apr 8 Report 10% of Basra police facing legal action for not fighting Mahdi Army during Charge of
Knights Around 1,600 fired arrested or went AWOL
Apr 8 End of Maliki’s deadline for militias to disarm in Basra Had not been successful ISF planned
sweeps through Basra to confiscate weapons but had been delayed twice
Apr 8 US forces moved into southern Sadr City to build wall to prevent attacks on
Green Zone Led to fighting with Mahdi Army
(Musings On Iraq review Death of the Mehdi Army, The Rise, Fall, and Revival of Iraq’s Most Powerful Militia)
Apr 8 Gen Petraeus told Congress Baghdad had only accepted 21,000 Sahwa out
of 91,000 into ISF
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
Apr 8 Gen Petraeus said Shiite Special Groups were largest long term threat to Iraq
Apr 8 Amb Crocker told Congress that if US withdrew from Iraq without
accomplishing constitutional reform Iranians would come out winners
Apr 9 Fmr Under Sec Def Feith said Bush had good war plan but got bad advice from CIA State NSC that
caused all the problems in Iraq Claimed CIA and State opposed Chalabi which screwed up postwar Iraq Justified setting up intel unit in Pentagon because CIA was “politicized” and ignored Iraq-Al Qaeda ties
(Musings On Iraq review War and Decision, Inside The Pentagon At The Dawn Of The War On Terrorism)
Apr 9 Fmr UK Amb to US Greenstock said US had no real plans for postwar Iraq
(Musings On Iraq Review The Report of the Iraq Inquiry, Executive Summary)
Apr 9 Oil Minister Shahristani claimed Charge of Knights cleared militias and gangs out of Basra waterway
New oil police in Basra created to replace Fadhila controlled one
Apr 9 Report Fadhila Gov of Basra Waeli was under house arrest after Charge of Knights Head of Basra
council from Dawa was now running Basra
Apr 9 Iraqi general complained Iran interfering in Basra by supporting Mahdi Army
during Charge of Knights op
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
Apr 9 Sadr claimed he consulted with clerics who said he didn’t have to disarm Mahdi Army
Apr 9 Ayatollah Sistani said he supported govt’s demand to disarm Mahdi Army
Apr 10 Bush said US would only leave Iraq when it became a democracy
(Musings On Iraq review Overreach, Delusions of Regime Change In Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq From War To A New Authoritarianism)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq’s Dysfunctional Democracy)
(Musings On Iraq review The War Within, A Secret White House History 2006-2008)
Apr 10 Interior Min said it would start confiscating weapons in Basra as amnesty period ended
Apr 10 Sadr said he would disarm Mahdi Army if all the others militias disarmed
Apr 11 Sadr aide in Najaf killed Sadr blamed US and PM Was heading Sadrist negotiations with Baghdad
to end conflict Might have been killed by other Sadrists
(Musings On Iraq Sadrist Cleric Assassinated In Basra)
Apr 11 US helicopters attacked Mahdi Army in Basra and Sadr City
Apr 11 US forces raided Sadr offices in Kut
Apr 11 ISF moved on other Shiite neighborhoods in Baghdad besides Sadr City in
fight against Mahdi Army
(Musings On Iraq review Death of the Mehdi Army, The Rise, Fall, and Revival of Iraq’s Most Powerful Militia)
Apr 11 Gen Petraeus said Sadr had a legitimate political movement that govt needed
to deal with
Apr 11 Amb Crocker told Congress Iran was trying Lebanonize Iraq by backing militias
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
Apr 12 Maliki said 30,000 Peshmerga would be organized into 2 Army Divisions
Apr 12 2nd phase of Charge of Knights began with sweeps through 2 neighborhoods of Basra to
confiscate weapons
Apr 12 Fighting between US and ISF vs Mahdi Army continued in Sadr City
Apr 13 Report PM Maliki signed $833 mil arms deal with Serbia with no competitive bidding didn’t
follow anti-corruption rules Maliki stopped audit Later reduced to $236 mil Most of the equipment was unusable
Apr 13 1300 police and soldiers fired for not fighting Mahdi Army in Kut and Basra
Apr 13 Maliki ordered crack down on gas stations and oil distribution centers
controlled by Sadrists
Apr 13 Cabinet approved bill that would ban political parties that had militias from
taking part in provincial elections
Apr 13 US National Security Adviser Hadley said Iraq had agreed to pressure Iran to stop
arming militias
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
Apr 14 Sadr returned to Iraq from Iran Fled to Qom during Surge fearing US would
target him
Apr 14 Sahwa in Baghdad and Abu Ghraib formed political party to run in
09 provincial elections
(Musings On Iraq review Illusions of Victory, The Anbar Awakening And The Rise Of The Islamic State)
(Musings On Iraq interview with author Carter Malkasian on Anbar Awakening)
Apr 14 UK military report on Charge of Knights ISF underperformed vs Mahdi Army Relied heavily
upon US for communications rations and air strikes Said ISF had little planning nor targeting of Mahdi Army until US teams arrived Basra police chief said hundreds of police deserted 1st 24 hrs of op and others later on National Police sent from Baghdad did much better Were mostly Basra and wanted to fight Mahdi Army Iraqi army lost tactical engagements with Mahdi Army Iraqi Special Forces ineffective until US trainers arrived
Apr 15 US began building wall around Sadr City to cordon off areas controlled by
Mahdi Army
(Musings On Iraq review Death of the Mehdi Army, The Rise, Fall, and Revival of Iraq’s Most Powerful Militia)
Apr 15 Around 50 Iraqi soldiers abandoned their unit during fighting against Mahdi
Army in Sadr City Was newly arrived unit upset they were sent to front lines
Apr 15 Breakaway Mahdi Army faction said it would not disarm in Basra
Apr 15 Report by refugee group said Maliki govt was not taking care of displaced/refugees and Sadrists
filling vacuum Said Migration Min didn’t believe all refugees were really refugees to reduce numbers and not give aid Accused some of being former Baathists
(Musings On Iraq review Children of War, Voices Of Iraqi Refugees)
(Musings On Iraq Refugees International Report On Iraq’s Refugees and Displaced)
Apr 16 Accordance Front announced that it would end its boycott of cabinet Wouldn’t happen until July
Apr 16 National Dialogue Council left Iraqi Accordance Front Said it might form alliance with Shiite
parties
Apr 16 Integrity Committee said it was investigating corruption in arms deal with
Serbia
Apr 16 PM Maliki said $100 mil would be spent to rebuild Basra after Charge of Knights offensive
Money was mostly stolen by Dawa members or given out in patronage networks to win Maliki support
Apr 16 PM Maliki removed Basra Ops commander Gen Furaiji and Basra police commander Gen Khalaf
Apr 16 Dep Foreign Min accused Iran of supporting Mahdi Amy and other militias during Charge of
Knights
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
Apr 16 PM Maliki offered major concessions to Kurds Agreed to change oil law Legalize independent
KRG oil deals Pay for 190,000 Peshmerga Never happened
Apr 16 Gen Petraeus told Congress that Charge of Knights was not well planned
op by Iraqis
Apr 17 Report Army officer said Mahdi Army constantly called him and threatened him during Charge of
Knights Said senior officers were pro-Sadr and gave intel to Mahdi Army Complained Mahdi Army often outgunned army units in Basra
Apr 17 Badr’s Hadi Ameri said that only Al Qaeda and Mahdi Army were fighting govt
(Musings On Iraq Badr Organization A View Into Iraq’s Violent Past And Present)
Apr 17 Suicide bomber at funeral of 2 Sahwa members in Albu Mohammed killed 50 Part of ISI campaign
vs sahwa
(Musings On Iraq Behind The Revival Of The Islamic State in Iraq, Interview With Naval War College Prof Craig Whiteside)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Apr 17 Report by US House Comm said US had no reconstruction strategy in Iraq Many projects ad hoc
uncoordinated with others and result of individuals rather than overall plan Also meant couldn’t measure whether rebuilding working or not
Apr 18 50 soldiers fled their posts in Sadr City rather than fight Mahdi Army
Apr 18 Sadrists refused to disband Mahdi Army after PM Maliki threatened to ban any party with a
militia from elections
Apr 18 Al Qaeda’s Zawahiri speech said US had been defeated in Iraq
Apr 18 Sheikh Abu Risha of Anbar Awakening complained that authorities were trying to stop his
organizing for 09 provincial elections by shutting down offices
Apr 18 Suicide truck bomb hit funeral for Sahwa members killing 50 in Baghdad Part of ISI campaign vs
sahwa
(Musings On Iraq Behind The Revival Of The Islamic State in Iraq, Interview With Naval War College Prof Craig Whiteside)
(Musings On Iraq review Voices From Iraq, A People’s History, 2003-2009)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Apr 18 US forces raided district in Muqtadiya Diyala to arrest Iraqi police involved in
death squads
(Musings On Iraq Diyala Province Backgrounder)
Apr 19 Phase 3 of Charge of Knights began with sweeps through Hayaniya in Basra and Nasiriya
Apr 19 Sadr threatened war against govt if didn't back down on raids against Mahdi Army in Basra
Apr 19 ISI military chief Muhajir called for all insurgent groups to unite under its banner
Apr 19 Al Karama party announced forming a list of Sahwa in Baghdad technocrats and members of
Islamic Army Eshreen Revolution Brigades Mujahadeen Army to take part in 2009 provincial elections
Apr 20 Report that Thar Allah head Sinawi executed in Baghdad after being
captured in Basra during Charge of Knights
Apr 20 Report Pentagon organized more than 75 ex-military officers who worked as TV analysts to
promote Iraq War Many also profited from war as worked as consultants for defense contractors Got trips to Iraq Meetings with high level officials Were used to counter criticisms of war such as when ex-generals said Def Sec Rumsfeld mishandled war
Apr 21 Oil Minister Shahristani objected to KRG’s independent oil deals
(Musings
On Iraq Criticism of Iraq’s Oil Policy)
(Musings
On Iraq Iraqi Kurdistan’s Failed Independent Oil Strategy)
Apr 21 US general said if Sadr didn’t hold back Mahdi Army US would fight them
Apr 22 PM Maliki promised $150 mil to rebuild Sadr City after fighting Mahdi Army was over Money
was mostly stolen by Dawa members or given out in patronage networks to win support for Maliki
Apr 22 Female suicide bomber attacked Baquba police station
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Apr 23 Female suicide bomber attacked police station in Diyala killing 18
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Apr 24 ISF gained full control of central Basra Phase 4 of Charge of Knights began with sweeps through
5 Mile Market
Apr 24 Captured ISI letters showed complaints about War Min Masri not consulting with others and
didn't take criticism Said ISI was passing off old Zarqawi videos as new operations
Apr 24 US report Most Iraqi ministries were under control of militias Acquittal of Sadrist Dep Health
Min Zamili on charges of corruption and running death squads and senior officials tendency to protect their subordinates made officials believe they were above the law 11 of 32 ministries either had acting ministers or not top officials PM Maliki kept many ministries leaderless so he could directly run them Said US attempts at better governance were fragmented and incoherent US agencies and military did not cooperate Recommended removing Chief Justice Medhat for screwing up Dep Health Min case and lackluster approach to prosecuting govt officials
Apr 25 Sadr said he was only opposed to US occupation not Maliki govt
Apr 25 Report Badr and Mahdi Army setting up checkpoints and killing each other in Qadisiyah and
Baghdad
(Musings On Iraq Badr Organization A View Into Iraq’s Violent Past And Present)
Apr 25 Maliki said all parties supported his crackdown on Sadr and sign of reconciliation
Apr 25 Maliki said if Sadr disarmed dropped politics turn in wanted militiamen would
stop Charge of Knights
Apr 25 Fmr Under Sec of Def Feith said he warned of postwar chaos in Iraq but
was ignored and Pentagon was on top of issue not State or CIA
Apr 26 Chalabi called Petraeus saying he could speak for militias to negotiate ceasefire
in Sadr City
(Musings On Iraq review Arrows of the Night: Ahmad Chalabi and the Selling of the Iraq War)
Apr 26 ISF said cleared last Sadr stronghold in Basra
Apr 26 Report Iran shifted from sending operatives into Iraq to manage militias to training militias in Iran
US said changed tactics after 20 Quds Force operatives were captured by US from Dec 06-Jan 07 Training program in Iran meant to create core of militiamen that could then train others inside Iraq
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Overview of Iran’s Influence In Iraq)
Apr 27 Baghdad Operations Command said they captured Iraqis trained and armed
by Iran to fight ISF
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Overview of Iran’s Influence In Iraq)
Apr 27 Report Iraqi army spokesman said 712 rockets and mortars used in Baghdad past month Most came
from Iran Captured docs and people that were part of Iranian networks Adm Mullen said Iran’s Quds Force cmdr Gen Suleiman involved in Charge of Knights fighting in Basra
(Musings On Iraq Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Commander General Suleimani And His Role In Iraq, An Interview With The New Yorker’s Dexter Filkins)
(Musings On Iraq A History Of Iranian Weapons Shipments To Iraq Interview With Arkenstone Blog’s Galen Wright)
Apr 27 Spec Insp Gen for Recon Report 855 of 47,321 US rebuilding projects ended mostly due to
violence and costs 112 were ended because of poor job by contractors Many projects listed as complete even though weren’t USAID gave $50 mil contract to Bechtel to build children’s hospital in Basra Ended in 2006 due to long delays US said project finished even though only 35% of work done
Apr 27 Report US trying to turn Jamila section of Sadr City towards govt and away from Sadr Set up
rebuilding projects Trying to create sahwa unit there
Apr 28 PM Maliki said he wanted Sadr City cleared of militias in 2-3 days Head of Baghdad Ops
Command US said impossible
Apr 28 ISCI and Dawa delegation went to Iran to meet Sadr and Iran Rev Guards Quds Force’s Gen
Suleimani to negotiate ceasefire to end Charge of Knights
(Musings On Iraq Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Commander General Suleimani And His Role In Iraq, An Interview With The New Yorker’s Dexter Filkins)
Apr 28 US govt report said most ministries run by militias that intimidated people Blocked prosecutions of
staff leaving them above the law Said US efforts to help ministries ineffective Said PM Maliki didn’t name permanent ministries so he could control them Suggested arrest of sectarian officials in Health Transportation Electricity Agriculture Ministries Said US should immediately remove Justice Min and Chief Justice Medhat who were blamed for allowing Dep Health Min Zamili escape justice for running death squads out of ministry and stealing money
Apr 28 Report Iran’s Quds Force Cmdr Gen Suleimani negotiated Mar ceasefire in Basra between Maliki
govt and Sadr General in charge of training and arming militias Worked with Badr Organized Hezbollah to train militias Supported United Iraqi Alliance in 05 elections by providing printing presses advisers TV equipment Helped select Maliki to replace PM Jaafari in 06
(Musings On Iraq Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Commander General Suleimani And His Role In Iraq, An Interview With The New Yorker’s Dexter Filkins)
(Musings On Iraq Hezbollah’s Role In Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Badr Organization A View Into Iraq’s Violent Past And Present)
Apr 29 2nd ISCI and Dawa delegation went to Iran to meet Sadr and Iran Rev Guards Quds Force’s Gen
Suleimani to negotiate ceasefire Iraqis provided evidence Iran supported militias including names of people locations of training camps and cells working with Tehran Iran denied everything Accused Iraqis of selling out to US and ignoring help Iran gave Shiite parties since 2003 Said it was wrong to go after Mahdi Army because they were Iran’s allies Said Mahdi Army needed to counter Sahwa created by US Sadr refused meeting
(Musings On Iraq Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Commander General Suleimani And His Role In Iraq, An Interview With The New Yorker’s Dexter Filkins)
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Overview of Iran’s Influence In Iraq)
Apr 29 Report Iran Rev Guard Quds Force Cmdr Gen Suleimani sent message to Gen Petraeus and Amb
Crocker that Iran not responsible for fighting between Maliki govt and Mahdi Army Iran gave weapons to Mahdi Army during fighting
Apr 29 Accordance Front MPs found torture at Karbala prison overcrowding in Babil ones
Apr 29 Turkey’s Foreign Minister said Ankara wanted better relations with KRG
Apr 29 Former Deputy Sec Def Wolfowitz said Bush admin never expected an insurgency in Iraq Said
there were enough US troops after invasion but US failed to create enough ISF Admitted Bush admin was clueless about counterinsurgency
Apr 29 Female suicide bomber attacked bus stop in Muqtadiya Another female suicide
bomber attacked Sahwa in Abu Said both in Diyala
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Apr 30 PM Maliki said that Mahdi Army had to be disbanded because couldn’t have
militias and state
Apr 30 Govt spokesman said out of 77 trucks carrying oil to Sadr City 55 hijacked by Mahdi Army
Apr 30 Sadr spokesman said Iranian weapons in Iraq was normal because Tehran
would sell to anyone
Apr 30 Turkey said it would resume diplomatic relations with Kurdistan
Apr 30 Study said Surge didn’t achieve political goals Reconciliation has been between insurgents and
US not with Iraqi govt Still threat of violence if no political accommodation
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
Apr 30 Another Iraqi delegation headed by Dep Speaker of Parliament Attiya sent to Iran to negotiate
ceasefire with Sadr Met with Iran’s Quds Force cmdr Gen Suleiman
(Musings On Iraq Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Commander General Suleimani And His Role In Iraq, An Interview With The New Yorker’s Dexter Filkins)
May 1 PM Maliki created committee to investigate Iranian weapons shipments to Iraq
May 2 Insurgents beheaded 11 police officers in western Anbar
May 2 Sadr refused to meet with Iraqi delegation in Iran to end Charge of Knights
May 2 Report Gen Petraeus and Amb Crocker talked UK into keeping 4000 troops in Basra Would help
train Iraqi 14th Army Div
May 2 Report Gen Petraeus said more than 1000 Iranian weapons found in Basra Said was huge concern
(Musings On Iraq A History Of Iranian Weapons Shipments To Iraq Interview With Arkenstone Blog’s Galen Wright)
May 3 PM Maliki announced govt would launch offensive in Mosul and would be last to secure Iraq
May 3 300 ISI fighters held march in Diyala village
(Musings On Iraq Diyala Province Backgrounder)
May 3 Iraqi delegation to Iran presented evidence that Tehran was arming and training
militias fighting govt
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Overview of Iran’s Influence In Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq A History Of Iranian Weapons Shipments To Iraq Interview With Arkenstone Blog’s Galen Wright)
May 3 2 Mahdi Army HQs in Sadr City destroyed by US
May 4 ISF destroyed Thar Allah HQ in Basra after weapons found there
May 4 Govt spokesman said Iraq had hard evidence of Iranian support for militias and violence Later in
day changed to saying didn’t have hard evidence that Iran was sending weapons to Iraq It did
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq A History Of Iranian Weapons Shipments To Iraq Interview With Arkenstone Blog’s Galen Wright)
May 4 Iraq general in Karbala said Iran giving weapons to militias in city and
undermining security
May 4 PM Maliki adv Haidar Abadi said Iran denied they were sending weapons to Iraq Iran told Iraq it
would be foolish to send arms with Iranian markings on them That’s actually what Iran did
May 4 Report Sadr refused to meet with Iraqi delegations sent to Iran to negotiate ceasefire Said didn’t
trust Shiite parties and would not talk with them Said he was using Pres Talabani and Speaker Mashadani as middlemen
May 5 Report US believed Charge of Knights convinced PM Maliki of Iran’s negative role in Iraq Surprised
when govt spokesman Dabbagh said committee was going to be formed to look into Iran’s role Maliki adviser Abadi said all Iraq could do was continue talking with Iran
May 5 Report Captured Mahdi Army fighters admitted to being trained by Hezbollah in camps in Iran
run by Iran Rev Guards Quds Force Govt spokesman said knew about Iran backed Special Groups but Tehran also helped with security
(Musings On Iraq on Iran training Iraqi militias)
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Overview of Iran’s Influence In Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Hezbollah’s Role In Iraq)
May 6 ISF raided Sadr offices in Kut Carried out arrest campaign in Baghdad Arrested policemen and
hospital workers accused of being Mahdi Army
May 7 Fighting broke out between Mahdi Army and Badr controlled National Police in Baghdad’s Abu
Dishr after Sadrists tried to kill Badr commander
(Musings On Iraq Badr Organization A View Into Iraq’s Violent Past And Present)
May 7 Report US officer in Baghdad’s Adhamiya frustrated with Iraqi govt Said applications to integrate
local Sahwa into ISF rejected because form was in wrong ink
(Musings On Iraq Sons of Iraq Update)
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
May 8 Iraqi army began telling Sadr City residents to leave as ISF prepared assault on city during Charge
of Knights vs Mahdi Army
May 9 Government and Sadr signed ceasefire to end Charge of Knights Allowed ISF
to conduct arrests and raids in Sadr City
May 9 Baghdad Operations Command said they found Iranian weapons with Mahdi
Army in capital
(Musings On Iraq A History Of Iranian Weapons Shipments To Iraq Interview With Arkenstone Blog’s Galen Wright)
May 9 Report ISI regrouped in Mosul 14 of top 30 ISI operatives killed or captured have been in Mosul Had
supply lines from Syria to city
May 10 Sadr announced ceasefire ending most fighting in Baghdad Led to many Special Groups and
Asaib Ahl Al-Haq to flee to Iran
(Musings On Iraq Asaib Ahl Al-Haq From A Breakaway Sadr Militia To Defenders Of Iraq)
May 10 Op Mother of Two Springs started in Mosul after Charge of Knights ended Mosul main insurgent
base after Surge Offensive announced publicly before started so many insurgents left
(Musings On Iraq The Security Situation In Mosul)
May 11 US started building wall in southern section of Sadr City Meant to push back Mahdi Army rocket
teams so can’t hit Green Zone
May 12 Sadr issued another ceasefire to try to stop govt offensive against Mahdi Army
May 12 United Iraqi Alliance and Sadrists agreed not to attack each other politically after
ceasefire announced
May 12 Report US judge who headed anti-corruption effort in Iraq in 07 said State Dept undermined
effort and allowed corruption to continue US embassy State Justice Depts and Iraqi govt ignored effort Jul 07 Amb Crocker told Iraqi official stole $1 bil in medical supplies and selling them on black market and to Syria US did nothing Judge worked on report on corruption Congress asked for copy State classified report and blocked testimony on it Embassy blocked Congress from interviewing anti-corruption officials in Iraq PM Maliki fired Sunnis on Integrity Comm and top investigator Head of Comm Judge Radhi wouldn’t follow Maliki’s orders When Radhi asked for asylum in US due to threats US Embassy wouldn’t help him
(Musings On Iraq Iraqi Corruption)
(Musings On Iraq interview with Special Inspector Gen for Iraq Reconstruction Bowen on corruption in Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq interview with fmr anti-graft official Vincent Foulk on corruption in Iraq)
May 12 Deputy head of US anti-corruption effort said US did nothing as PM Maliki worked to subvert
Integrity Commission
May 12 Iran came out against Iraq signing Status of Forces Agreement with US
May 12 PM Maliki told Amb Crocker and Gen Petraeus that Iran was helping criminal elements in Basra
and Iraqis were sick of Tehran’s interference
May 13 Report most insurgents fled Mosul before govt started offensive there
May 13 Report Iraqi officials were smuggling artifacts out of Iraq to be sold on the black market
May 13 Speaker of KRG parliament said KRG oil deals were legal and in accordance with
constitution
(Musings On Iraq Iraqi Kurdistan’s Failed Independent Oil Strategy)
May 13 Constitutional committee turned over Art 140 that was to determine future of Kirkuk and other
disputed issues in constitution to parliament to resolve Nothing happened
May 13 Report Fmr head of State Dept’s anti-corruption effort Said office never staffed and ideas ignored
Said State Dept allowed corruption to grow State never committed to fighting it Ignored PM Maliki’s attempt to undermine Integrity Comm Anti-corruption office closed in Dec 07 after report it made leaked to media
(Musings On Iraq Iraqi Corruption)
May 14 ISI fighters crossed into Iraq from Syria and killed 11 policemen in their homes
in Anbar
May 14 Female suicide bomber killed Iraqi army commander in Yusifiya Baghdad
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
May 14 Report Pres Talabani met with Iran’s Quds Force cmdr Gen Suleimani to broker ceasefire with Sadr
Suleiman said Sadr uncontrollable Promised to stop arming militias Suleiman wanted Mujahadeen e-Khalq expelled from Iraq
(Musings On Iraq Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Commander General Suleimani And His Role In Iraq, An Interview With The New Yorker’s Dexter Filkins)
May 14 Interview with members of Iraqi delegation sent to Iran Said Tehran scolded them for selling out to
US and forgetting how Iran helped Shiites Iran’s Quds Force cmdr Gen Suleiman said Iraq was going to allow US permeant bases that would threaten Iran Denied arming militias Said Mahdi Army were Iranian allies Said Mahdi Army needed to counter US-backed sahwa
May 15 Sahwa in Mosul complained ISF were arresting them instead of insurgents during
Mother of Two Springs Operation
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
May 16 PM Maliki gave insurgents 10 days to hand in weapons in Mosul as part of Mother of
Two Springs offensive ISF captured ISI emir of Ninewa
May 16 Parliament’s integrity committee said PM Maliki’s arms deal with Serbia was illegal Called on
Def Minister to testify He refused Was $236 mil no bid deal
May 17 Female suicide bomber attacked Sahwa unit in Diyala Another female suicide
bomber set off car bomb against ISF in Diyala Part of ISI campaign vs sahwa
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Behind The Revival Of The Islamic State in Iraq, Interview With Naval War College Prof Craig Whiteside)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
May 17 Report Iranian Revolutionary Guard put Sadr under house arrest in Qom
May 18 Maliki promised $100 mil for rebuilding Mosul after Mother of Two Springs operation Never
happened
May 18 Report Most ISI fighters fled Mosul before security op began ISF captured ISI emir for Ninewa
May 18 Accordance Front MP said Baghdad agreed to integrate 20% of Ninewa Sahwa
and 7,000 locals into security forces
May 18 Sadr ceasefire in Baghdad finally took effect
May 18 Police raided Sadr offices in Basra and captured large weapons cache and arrested
militiamen
May 18 Dawa member said no Awakening group could become part of govt Came as Accordance Front
boycotting cabinet Awakening offered substitutes
May 19 Fmr Dep Sec Def Feith claimed Iraq’s WMD was a threat Said Iraq had WMD programs and
could have produced WMD in 3-5 wks Wasn’t true Claimed he believed Iraqi army and police would maintain security after invasion but was wrong Feith wrote CPA order disbanding military
(Musings On Iraq Iraq One Of The Worst Intelligence Failures In US History)
May 19 ISI emir for Salahaddin captured in Mosul op
May 20 Mother of Two Springs op ended in Mosul without success Most ISI fighters left before op started
May 20 10,000 deployed to Sadr City after Sadr ceasefire finally took effect Started raids against Mahdi
Army as part of Op Peace
May 20 Female suicide bomber attacked Sahwa and police station in Rutba Anbar Another
female suicide bomber hit Sahwa leader in Mandali Diyala Part of ISI campaign vs sahwa
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Behind The Revival Of The Islamic State in Iraq, Interview With Naval War College Prof Craig Whiteside)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
May 20 Joint Chiefs head Adm Mullen told Senate Iran’s Quds Force most important threat to Iraq
May 21 CENTCOM commander Gen Dempsey said ISI at its weakest point in Iraq
May 21 US commander for northern Iraq said attacks in Mosul down 85% after
Mother of Two Springs op there
May 21 Pres Talabani said Iraq would be able to handle its own security without help
of US by end of 2008 Didn’t happen
May 21 Female suicide bomber hit Sahwa HQ in Anbar Part of ISI campaign vs sahwa
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Behind The Revival Of The Islamic State in Iraq, Interview With Naval War College Prof Craig Whiteside)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
May 21 Report ISI turned to crime for financing Stealing money from oil industry in Ninewa
and Kirkuk main source of funds Stole oil from pipelines and fuel trucks gets protection money from gas stations and trucks Runs crime gangs Also steals cars and kidnaps for ransom
(Musings On Iraq Analyzing The Finances Of Al Qaeda In Iraq Interview With RAND’s Patrick Johnson)
May 21 Report Mahdi Army cmdrs began fleeing to Iran and Lebanon as ops against Sadr City
increased
May 22 US got ISF to arrest Gen Zamel head of prisons for abuse torture extortion of prisoners extra
judicial killings and providing weapons to Mahdi Army
May 22 Govt gained control of Khor al-Zubayr port Fired guards that belonged to Mahdi Army Used to
extort money from shipping trucks
May 23 Clerics denied Sistani issued fatwa allowing attacks on U.S. forces
May 25 Report insurgents fled to Tikrit and Ramadi during Mother of Two Springs
operation in Mosul
May 25 Mayor of Mosul escaped 4th bombing attempt on his life in 10 days Came day after Mother of
Two Springs op to clear city ended
May 25 USAmb Crocker said ISI had been severely disrupted in Iraq
May 25 US and ISF conduct weapons searches in Sadr City Arrested 200 Mahdi Army
militiamen in Amil and Baya
May 25 Report UK army said Sadrists paid $300 for anyone that attacked UK forces in Basra Money
came from Iran
May 25 PM Maliki attempted to assert control over Basra after Charge of Knights by firing Fadhila
officials who ran South Oil Company Basra Airport Oil Tankers Company Basra Refinery
May 26 US military reported attacks in Iraq at lowest level since May 2004
May 26 ISI elements that fled to Mosul during govt crackdown began attacking Yazidis
in Sinjar Ninewa
May 26 Pentagon report Couldn’t account for $15 bil spent in Iraq Of $8.2 bil in contracts reviewed $7.7
bil didn’t follow accounting rules Distributed $1.8 bil in Iraqi money with no accounting
May 26 Report Cost of food up 14% due to drought Caused inflation to rise from 11% start of 08 to 16% in
Apr
(Musings On Iraq Iraq’s Drought)
May 26 PUK MP said corruption in KRG rampant but no different from rest of Iraq Blamed KDP-PUK
(Musings On Iraq Corruption and Reporting in Kurdistan)
May 27 PM Maliki issued arrest warrant for Sahwa leaders in Diyala 2 days after they declared a political
party to run in 09 elections and 1 day before candidates could start organizing Warrants disqualified them from election
May 27 Former Undersecretary of Defense Feith criticized Bush for switching goal of Iraq
war from threat of Saddam to spreading democracy
(Musings On Iraq review Overreach, Delusions of Regime Change In Iraq)
May 28 Sadr called for weekly protests against security agreement with US
May 28 Fmr White House press sec McClellan’s book said White House shaped war
debate so force only option vs Iraq Said that Iraq war was not necessary Said Bush never admitted to any mistakes and was isolated
May 28 Intl Org for Migration reported of 5.8 mil refugees only 1% had returned Iraq largest refugee crisis
in world
May 29 US Amb to Iraq Crocker said ISI near defeat
May 29 Interior Min fired 7500 police for corruption ghost officers negligence
May 30 ISF raided Iraqi National Gathering HQ in Basra
May 30 CIA Chief Hayden said ISI near strategic defeat in Iraq
May 30 Ayatollah Sistani aide said he was opposed to Status of Forces Agreement with
U.S.
May 30 Report Fmr White House spokesman McClellan said Bush White House so caught up in pushing
war ignored intel that didn’t fit argument Said media didn’t do its job questioning war Katie Couric Jessica Yellin said pressured by their bosses to support war Brian Williams said Pentagon would call and complain about any story critical of war
(Musings On Iraq Iraq One Of The Worst Intelligence Failures In US History)
May 31 Report only 15% of sahwa integrated into govt
(Musings On Iraq Recent Government And Sons of Iraq Relations)
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
May 31 PM Maliki said he wanted refugees to return Promised privileges for them Said govt had money
and plan to aid them NGOs reported Iraq had no program for returnees
May 31 Report Most sectors of Basra govt connected to militias and corrupt 47 parties in Basra all with
militias Sadrists went after doctors and professionals Thar Allah killed unveiled women Fadhila Gov Waili accused of smuggling oil ISCI/Badr sold weapons and killed opponents
(Musings On Iraq Review What Kind of Liberation? Women and the Occupation of Iraq)
Jun 1 Fmr PM Jaafari announced leaving Dawa to create own party National
Reform
Jun 1 Australia began withdrawing its troops from Iraq Operated as trainers and
advisers in south Ended combat operations
Jun 3 Australian PM Rudd said reasons given by PM Howard to invade Iraq were all wrong Didn’t stop
terrorist attacks No WMD found Didn’t stop rogue states Intelligence abused
Jun 4 Half of parliament signed letter saying they were against Status of Forces
Agreement unless it included US withdrawal
(Musings On Iraq Iraq Asks US To Draw Up Withdrawal Plans: Move Towards Autonomy, Electioneering, Or Brinkmanship by the Maliki Government?)
Jun 4 Police arrested top 5 Mahdi Army commanders in Karbala aftermath Charge of
Knights
Jun 5 Over 100 weapons caches of Mahdi Army found in Sadr City Most weapons
came from Iran Aftermath Charge of Knights
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq A History Of Iranian Weapons Shipments To Iraq Interview With Arkenstone Blog’s Galen Wright)
Jun 5 UAE Foreign Min Nahyan went to Baghdad Said Arab countries had taken too long to help the
new Iraq
Jun 5 VP Abdul Mahdi told US officials Iranians told him they considered Charge of Knights a setback and
they were re-examining their Iraq policy
Jun 6 KRG said it could export 150,000 bar/day in oil but no neighboring countries
would allow it
Jun 6 Report US threatened to seize Iraq’s $50 bil in oil revenues held at NY Fed Reserve Bank if Baghdad
didn’t sign Status of Forces Agreement
Jun 7 Poland announced that it would withdraw its forces from Iraq by Oct 08
Jun 7 Female suicide bomber hit police station in Khalidiya Anbar
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Jun 7 5 years after invasion Oil Min Shahristani announced Iraq reached pre-war level of oil production
Jun 8 US arrested Basra Special Groups commander He forged papers so militiamen could go for training
in Iran
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Overview of Iran’s Influence In Iraq)
Jun 8 Bahrain announced it was going to re-open embassy in Baghdad
Jun 9 Sheikh Hayes of Anbar Salvation Council said 4 groups joined together to challenge Islamic Party
in provincial elections Awakening sheikhs wanted to take over Anbar govt
(Musings On Iraq Anbar’s Forgotten Sheikh)
(Musings On Iraq review Illusions of Victory, The Anbar Awakening And The Rise Of The Islamic State)
Jun 9 UK intel report Charge of Knights driven Mahdi Army from streets of Basra opening opportunity
for economic growth in city Insecurity lack of govt capacity corruption laws competing political parties crime smuggling all hindered rebuilding Militias had driven off business people
Jun 9 Iran and Iraq defense ministers signed defense pact
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
Jun 10 Dhi Qar police started operation to raid and arrest Sadrists
Jun 11 Report foreign fighters coming to Iraq down to single digits per month
Jun 11 UK intel report Predicted large Sunni turnout for 09 provincial elections Said many insurgents
considering participating in vote Sunnis wanted economic development services release of prisoners reforming deBaathification reviewing constitution
Jun 12 Maliki sent forces to Maysan to crackdown on Sadrists
(Musings On Iraq A Divided Sadr Trend)
Jun 12 Senior Sadrist and Iranian linked arms dealer arrested in Kut, Wasit
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq A History Of Iranian Weapons Shipments To Iraq Interview With Arkenstone Blog’s Galen Wright)
Jun 12 Islamic Party HQ in Anbar bombed in part of campaign against party
Jun 13 Report PM Maliki said Iraq had right to demand US withdraw if it wanted
(Musings On Iraq Iraq Asks US To Draw Up Withdrawal Plans: Move Towards Autonomy, Electioneering, Or Brinkmanship by the Maliki Government?)
Jun 13 Sadr said that he was turning most of his movement into social and political
organization disbanded most of Mahdi Army Would have special unit just to attack U.S.
(Musings On Iraq Sadr’s Leadership Or Lack Thereof)
Jun 13 New England Journal of Medicine article Iraq Family Health Survey showed Iraq Body Count data
mostly correct IBC counted 91,358 civilians killed from 03 invasion to Jun 08
Jun 14 Sadrist said they wouldn’t run as a party in 2009 provincial elections just support
candidates
(Musings On Iraq Sadr’s Leadership Or Lack Thereof)
Jun 14 US Inspector General went to Kahn Bani Saad prison found no work being
done Most of $1.2 mil in materials gone
Jun 14 Female suicide bomber in Qara Tappa targeted café where people watching World
Cup 34 wounded
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Jun 14 PM Maliki told US officials he’d confronted Iranians over their interference in Iraq
Jun 16 Maliki gave ultimatum to militiamen to hand over weapons in Amarah, Maysan
aimed at Mahdi Army
Jun 16 Report 2008 “Year of Transfer” US turning over projects to Iraqis Baghdad had
problem maintaining them
Jun 16 New $277 mil water treatment plant opened in Nasiriya Dhi Qar but at only 20%
capacity because couldn’t get enough power
Jun 17 Truck bomb by Mahdi Army in Baghdad killed 42 wounded 87 Was attempt to
maintain control of neighborhood
(Musings On Iraq Desperation Move By The Sadrists?)
Jun 17 Report Start of June standoff between Peshmerga and oil workers Khurmala Dome oil field KRG
claimed field belonged to it Baghdad gave Peshmerga 24 hrs to leave and did
Jun 17 UN report displaced increased by 800,000 form 2007-08 45,000 refugees returned to Iraq from
2007-08
(Musings On Iraq review Children of War, Voices Of Iraqi Refugees)
Jun 18 Los Angeles Times interview with CURVEBALL Iraqi defector in Germany who
claimed Iraq had mobile WMD labs Claimed everything he said was true and he should be treated like a king for helping overthrow Saddam
(Musings On Iraq How Iraqi Defector CURVEBALL Became Basis For US Claim That Iraq Had WMD)
(Musings On Iraq Look Who The LA Times Dug Up – CURVEBALL)
(Musings On Iraq Story of CURVEBALL And Iraq’s Mobile Biological Weapons Labs)
(Musings On Iraq review Curveball, Spies, Lies, And The Con Man Who Caused A War)
Jun 18 ISF launched Op Promise of Peace against Sadrists in Maysan Govt would create 17 tribal support
councils Became part of PM Maliki’s patronage network
(Musings On Iraq Operation Promise of Peace in Maysan Province)
(Musings On Iraq Sadr’s Leadership Or Lack Thereof)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
Jun 20 Report Reform and Change front that included 1920 Revolution Brigades reached out to political
parties trying to get involved in politics 2 Awakening leaders were Sheikh Abu Risha and Sheikh Sulaiman
Jun 20 ISF arrested Sadrist deputy governor 2 councilmen 700 police in Maysan during Operation
Promise of Peace against Sadr
(Musings On Iraq Operation Promise of Peace in Maysan Province)
Jun 20 Report Karama Party and Istiqlal Party formed by Sahwa leaders formerly with Islamic Army to
participate in 09 provincial elections Awakening Conference of Iraq headed by Sheikh Abu Risha and National Salvation Front headed by Sheikh Sulaiman said they would run candidates in Anbar
(Musings On Iraq interview with author Carter Malkasian on Anbar Awakening)
Jun 21 Petraeus issued new guidelines for US forces in Iraq to set up governance services
build economy
Jun 21 Report Iran-Iraq Chamber of Commerce said Iran-Iraq trade at $2.8 bil in 2007 Expected to reach $4
bil in 08
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
Jun 21 Report Boost in oil prices allowed Central Bank of Iraq to buy back dinars to bring down inflation
Jun 22 Iraqi offensive against Sadrists in Maysan expanded to Dhi Qar and Wasit
Jun 22 Report Pentagon said IEDs down 90% from 2007
Jun 22 Female suicide bomber in Baquba killed 15 wounded 45
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Jun 22 Report US reconstruction projects in Hit halted due to corruption of mayor and
police chief
Jun 22 Baghdad Ops Command said Maliki issued order to integrate all Sahwa in
province
(Musings On Iraq What’s In The Future For The Sons of Iraq?)
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
Jun 23 Report govt came up with new displaced program to force squatters out of homes
and make them return to their original areas Were 2.7 mil displaced and 2.5 mil refugees
(Musings On Iraq Government’s Displaced Plan?)
(Musings On Iraq January 2009 U.N. Report On Iraq Refugee Returns)
(Musings On Iraq review Children of War, Voices Of Iraqi Refugees)
Jun 23 Report Interior Min complained Haswa Babil police chief was arresting too many Shiites and had
to arrest more Sunnis When he didn’t he was investigated and relieved of duty
Jun 23 Report Iran cut power supply to Basra after Charge of Knights op cutting electricity to only 6 hrs
a day
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Influence In Iraq Update II)
Jun 23 Report Amiriya Baghdad Sahwa leader said Maliki govt had arrest warrant out for him Part of
intimidation campaign vs Sahwa
(Musings On Iraq Sons of Iraq Update)
(Musings On Iraq What’s In The Future For The Sons of Iraq?)
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
Jun 23 PM Maliki announced 17 Tribal Support Councils would be formed in Maysan after Op Promise
of Peace Councils became part of Maliki’s patronage network to create support for Dawa/State of Law
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
(Musings On Iraq Maliki’s Tribal Support Councils Appear To Be Paying Off)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Jun 24 PM Maliki promised $100 mil for reconstruction in Maysan after Op Promise of Peace went
after Sadrists there
Jun 24 Interior Min declared Amarah Maysan free of militias after Op Promise of Peace went after
Sadrists
Jun 24 Special Groups bombed Sadr City council building killing 6 councilmen and 4 Americans 10
wounded because meeting with U.S.
Jun 25 KRG signed oil deals with 2 Canadian firms to work in disputed areas of Kirkuk
Jun 25 Spokesman for Baghdad security plan said 9,000 Sahwa had joined city’s police and more would
be integrated in future
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
Jun 25 US Spec Insp Gen for Iraq Reconstruction Report Khan Bani Saad prison in Diyala was great failure
of US reconstruction effort in Iraq Started in 04 Parsons given $72.9 mil contract to build prison by Nov 05 Parsons didn’t start work until Nov 04 5 months late Work shoddy Poor security Missed deadline Jun 06 Parsons told US govt wouldn’t finish until Sep 08 for another $13.5 mil Contract cancelled Only 40% of prison finished Parsons still got $31 mil Parsons got $333 mil in reconstruction contracts $142 mil for cancelled projects Sep 06 3 new contracts given to finish prison for $44 mil May 07 audit found work still poor Jun 07 prison permanently cancelled Only 52% of prison finished Aug 07 partially finished prison turned over to Justice Min which refused it $1.2 mil in materials left at work site and stolen
(Musings On Iraq Khan Bani Saad Prison, The Greatest Failure In America’s Reconstruction Of Iraq)
Jun 26 ISI suicide bomber hit tribal council meeting Killed 26 including Garma mayor and Awakening
sheikhs
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Jun 26 Iraqi intel said Mahdi Army done after Charge of Knights and op in Maysan Said 2000 militiamen
killed 1300 fled to Iran Said in future group would only have 100-200 men Were wrong
Jun 27 Chief Justice Majeed assassinated in east Baghdad during spate of attacks upon judiciary in
capital
(Musings On Iraq Iraq’s Judiciary Under Attack)
Jun 28 Accountability and Justice law amended to stop former ISF officers from being fired
for Baathist past and those that quit could now get jobs with govt
(Musings On Iraq DeBaathification and Elections Update)
Jun 28 PM Maliki met with Ibadah tribe Offered it limited autonomy in return for joining Tribal Support
Council to support him
Jun 28 ISF arrested head of Sadr office in Amara Maysan Part of PM Maliki’s crackdown on Sadrists
Jun 28 Baghdad-Irbil formed committee to work out oil law Nothing came of it
Jun 28 Sahwa in Adhamiya Baghdad protested after army arrested their leader on kidnapping charges
Part of PM Maliki intimidation campaign vs Sahwa
(Musings On Iraq Sons of Iraq Update)
(Musings On Iraq What’s In The Future For The Sons of Iraq?)
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
Jun 28 Female suicide bomber in Baquba killed 13 wounded 30
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Jun 29 PM Maliki promised Jabouri tribe limited autonomy in return for their support and joining Tribal
Support Council
Jun 29 Female suicide bomber hit Sahwa council in Baquba Part of ISI campaign vs sahwa
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Behind The Revival Of The Islamic State in Iraq, Interview With Naval War College Prof Craig Whiteside)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Jun 29 US Army released history of 2003-05 occupation of Iraq Criticized Gen Franks for withdrawing
from Iraq right after invasion and turning over control to Gen Sanchez who didn’t have staff to manage war Army should’ve demanded better postwar planning but didn’t because made best case planning US didn’t have enough troops for occupation
Jun 30 IEDs targeted 5 judges in Baghdad 1 chief justice killed 3 wounded
(Musings On Iraq Iraq’s Judiciary Under Attack)
Jun 30 Iraq offered 8 oil fields and 2 gas fields for foreign investment Wanted to sign deals in one month
Pre-approved 41 companies to bid on fields Before said would have no bid contracts Wouldn’t happen until 2009
Jun 30 Report during ISF fighting Mahdi Army in Baghdad in Mar-Apr Mahdi Army expelled Sunnis
from 5 east Baghdad neighborhoods
Jun 30 PM Maliki and VP Hashemi made deal to allow Iraqi Accordance Front to return to govt
Accordance Front got nothing in return Boycotted govt in Aug 07 to protest being excluded by Maliki
Jun 30 UN got Article 140 extended to this date Nothing happened Supposed to determine future of
disputed areas Original deadline Dec 07
Jul 1 Report US didn’t have people or plans for postwar Iraq Chaos that ensued set conditions for
insurgency Were many groups working on postwar plans but few made it into the war plans Top officials had best case scenario for postwar Iraq which overrode plans for bad situations Almost all planning went to waste as a result Gen Franks only cared about war which made accomplishing postwar goals harder NSC provided no strategy despite multiple requests Left each agency to carry out individual plans Meant no coordination of planning NSC never mediated between Defense and State Pentagon given control of postwar plans but cared about war more Created ORHA to run Iraq only 8 weeks before invasion but didn’t have expertise or personnel to run it Problems lasted postwar State Dept’s Future of Iraq Project was not a postwar plan
Jul 1 KRG released report that its oil deals were far superior and Baghdad’s oil plan would be disastrous
for the country
(Musings On Iraq Iraqi Kurdistan’s Failed Independent Oil Strategy)
Jul 1 2 Sadrist politicians and an Iraqi army officers said Hezbollah ran two training camps in Basra
since 2006 Up to 10 Hezbollah operatives trained Special Groups there Closed during Charge of Knights Said Hezbollah involved in Jan 07 Asaib Ahl Al-Haq raid on Karbala that killed US soldiers and involved in AAH kidnapping of 5 Britons from Finance Min in Baghdad May 07
(Musings On Iraq Overview of Iran’s Influence In Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Hezbollah’s Role In Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Asaib Ahl Al-Haq From A Breakaway Sadr Militia To Defenders Of Iraq)
Jul 2 ISF arrested Maysan Governor Muhoder head of the provincial council and two other council
members for their connection to the Mahdi Army A police chief was detained for being a Special Groups leader
Jul 2 Jordan said it would send ambassador to Baghdad Withdrew ambassador in 2003 after embassy
bombed
Jul 4 Report Anbar council dismissed Anbar police chief from Awakening but refused to step down Said
police would only follow him Sheikh Abu Risha from Awakening said it was now running Anbar and Islamic Party that ran provincial council couldn’t stop it
(Musings On Iraq Anbar Dispute Between Sunnis Growing)
(Musings On Iraq interview with author Carter Malkasian on Anbar Awakening)
Jul 5 PM Maliki claimed terrorists in Iraq were defeated
Jul 5 Head of Islamic Party in Fallujah escaped assassination attempt in campaign against the
party
Jul 6 Fmr Undersec Def Feith claimed WMD was not one of core argument for Iraq invasion Claimed CIA
pushed Iraq being a WMD threat
Jul 6 UAE cancelled $7 bil in Iraqi debt Announced would be sending ambassador to Baghdad
Jul 7 Maliki said he wanted a memo of understanding on withdrawal of US forces
instead of a Status of Forces Agreement which was stalled
(Musings On Iraq Iraq Asks US To Draw Up Withdrawal Plans: Move Towards Autonomy, Electioneering, Or Brinkmanship by the Maliki Government?)
Jul 7 Female suicide bomber hit market in Baquba 23 female suicide bombing of the
year
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Jul 7 Report 94% decline in attacks by ISI 25 in Nov 07 vs 334 Nov 06
Jul 8 Report Al Qaeda sent foreign fighters to Sudan and Somalia rather than Iraq due to
downturn in insurgency
(Musings On Iraq Demise of Al Qaeda In Iraq Update)
Jul 8 Head of Kurdish bloc in parliament Othman said KRG oil deals were illegal 1st Kurdish official
to criticize deals Said Iraq needed oil law Never passed
Jul 8 Iraq had highest electricity production since 2003 Only met 55% of demand
Jul 9 Interview with Sherman fmr US adv to Interior Min 04-06 Said effort to rebuild police disjointed
Excluded Interior Min which caused anger US pushed for as many police as possible Weren’t given adequate training or equipment High turnover amongst US advisers so no continuity in policy Allawi and Jaafari govts purged Interior Allawi and Interior Min Naqib formed Commandos from ex-Saddam era soldiers Had human rights abuses Under PM Jaafari ISCI took over Interior Purged commandos of fmr regime members ISCI tried to block Sadrists getting police jobs Sherman wanted Iraqis to come up with own training program Vetoed US military took over police turning it into paramilitary force Interior overwhelmed by number of personnel Found police stations arresting people torturing and killing them then dumping bodies Found many of the prisoners at secret Jadiriya prison in Baghdad run by Badr controlled unit were fmr soldiers who put down 1991 uprising Were arrested and tortured in revenge
Jul 10 Report 20% of Iraqis displaced UN said 2nd largest refugee problem in world Most fled after 06
Samarra bombing Early 07 11 of 18 provinces blocked displaced from returning PM Maliki criticized refugees saying they should have stayed in Iraq
Jul 10 Report Baghdad hired 12,000 new police in Basra after Charge of Knights but didn’t pay them
Fadhila still controlled governorship Dawa and ISCI took over ports and corruption involved with them
Jul 10 Report US general in charge of training ISF said 12 of 140 Iraqi battalions at highest rating and
independent 90 others 2nd highest rating Said would be 2012 before navy air force and border security ready Said still problems with training officers sectarianism
Jul 10 Report Drought destroyed wheat crop Govt would have to import more crops as result but didn’t
have good record spending money wisely
(Musings On Iraq More On Iraq’s Drought)
Jul 11 PM Maliki promised to rebuild and invest in Basra after Charge of Knights Money unspent
because of red tape lack of govt capacity arguments between ruling parties
Jul 12 Report Maliki and other top officials handing out $200-$400 to people Claimed part of investment
plan to boost economy Probably patronage networks to build/maintain support
Jul 12 Badr controlled police arrested Sadrist head in Karbala for criticizing PM Maliki and calling on
followers to join Mahdi Army
Jul 13 Islamic Party said Iraqi forces should not take control of security in Anbar because
Awakening was not ready Sheikhs Sulaiman and Hayes agreed
(Musings On Iraq Anbar Dispute Between Sunnis Growing)
Jul 14 Report 2005 elections 82,000 Kurds couldn’t prove residency in Kirkuk and were going to be
barred from election but KDP and PUK threatened boycott if they weren’t allowed to vote
Jul 14 Report Kurds giving money to Arabs to leave Kirkuk
Jul 14 Report 5000 solar powered streetlights installed in Baghdad city and 1,000 in each of Iraq’s
provinces Extreme heat degraded batteries and grime and dust cut electricity production of solar panels
Jul 14 Report Mahdi Army and Special Groups using new armaments Interior Min said came from Iran
Groups being rearmed after Charge of Knights in Basra and Promise of Peace in Maysan aimed at Mahdi Army
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq A History Of Iranian Weapons Shipments To Iraq Interview With Arkenstone Blog’s Galen Wright)
Jul 14 Report Drought cut hydroelectric power production by 30%
(Musings On Iraq Drought Update)
Jul 16 US Surge officially ended
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
(Musings On Iraq interview with Prof Mansoor on the Surge)
(Musings On Iraq interview with New America Foundation’s Ollivant On Reassessing the Surge)
Jul 16 US turned over security for Qadisiyah to Iraqi forces
(Musings On Iraq Iraq Gains Control of Diwaniyah Province)
Jul 16 Govt told squatters in two Baghdad neighborhoods had 3 days to leave Supposed to encourage
displaced to return Nothing happened
(Musings On Iraq Returns And Removals In Bahgdad)
(Musings On Iraq January 2009 U.N. Report On Iraq Refugee Returns)
Jul 17 Report with unemployment est 35-50% Maliki govt tarted job program Hired over 5,000 into
govt workforce in menial jobs
Jul 17 Cleric and head of Sadr office in New Baghdad Lami assassinated Was pushing reconciliation
Jul 17 Kuwait named ambassador to Iraq First since 1990
Jul 18 Report US forces trying to shut down Iranian supply networks to militias in Basra
Maysan Wasit Diyala
(Musings On Iraq Going After Iran’s Supply Lines In Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq A History Of Iranian Weapons Shipments To Iraq Interview With Arkenstone Blog’s Galen Wright)
Jul 18 IOM reported 2.8 mil displaced in Iraq Can’t find housing food medical care water services Many
squatting
Jul 19 Gen Petraeus said Al Qaeda was changing focus from Iraq to Afghanistan
(Musings On Iraq Demise of Al Qaeda In Iraq Update)
Jul 19 100 MPs from Iraqiya Sadrists Iraqi National Dialogue Front Reform Movement walked out to
protest Iraqi Islamic Party claiming all of Iraqi Accordance Front ministers who were being voted on after boycott over PM Maliki’s rule
Jul 19 Sadrist Karbala councilman arrested in Aug 07 admitted to being head of Mahdi Army death
squad that killed head of anti-corruption council in Karbala 4 members of humanitarian group district chief of Karbala city woman rights leader several women accused of being prostitutes
Jul 20 Iraqi Accordance Front ended 11 month boycott of parliament gaining no concessions
from Maliki
(Musings On Iraq Sunni Accordance Front Returns To Maliki’s Government Amidst Recriminations and Challenges)
Jul 22 109,087 pardoned under Amnesty Law Govt originally claimed only had 26,000
prisoners
(Musings On Iraq Iraq’s Amnesty Law)
Jul 22 Parliament passed Election Law that included open list allowing voters to pick parties or candidates
instead of just parties under old law Also included ethnosectarian power sharing in Kirkuk Kurds walked out of session
Jul 23 Kurdish List got Pres Talabani to veto draft provincial election law that included power
sharing in Kirkuk
(Musings On Iraq Conspiracy Theories Abound On Election Law Veto)
Jul 24 US Amb Crocker said insurgency had lost most of its relevancy
(Musings On Iraq Demise of Al Qaeda In Iraq Update)
Jul 24 Female suicide bomber killed Sahwa leader and 7 others 24 wounded in Baquba Part of ISI campaign
vs sahwa
(Musings On Iraq 25th Female Suicide Bomber of 2008)
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Behind The Revival Of The Islamic State in Iraq, Interview With Naval War College Prof Craig Whiteside)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Jul 24 Pres Talabani and VP Abdul Mahdi vetoed election law Kurds objected to power sharing clause in
law
Jul 27 Report Mahdi Army took protection money from gas stations minibus service power stations
markets ice factories and squatters in Sadr City 4 main gas stations in district used to pay $13,000/a day Controlled 12 trucks that delivered gas canisters
Jul 28 3 female suicide bombers hit Shiite pilgrims in Baghdad’s Karrada 32 dead 100
wounded
(Musings On Iraq 26th Female Suicide Attack In Iraq Takes Dozens Of Lives In Baghdad)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq review The ISIS Reader, Milestone Texts of the Islamic State Movement)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Jul 28 Suicide bomber attacked Kurds protesting provincial election results in Kirkuk 24
killed Crowd burned down Turkmen Front office and attacked Arab councilman’s house afterward
(Musings On Iraq Kurdish Frustrations Over Provincial Elections Boil Over After Suicide Bombing)
Jul 29 Op Omens of Prosperity in Diyala began Most insurgents fled beforehand because announced days
before National Police told sahwa unit in Baquba some would be arrested for crimes but the rest would be integrated into govt Start of new crackdown on Diyala sahwa
(Musings On Iraq Diyala Offensive Begins)
(Musings On Iraq Recent Government And Sons of Iraq Relations)
(Musings On Iraq Carrot and the Stick With Diyala’s Sons of Iraq, Or Just The Sticks?)
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
Jul 29 Report after anti-Sadr op in Maysan Maliki govt promised to purge provincial ISF of Mahdi
Army Pro-ISCI tribes told to sign up for ISF
Jul 29 Report PM Maliki and Dawa officials handed out cash to people in Baghdad to build patronage
network
Jul 29 Report govt arresting Sadrist officials as well as Mahdi Army members Sadr’s rivals taking
advantage of situation to assassinate leaders in Sadr movement
Jul 29 Report ISI used to get most of its money from foreigners Foreign fighters often brought cash
Captured ISI papers said 70% of money came from foreigners Number of foreign fighters down 80% from yr ago ISI turned to extortion and robbery
Jul 30 U.S. forces officially withdrew troops from Iraqi cities
Jul 30 Sadr said he was leading a nationalist movement against the US and needed to restrain abuses and
violence of Mahdi Army Said militia would not operate in cities or target civilians or govt only US military
Jul 30 Report PM Maliki replaced head of South Oil Company and fired heads of gas tanker and refinery
companies in Basra Replaced them with loyalists to control resources before 2009 election
Jul 30 Report 103,000 Sahwa Baghdad promised to take over program Only 15% integrated into ISF US
created vocational school because govt not following through with promises of integrating Sahwa but few wanted training
Jul 30 US govt report Iraqi provinces outside of KRG only spent 2.7% of investment budget Maysan did
best Spent 17.4% Ministries in Ninewa Diwaniya Basra Muthanna Diyala Anbar did not spend any of their investment budgets in 07-08
Jul 30 US govt report Oct 06 Iraq passed Regions Formation Law Feb 08 passed Provincial Powers Law
Neither could be implemented until provincial elections Didn’t happen until Jan 09
Jul 31 US and Iraq missed deadline to sign Status of Forces Agreement with Iraq
(SOFA) US wanted residual military force to stay in Iraq after official withdrawal
(Musings On Iraq Missed Deadlines)
Jul 31 Kirkuk council threatened to annex province to Kurdistan
Jul 31 Police shut down Sahwa group in Kut Wasit Had formed political party to run in 2009 elections
PM Maliki opposed US creating Sahwa in Shiite areas seeing them as threat to his base
(Musings On Iraq Recent Government And Sons of Iraq Relations)
Aug 1 PM Maliki issued one month ultimate for squatters to vacate houses Part of govt plan to get
displaced to return by kicking out people living in their homes
Aug 1 Kurdish parties in Kirkuk asked for KRG to annex province as symbolic protest
of provincial election law that included power sharing in Kirkuk
(Musings On Iraq Kurds Come Out Swinging)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Aug 1 PM Maliki offered Musawiya tribe limited autonomy in return for joining Tribal Support Councils
(Musings On Iraq Maliki’s Tribal Support Councils Appear To Be Paying Off)
Aug 2 Report on wave of female suicide bombers in Iraq Most had family member killed
or arrested and wanted revenge or maintain family honor Main target Sahwa and Iraqi forces
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Aug 3 Report UK made ceasefire deal with Sadrists in Basra Would release all Mahdi Army prisoners
and in return UK would withdraw from city Allowed Mahdi Army to take over most of city
Aug 4 Flyers posted in Baghdad’s Dora warning Shiite families not to return to district
Up to 50% Shiite families had been driven out during civil war
(Musings On Iraq Only Sunni Displaced Welcomed in Baghdad’s Dora District?)
(Musings On Iraq Columbia University Charts Sectarian Cleansing Of Baghdad)
Aug 4 Report protests led parliament to suspend evicting squatters who were displaced during war from
govt buildings in Jun 08 but they continued Baghdad Ops Command said it offered up to $1200 for evicted Had plan to build 139,000 apartments/houses
Aug 4 Parliament’s displacement comm said 11,400 out of 132,000 displaced families returned to Baghdad
Immigration Min claimed it was 92,000 families Exaggeration Govt wanted all displaced to return Never happened 1 mil remained displaced after civil war
Aug 5 Blair govt said UK policy in Basra was right one Made deal with Mahdi Army to withdraw from city
to airport PM Maliki was furious at UK Didn’t include it in Charge of Knights op
Aug 6 KRG moved 2 Peshmerga brigades outside Kirkuk city Baghdad sent Defense
Minister to check on situation Was protest over provincial election law that called for power sharing in Kirkuk
(Musings On Iraq Kurds Come Out Swinging)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Aug 6 US Govt report Iraq revenues up and could take more responsibility for
reconstruction but most of budget going to salaries and benefits and barely spending investment budget Only 23% in 2005 19% in 2006 28% in 2007 Iraq was now outspending US however on reconstruction
(Musings On Iraq Iraq Outspends US on Reconstruction)
Aug 6 Iran and Iraq signed trade agreement to create free trade zone Tehran one of Iraq’s
top 2 trade partners
(Musings On Iraq Iraq-Iran Trade Agreement)
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
Aug 6 Govt gave squatters 1 month to leave or be sued or arrested Would be given
limited compensation Part of Maliki displaced program to force people to return home Complaints that govt had no real plan or funding for program
(Musings On Iraq Baghdad Issues Ultimatum To Squatters)
(Musings On Iraq January 2009 U.N. Report On Iraq Refugee Returns)
Aug 7 Defense Min set up committee to recruit former Saddam soldiers into army Only had one month
to sign up
Aug 8 Report UN survey found only 4% of Iraqi refugees wanted to return to Iraq Was
down from 14% in Nov 2007 Were concerned with security
(Musings On Iraq Few Iraqi Refugees Want To Return)
(Musings On Iraq review Children of War, Voices Of Iraqi Refugees)
Aug 8 Over 100 Iraqi and international NGOs signed petition saying PM Maliki should stop his
policy to get refugees to return to Iraq Said could destabilize country still violence lack of services
(Musings On Iraq Baghdad Continues To Encourage Return Of Refugees)
Aug 8 Sadr statement said that Mahdi Army were going to join new social group Mumahidoon and focus
on education
Aug 8 Report Thar Allah formed in Basra Oct 03 Connected to Basra police intel Started by killing
Baathists Thar Allah head ran in Jan 05 Basra elections with SIIC Thar Allah head became commander in police UK Created Special Ops Dept in Basra Police Run by Badr that also killed and imprisoned Baathists 05 Thar Allah Badr Mahdi Army went after professionals unionists secularists in Basra Oct 05 UK raided Thar Allah HQ Found 50 prisoners in secret prison Thar Allah members confessed to rapes robberies assassinations extortion Was backed by Iran Feb 07 Thar Allah head named Basra dep governor Apr 08 made head of security comm Basra council Thar Allah head arrested during Charge of Knights
Aug 9 PM Maliki started meetings with tribes to get them to joint Tribal Support Council and back
him
(Musings On Iraq Maliki’s Tribal Support Councils Appear To Be Paying Off)
Aug 10 PM Maliki turned Op Promise of Good in Diyala from hunting insurgents to confrontation with
Kurds over disputed area in Khanaqin Baghdad called for Peshmerga to withdraw from area Kurds refused saying they only followed KRG
(Musings On Iraq Kurdish-Baghdad Tensions Over Diyala)
(Musings On Iraq Maliki Still Pushing The Kurds On Khanaqin District)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq From War To A New Authoritarianism)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Aug 10 Female Suicide bomber killed 1 US soldiers 6 sahwa 3 Iraqi soldiers 14 civilians
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers0
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Aug 11 Diyala govt fired police chief for tensions with Sahwa Accused police of sectarian attacks Fired
4,000 police from Sahwa Replaced them with Badr men Arrested Sahwa leaders and got into gun battles with them Sahwa went on strike in Feb PM Maliki refused to remove him
(Musings On Iraq Another Female Bomber Strikes in Baquba as Controversies Emerge During Diyala Security Crackdown)
(Musings On Iraq Diyala Province Backgrounder)
Aug 11 During Op Omens of Prosperity PM Maliki sent ISF into Khanaqin dist Diyala Told Peshmerga
they had to withdraw Kurds refused Maliki attempted to pressure Kurds and establish control over disputed areas
(Musings On Iraq Cold War Between Baghdad and Kurds Turns Hot)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq From War To A New Authoritarianism)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Aug 11 PM Maliki’s private jet brought back 236 Iraqi refugees from Egypt Part of Maliki’s
new refugee policy to encourage people to return with improved security
(Musings On Iraq Déjà Vu? Government Returns Refugees)
(Musings On Iraq Refugees International Report On Iraq’s Refugees and Displaced)
(Musings On Iraq January 2009 U.N. Report On Iraq Refugee Returns)
(Musings On Iraq Baghdad Continues To Encourage Return Of Refugees)
(Musings On Iraq review Children of War, Voices Of Iraqi Refugees)
Aug 11 Defense Min said Iraqi forces could operate independently by mid-09 without any US support
Didn’t happen
Aug 11 Jordan’s King Abdullah II visited Baghdad 1st Arab leader to come to Iraq since 03 invasion
Aug 11 Report Sheikh Hayes of Awakening Said ISI demanded goats be covered Claimed cucumbers were
male vegetables and women couldn’t buy them Banned buying and selling ice cream because didn’t exist during time of prophet Attacked and bombed places that sold women’s make-up
(Musings On Iraq Review What Kind of Liberation? Women and the Occupation of Iraq)
Aug 12 Dismissed Diyala police chief called for his followers to protest Insulted Diyala govt PM Maliki
ordered him to Baghdad to be appointed elsewhere Chief dismissed for sectarianism Conflict with Sahwa
Aug 12 Female suicide bomber hit army convoy in Baquba Diyala Killed 2 Tried to kill Diyala governor
and police commander
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Aug 13 Report Peshmerga refused to withdraw from Khanaqin dist Diyala PM Maliki moved ISF into
district and demanded Peshmerga leave
Aug 14 Report election official said ISF intimidating people registering to vote In Sadr City police officer
demanded that voter registration director turn over names and addresses of voters
Aug 14 UK deployed troops along Basra-Iran border to try to interdict arms smuggling from Iran
(Musings On Iraq A History Of Iranian Weapons Shipments To Iraq Interview With Arkenstone Blog’s Galen Wright)
Aug 15 2 female suicide bombers hit Shiite pilgrims in Iskandiriya 19 dead 75 wounded
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers0
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Aug 15 Baghdad-Irbil deal to have Peshmerga withdraw from Khanaqin Diyala and turn over area to
central govt control Confrontation ensued when ISF began evicting Kurdish parties and Peshmerga from town Part of PM Maliki move to press Kurds and take disputed areas
(Musings On Iraq Kurdish-Baghdad Tensions Over Diyala)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq From War To A New Authoritarianism)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Aug 15 Report Pfficially some Iraqi army divisions reported 130% of their soldiers were on duty Iraq’s 7th
Div had 11,478 soldiers on payroll Only 7,556 were on duty 3,922 were on leave in training AWOL wounded or killed Typical of army units where many on leave and others were ghost soldiers commanders used to collect pay
Aug 15 Report US military intel officer said captured militiamen claimed Iranian Rev Guards Quds Force
and Hezbollah training Asaib Ahl Al-Haq and Kataib Hezbollah members in four bases in Iran Were going to assassinate officials in Iraq like judges Before March 08 Iran was training militia in Qadisiya Dhi Qar Basra
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Overview of Iran’s Influence In Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Hezbollah’s Role In Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Asaib Ahl Al-Haq From A Breakaway Sadr Militia To Defenders Of Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Instrument Of Iran’s Power In Iraq And Syria Kataib Hezbollah)
(Musings On Iraq interview with Naval Postgraduate School’s Ostovar on history of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard)
(Musings On Iraq review Vanguard of the Imam, Religion, Politics, and Iran’s Revolutionary Guard)
Aug 17 PM Maliki admitted that Op Mother of Two Springs in Mosul failed to improve
security Blamed citizens for not cooperating with govt Govt never provided $100 mil in reconstruction after op
(Musings On Iraq Back To Mosul)
Aug 17 Report Oil Min gave up plan for quick deals with oil companies after talks failed Wouldn’t be until
summer 09 when contracts made
(Musings
On Iraq Criticism of Iraq’s Oil Policy)
Aug 17 Report Interior Min didn’t provide spare parts to police in Ramadi Had
to salvage pieces from
broken vehicles Part of lack of procurement accounting maintenance budgeting within govt
Aug 18 Georgia withdrew its 1800 troops from Iraq Had deployed them in 2003 Lost 5 soldiers
Aug 18 Report 2 Sahwa units in Diyala complained members arrested Offices closed PM Maliki said he
wouldn’t integrate Sahwa that were former insurgents Maliki aide said Sahwa were unacceptable Only 23,000 Sahwa had been accepted in ISF so far
(Musings On Iraq Sons of Iraq Update)
(Musings On Iraq What’s In The Future For The Sons of Iraq?)
(Musings On Iraq Carrot and the Stick With Diyala’s Sons of Iraq, Or Just The Sticks?)
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
Aug 18 Suicide bomber dressed as a women killed deputy head of Adhamiya Baghdad sahwa 20 wounded
Part of ISI campaign vs sahwa
(Musings On Iraq Behind The Revival Of The Islamic State in Iraq, Interview With Naval War College Prof Craig Whiteside)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Aug 18 PM Maliki sent Special Forces to Diyala govt building Got into gun battle with governor’s guards
Killed governor’s secretary and wounded 4 guards Arrested Sunni councilman Beat deputy governor Stole SUVs that belonged to council Got into 2nd gun battle on way out that killed 4 police Arrested president of Diyala Univ Councilman and president accused of killings US helicopters sent to check on situation were fired upon by ISF Special forces had to call ground forces commander to get police to back off Afterward Maliki denied he was behind operation and ordered investigation Nothing happened
(Musings On Iraq 08 Diyala Riad When Maliki Used Iraq’s Special Forces For Political Gain)
Aug 19 Iraq signed agreement to import fuel from Iran
Aug 19 Fmr Iranian official said Iran and Hezbollah trained Iraqis in Basra Maysan Najaf Baghdad Said
Iranian intelligence and Quds Force angry that some Iraqis they supported under Saddam were no longer under their influence
Aug 20 As part of Maliki-Pres Barzani deal Peshmerga began withdrawing from Qara
Tappa and Jalawla in Diyala after Baghdad sent in army and demanded them to withdraw from disputed area
(Musings On Iraq Khanaqin Deal Off?)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq From War To A New Authoritarianism)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Aug 20 Report PM Maliki opposed to Sahwa Accused them of being ISI Army considering November
deadline to arrest Sahwa that had not been integrated by then In Diyala committee set up to integrate 24,000 Sahwa but dissolved and then restarted US said hardly any Sahwa had been given jobs in govt recently
(Musings On Iraq What’s In The Future For The Sons of Iraq?)
Aug 20 Dep head of parliament’s migration committee said PM Maliki bringing back refugees from
Egypt was a PR move Criticized govt for providing no security for returning refugees/displaced especially in Baghdad where demographics had changed
Aug 20 Son of Accordance Front leader arrested for planting IED in Baghdad aimed at returning
displaced Shiites Leaders other son arrested Nov 07 for explosives
Aug 20 Report Oil Min signed technical support contract with Chinese National Petroleum Company
for Ahdab field in Wasit Re-worked 1997 contract 1st foreign oil deal since 03
(Musings On Iraq Was The Iraq War About Oil?)
Aug 20 Report ISC Diyala police chief fired 4000 police tied to Sahwa Replaced with ISCI members Feb 08
Sahwa protested against chief Diyala govt rejected chief when he was appointed Jan 07 by Interior Min Bolani Chief accused of sectarian attacks ISC Diyala gov wanted chief removed and supported sahwa
Aug 21 Report Finance Min counted all money appropriated in budget as spent when
little of it actually was Govt claimed it spent 57% of the 2008 budget by Aug when only 18% had been used
(Musings On Iraq NY Times Finds Iraq Spends Even Less Of Its Budget)
Aug 21 Report US commanders started telling Sahwa in north Iraq program ending and they had to get jobs
because govt wouldn’t integrate them
(Musings On Iraq What’s In The Future For The Sons of Iraq?)
Aug 21 Report Gen Petraeus said Maliki govt purposely not integrating Sahwa Defense Ministry officials
talked about arresting Sahwa by end of 2008
Aug 21 Captured ISI member said group running out of money Could carry out operations but no major
attacks Few foreign fighters coming
Aug 22 US Amb Crocker cable Said PM Maliki acting more self confident but also causing backlash
amongst Sunni and Kurdish parties Quoted adviser to VP Hashemi that Islamic Party backed Maliki during Charge of Knights but now PM was accusing them of being terrorists Arresting party members during security op in Diyala Said was move to sideline Maliki’s rivals before 2009 provincial elections
Aug 22 Report US and Iraqi military said there were orders to arrest 100s of Sahwa in Diyala 5 senior
Sahwa already detained Sahwa unit in Abu Ghraib said 650 of their men arrested Iraqi general in west Baghdad said Sahwa were like a cancer
(Musings On Iraq Diyala Province Backgrounder)
(Musings On Iraq What’s In The Future For The Sons of Iraq?)
(Musings On Iraq Carrot and the Stick With Diyala’s Sons of Iraq, Or Just The Sticks?)
Aug 23 Report 2 Mahdi Army men said Hezbollah training the militia in Lebanon
(Musings On Iraq Continued Reports of Iranian and Hezbollah Training of Shiite Militants)
(Musings On Iraq Hezbollah’s Role In Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Overview of Iran’s Influence In Iraq)
Aug 23 Sistani cleric killed in ambush Critic of militias and Sadrists in Basra
Aug 23 Report Maliki govt went after sahwa Govt said job program for sahwa only temporary ISF raided
and arrested sahwa in Abu Ghraib Arrested sahwa leader in Baquba Diyala and closed most sahwa checkpoints there
(Musings On Iraq Diyala Province Backgrounder)
(Musings On Iraq What’s In The Future For The Sons of Iraq?)
Aug 24 Maliki broke deal with Kurds and moved ISF into Khanaqin east Diyala Kurds
organized demonstrations in response
(Musings On Iraq Cold War Between Baghdad and Kurds Turn Hot)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq From War To A New Authoritarianism)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Aug 24 Report 45% of Iraqi businesses in survey said they expected sales to increase in next 6 months
with improved security World Bank ranked Iraq 141 out of 178 in business environment Lower score than in 2006 Govt had big plans to improve infrastructure but not spending investment budget
Aug 24 Report US military trying to stop Maliki govt from arresting Sahwa members and getting some of
those detained released
Aug 24 Report of more than 151,000 families that fled Baghdad only 7,112 returned Many didn’t go
back to their original neighborhoods because demographics changed and feared violence
(Musings On Iraq Columbia University Charts Sectarian Cleansing Of Baghdad)
Aug 25 Electricity Min announced that power production had reached same level as 2002
before US invasion Only 50% of demand was being met though due to huge increase in usage after 2003 Later turned out Ministry included power provided from Iran and Turkey
(Musings On Iraq Iraqi Power Expert Questions Government’s Figures)
Aug 25 After PM Maliki broke deal with Kurds over KRG withdrawal from some disputed areas of
Diyala Peshmerga commander threatened retaliation if ISF entered Kurdish towns in province
(Musings On Iraq Cold War Between Baghdad and Kurds Turn Hot)
Aug 26 Kurds in Khanqin Diyala protested arrival of Iraqi forces leading them to withdraw
(Musings On Iraq Kurdish-Baghdad Tensions Over Diyala)
(Musings On Iraq Cold War Between Baghdad and Kurds Turn Hot)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq From War To A New Authoritarianism)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Aug 26 Car bomb hit new police recruits drawn from Sahwa in Diyala Part of ISI campaign against Sahwa
(Musings On Iraq Behind The Revival Of The Islamic State in Iraq, Interview With Naval War College Prof Craig Whiteside)
Aug 26 Member of United Iraqi Alliance said sahwa had helped fight ISI but there were some working with
insurgency
(Musings On Iraq What’s In The Future For The Sons of Iraq?)
Aug 27 Maliki govt leaked arrest warrants for Diyala Univ president and Diyala security head accusing
both of terrorism and sectarian killings to justify Aug 19 raid on Diyala council bldg where Special Forces killed governor’s secretary and wounded 4 guards and beat deputy governor
(Musings On Iraq 08 Diyala Riad When Maliki Used Iraq’s Special Forces For Political Gain)
Aug 27 Kurds protested in disputed area of Diyala over PM Maliki sending ISF there
(Musings On Iraq Maliki Ups the Ante on Kahanqin District of Diyala)
(Musings On Iraq Cold War Between Baghdad and Kurds Turn Hot)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq From War To A New Authoritarianism)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Aug 27 US military said 24,000 Sahwa had been integrated into govt in 2 years Only 946 were in ISF
2,300 had been vetted for ISF but not joined
Aug 28 Report power expert questioned claim by Electricity Min it met pre-war production Claimed
ministry was counting electricity imports from Iran and Turkey in Iraqi production
Aug 28 Sadr announced Mahdi Army ceasefire would continue indefinitely Said was part of plan to
transform militia into social group
Aug 28 Chalabi deputy and member of DeBaathificaton Comm Lami arrested by US accused of working
with Special Groups and attacks on US
Aug 29 PM Maliki in confrontation with KRG warned that if Peshmerga operated
outside of Kurdistan they would be breaking the law
(Musings On Iraq Maliki Ups the Ante on Kahanqin District of Diyala)
(Musings On Iraq Cold War Between Baghdad and Kurds Turn Hot)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq From War To A New Authoritarianism)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Aug 29 Report US armed Fallujah police because Baghdad wouldn’t give them supplies
Aug 29 Basra’s Um Qasr port tripled in cargo from Apr-Aug Lacked capacity to handle more traffic Led to
corruption as ships paid money to get unloaded 1st
Aug 29 Mid-07 US started focusing on Special Groups Drove many fighters into Iran Sadr ceasefires
allowed for easier targeting of groups Iranian networks that supported groups went through Kut Amarah Basra Diyala Feb 8 Special Groups increased attacks esp in Baghdad Feb US focused on breaking up Hasnawi network in north Baghdad Special Groups responded with rocket attacks on US bases 08 Charge of Knights also hurt groups
Aug 30 Integrity Comm head said no govt official had filled required financial disclosure
form Said Jan 08 Amnesty Law threatened up to 700 corruption cases in Baghdad alone
Aug 30 Sadr demanded blood oath from followers to resist U.S.
Sep 1 Security in Anbar turned over to Iraqi forces Was 11th of 18th provinces to come
under Baghdad’s control
(Musings On Iraq Anbar Under Iraqi Control But Political Disputes Continue)
Sep 1 Report conflict between Awakening and Islamic Party for control of Anbar increasing Awakening
wanted US forces to stay to secure provincial election Anbar police chief fired by Interior Min Awakening said was part of move to control police by Islamic Party Awakening afraid new Anbar police chief would purge Awakening members from force
(Musings On Iraq review Illusions of Victory, The Anbar Awakening And The Rise Of The Islamic State)
Sep 1 PM Maliki issued Order 101 that all squatters be evicted or face fines Govt would provide funds
to help them find a new place to live Was supposed to help displaced/refugees return to their homes
(Musings On Iraq on Order 101)
(Musings On Iraq Refugees International Report On Iraq’s Refugees and Displaced)
(Musings On Iraq January 2009 U.N. Report On Iraq Refugee Returns)
Sep 1 Interior Min said that foreign fighters were almost gone from Iraq
Sep 2 Deadline for all displaced squatters to leave Baghdad set by PM Maliki Threatened
legal action against those that didn’t leave Little compliance
(Musings On Iraq Baghdad Sets A Deadline For Squatters (Again))
(Musings On Iraq Returns And Removals In Baghdad)
(Musings On Iraq January 2009 U.N. Report On Iraq Refugee Returns)
Sep 2 Report Around 650 Sahwa in Abu Ghraib had warrants out for them forcing many to flee Part of
PM Maliki’s crackdown on Sahwa before all were to be transferred to Iraqi control
Sep 2 Report Maliki govt promised to integrate 1500 Sahwa in Abu Ghraib into govt Were accused of
attacking army units that didn’t happen Told they had to go to training in east Baghdad that required going through Shiite neighborhoods Part of barriers govt has put up to stall integration of Sahwa
Sep 3 ISF began removing displaced squatters in Baghdad and help them return to their
homes Govt claimed 275 families returned to homes showing plan worked
(Musings On Iraq January 2009 U.N. Report On Iraq Refugee Returns)
(Musings On Iraq Baghdad Sets A Deadline For Squatters (Again))
(Musings On Iraq Returns And Removals In Baghdad)
Sep 3 Oil Min ended talks with major energy companies started in June Was hoping for quick 6 no bid
contracts but couldn’t come to any agreement
(Musings On Iraq Iraq Moves Ahead With 2nd Part Of Its Oil Plan)
Sep 3 Maliki govt-KRG announced deal over Khanaqin dist Diyala Iraqi army would
withdraw from Qara Tappa and Jalawla areas just occupied Peshmerga would return to them
(Musings On Iraq Khanaqin Deal Off?)
(Musings On Iraq Cold War Between Baghdad and Kurds Turn Hot)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq From War To A New Authoritarianism)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Sep 3 Report PM Maliki concentrating power Portraying himself as Iraqi nationalist Wanted to claim he
was one that got US to withdraw Broke up Sadrists Taken on sahwa Said no armed groups but govt Brought back Iraqi Accordance Front to claim he worked with Sunnis Pushed Kurds on disputed areas in Diyala Said army could go anywhere
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
Sep 4 Report Sahwa leader in Baquba Diyala said govt warrants out for Sahwa were meant to break them
up before 09 elections US paying Sahwa in Diyala to stay home to avoid confrontations with govt US officer said no govt jobs for Diyala Sahwa Interior Min general said Sahwa in Baquba were over
(Musings On Iraq What’s In The Future For The Sons of Iraq?)
(Musings On Iraq Carrot and the Stick With Diyala’s Sons of Iraq, Or Just The Sticks?)
Sep 5 Report KRG Pres Barzani said Kurds not treated equally in govt Didn’t have active role in
administration PM Maliki failed to follow through with deals Claimed Maliki acted like autocrat Army Chief of Staff Gen Zebari sidelined by PM Claimed provincial elections manipulated by foreigners Wouldn’t give up on Kirkuk Said Arabs out to get Kurds
(Musings On Iraq Kurds Come Out Swinging)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq From War To A New Authoritarianism)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Sep 5 Maliki govt spokesman said no deal with KRG over Khanaqin, Diyala after one
announced day before
(Musings On Iraq Khanaqin Deal Off?)
(Musings On Iraq Cold War Between Baghdad and Kurds Turn Hot)
Sep 5 UAE ambassador arrived in Iraq 1st new Arab diplomat since invasion UAE also forgave Iraq’s $4 bil
debt
Sep 6 Report Sawha cmdr said ISF closing down sahwa in Diyala Started in Jul during security op Diyala
police chief admitted to closing sahwa Said was part of plan for govt to establish control of Diyala Govt spokesman Dabbagh said Sahwa had links to insurgency
(Musings On Iraq What’s In The Future For The Sons of Iraq?)
(Musings On Iraq Carrot and the Stick With Diyala’s Sons of Iraq, Or Just The Sticks?)
Sep 7 Iraq approved deal with Shell to capture natural gas in Basra from oil fields Deal was delayed
for years
(Musings On Iraq Iraq Signs Natural Gas Deal As Half Of Oil Plan Is Dropped)
(Musings On Iraq Battle Over Control of Iraq’s Natural Resources Heats Up)
(Musings On Iraq Shell Natural Gas Deal Held Up By Iraqi Politics)
Sep 8 PM Maliki said govt would take responsibility for Baghdad Sahwa and integrate them into govt
Claimed US figures on Sahwa were too high and wanted audit to confirm their identities before they would be paid
(Musings On Iraq What’s In The Future For The Sons of Iraq?)
(Musings On Iraq Will Baghdad Pay For The Sons Of Iraq?)
(Musings On Iraq Sons of Iraq Integration Update)
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
Sep 8 Speaker of KRG parliament asked US to promise that weapons sold to Iraq would
not be used against Kurds Claimed Baathism making a comeback within Iraqi govt Said PM Maliki had no right to send ISF into Khanaqin district Diyala Part of Pres Barzani’s dispute with Maliki
(Musings On Iraq Kurds Come Out Swinging)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq From War To A New Authoritarianism)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Sep 8 Iraq cabinet approved natural gas contract with Shell in Basra
(Musings On Iraq Iraq Signs Natural Gas Deal As Half Of Oil Plan Is Dropped)
Sep 9 Maliki govt denied deal with Kurds to withdraw army and Peshmerga from
Khanaqin dist Diyala leaving Kurds still in political control of district
(Musings On Iraq Cold War Between and Kurds Turns Hot)
Sep 9 PM Maliki said govt would integrate 20% of Sahwa into ISF and rest would receive govt jobs
when became available PM spokesman said govt would go after bad elements within Sahwa
(Musings On Iraq What’s In The Future For The Sons of Iraq?)
(Musings On Iraq Will Baghdad Pay For The Sons Of Iraq Update)
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
Sep 9 US and Iraqi military officials met and said govt not going after Sahwa It was
Sep 9 Report Iraqi army little logistics Full of corruption Funds rarely trickled down from Def Min down
to the units
Sep 9 Report $75 bil in investment from US Europe Gulf States stuck in red tape Only one project started
Sep 10 ISF still weak on logistics Base had $51 mil in parts but not distributing them to units forcing
them to strip vehicles for parts
Sep 11 Gen Petraeus said couldn’t declare victory in Iraq Said improvements in Iraq could be reversed
Warned Iraq would take a very long time to find peace and stability
Sep 11 US released captured letter from ISI to Al Qaeda Said that ISI wasn’t getting good fighters Wasn’t
communicating with Al Qaeda Questioned leadership of War Min Masri who was misidentified as leader of ISI Same time claimed ISI leader Abu Omar al-Baghdadi was not a real person Letter was ISI disinformation to mislead US and Iraq about group
Sep 11 Parliament’s human rights comm found secret prison in Basra with 200 unfed sick tortured
prisoners None had gone to trial Facility run by Def Min
Sep 11 Jihadist Internet forums posted names of more than 40 Awakening leaders assassinated by
insurgents
Sep 12 Maliki govt said that US was claiming more Sahwa than existed and would audit them in Baghdad
to confirm numbers Said couldn’t pay them until audit done Army general said audit would also be aimed at weeding out insurgents in Sahwa
Sep 13 Iran and Iraq agreed on 3 new free trade zones in Wasit Maysan Sulaymaniya Would add to
existing free trade zone with Basra Trade was at $2.8 bil/yr with bil more in illegal trade Almost all Iranian goods going to Iraq
(Musings On Iraq Iran-Iraq Agree Upon New Free Trade Zones)
(Musings On Iraq Iran’s Policy Towards Iraq)
Sep 13 Report Kurds took over 300 miles of territory after 2003 Jalawla Diyala under Kurdish control
Budget paid by KRG Mayor Kurdish Arabs complain about Kkurdish control Maliki sent army into Jalawla and told Kurds to withdraw KRG accused Maliki of trying to take over disputed areas
(Musings On Iraq Cold War Between and Kurds Turns Hot)
Sep 15 Latest female suicide bombing as woman killed 22 and wounded 34 in Diyala
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers0
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Sep 16 Pres Barzani told US Amb Crocker that Maliki was beginning to act like a dictator
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq From War To A New Authoritarianism)
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
Sep 16 Gen Petraeus said ISF were ready to take on security throughout country
Sep 16 Report 2 Sahwa leaders in Dora Baghdad arrested by govt as part of PM Maliki’s crackdown on
Sahwa while deadline to integrate them neared Sheikh said he felt US had betrayed them
Sep 16 Syria announced it would be sending ambassador to Iraq 1st time since 2003 one appointed
Sep 16 Report Iraqi army beating squatters to force them out of homes in Baghdad 600 families removed
from buildings Part of PM Maliki’s plan to remove squatters to encourage displaced and refugees to return
Sep 17 ISCI accused Maliki of creating Tribal Support Councils to bolster his support
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
(Musings On Iraq Maliki’s Tribal Support Councils Appear To Be Paying Off)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Sep 18 Iraqi army demanded Peshmerga withdraw from Jalawa Diyala after negating deal
with Kurds to allow them to remain in town Part of Maliki policy to pressure Kurds in disputed areas
(Musings On Iraq Cold War Between Baghdad and Kurds Turns Hot)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq From War To A New Authoritarianism)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Sep 18 Report PM Maliki formed Tribal Support Councils in Babil Karbala Maysan Basra ISCI claimed
these were not about security but Maliki building support before 09 elections
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
(Musings On Iraq Maliki’s Tribal Support Councils Appear To Be Paying Off)
Sep 18 PM Maliki admitted security op in Mosul wasn’t as successful as 1st thought Blamed citizens of city
for not cooperating with ISF
Sep 19 Sadrist cleric Sheikh Ajrish assassinated in Basra Had been wave of assassinations
of Sadrist officials since start of year
(Musings On Iraq Sadrist Cleric Assassinated In Basra)
Sep 19 Study argued Sunni cleansing of Baghdad not Surge led to reduction of violence in Baghdad
based upon electricity use in city using satellite photos taken at night
Sep 20 Dhi Qar police chief warned Special Groups returning to Iraq from Iran via Maysan and Dhi Qar
Sep 21 Kurds made another deal with Maliki to evacuate govt buildings in Khanaqin dist
Maliki was attempting to pressure Kurds and assert control of disputed areas
(Musings On Iraq Cold War Between Baghdad and Kurds Turns Hot)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq From War To A New Authoritarianism)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Sep 21 Report Sheikh Hayes Sheikh Abu Risha Sheikh Sulaiman formed Anbar Salvation Council to run
in 09 elections Was Awakening sheikh’s attempt to gain political control of Anbar from Islamic Party
(Musings On Iraq review Illusions of Victory, The Anbar Awakening And The Rise Of The Islamic State)
Sep 22 Wasit council headed by ISCI refused to set up Tribal Support Councils because
seen as tool of Maliki
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
(Musings On Iraq Maliki’s Tribal Support Councils Appear To Be Paying Off)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Sep 22 Iraqi-American who was advisor to Def and State Dept’s testified to Senate that corruption taking
over Iraq Justice system didn’t work US didn’t really care Said ministers judges and politicians got money from foreign countries Some ministers ran kidnapping rings for money Amnesty Law used to end corruption investigations and release corrupt officials Electricity Min Samarraie was convicted of taking kickbacks A private security company broke him out of prison and flew him to US
Sep 22 Adhoob chief inspector at Integrity Comm 04-07 testified to Senate Fled Iraq to US Said $18 bil
lost via corruption and waste in Iraq $4 bil alone lost by Defense Min 31 members of Integrity Comm killed Worked with Bureau of Supreme Audit that said it couldn’t find $13 bil in US reconstruction funds Bureau found fake projects projects govt didn’t want payment for work never done $24.4 mil spent on Ninewa electricity project that didn’t exist Relatives for PM Allawi’s Def Min set up two fake companies to get contracts from ministry and steal money 04 Def Min spent $1.7 bil to create 2 special forces divisions Given to companies run by relatives $850 mil supposed to buy 64 Mi-18 helicopters Only 4 bought and were 25 yrs old Iraqi army rejected them Rest of deal for supplies most of which never delivered Brother in law of Allawi’s Def Min diverted some money from ministry to Al Qaeda in Iraq Many projects by Planning Ministry never existed Said PM Maliki not interested in corruption and stopped many investigations
Sep 22 Prof Mehdi who worked in Iraq in 06-07 for USAID in PM’s office cabinet Ministry of Planning
and Investment Comm testified to Senate Found corruption endemic in Iraqi govt Iraqi institutions weak and couldn’t confront problem Integrity Comm didn’t have power to crackdown on corruption High officials never went on trial Amnesty Law stopped 700 corruption investigations in Baghdad alone
(Musings On Iraq interview with Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart Bowen on corruption in Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq interview with anti-graft US official Vincent Foulk)
Sep 22 Report Lawyers believed about 50% of 6500 at Rusafa prison held for 3 yrs 5,000 of them
applied for amnesty 1400 released Justice Min didn’t release prisoners after cases dropped or found innocent Justice Min often looked for new charges to stop prisoner releases
Sep 22 Human Rights Watch interviewed Iraqi refugees returning from Syria 90% said came back
because of new Syrian restrictions May 08 UN found slightly more Iraqis leaving for Syria then returning
(Musings On Iraq review Children of War, Voices Of Iraqi Refugees)
Sep 22 Report Diyala sahwa leader said Maliki govt after his men Jul security op vs ISI in Diyala ended up
arresting sahwa Warrants for Diyala sahwa leaders 2 days after they set up political party State of Law MP from Diyala said warrants could be political
(Musings On Iraq Carrot and the Stick With Diyala’s Sons of Iraq, Or Just The Sticks?)
Sep 22 Iraq signed 2nd deal with foreign energy company since 2003 Shell agreed to explore natural gas in
Basra Gas would mostly be used for export Never happened
Sep 23 Transparency International ranked Iraq 2nd most corrupt country in world tied with Myanmar
(Musings On Iraq Iraqi Corruption Remains Endemic)
(Musings On Iraq Corruption In Iraq An Interview With Stuart Bowen Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction)
(Musings On Iraq Iraq’s Trouble Fighting Corruption Interview With Vincent Foulk Former US Anti-Graft Official)
Sep 23 3 high level officials and dozens of lower ones in Trade Min dismissed for corruption Lower officials
were trying to cover up for higher ups
Sep 23 3 director generals in Trade Ministry and some lower ranking officials dismissed for corruption
Parliament’s integrity committee wanted Trade Min Sudani to resign as well Head of committee said all contracts in ministry were under Sudani so he must have known about corruption 2009 Min Sudani would be arrested for stealing up to $400 mil which was used to fund PM Maliki and Dawa
Sep 23 Report PM Maliki using military for political gain Jan 07 Interior Min appointed new Diyala police
chief from Badr Never got along with Diyala govt Fired 4000 police connected to sahwa in 2008 Replaced them with Badr members Chief accused of sectarian killings Feb 08 sahwa went on strike Chief accused of supporting Badr attacks on Mahdi Army Aug chief refused to provide security for governor and council Diyala govt voted to remove chief Interior Min said chief would stay in office Op Omens of Prosperity ended up arresting 1000s of sahwa PM Maliki ordered raid on Diyala govt ISF got into shootout with police Arrested 2 govt officials accused of working with insurgents
Sep 24 Provincial Election Law passed allowing vote on Jan 31, 2009 by not including
Kirkuk and KRG
(Musings On Iraq Election Law Passed, Now To Get People To Vote)
Sep 24 Natl Command Center said 2000 Diyala Sahwa had been hired into police since July
and looking to recruit 4000 more Def Min said 3000 Diyala Sahwa joined army Came after arrest of Sahwa leaders in May who wanted to run in elections and raids upon Islamic Party aligned with Sahwa Part of Maliki’s attempt to divide and conquer Sahwa in Diyala
(Musings On Iraq Carrot and the Stick With Diyala’s Sons of Iraq, Or Just The Sticks?)
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
Sep 24 Report more than half of Sahwa in Samarra unpaid by govt Out of 3000 only 730 had gotten jobs
in ISF
Sep 24 Wasit council refused to allow PM Maliki to create Tribal Support Councils there which were part
of his patronage network
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
(Musings On Iraq Maliki’s Tribal Support Councils Appear To Be Paying Off)
Sep 25 South Korea’s National Oil Corp signed deal to work on 8 sites in KRG
Sep 25 Parliament’s displacement committee complained Maliki govt ignored its request for $2 bil on
refugees/displaced Only allotted $200 mil Committee said only 120,000 refugees had returned to Iraq so far Said many didn’t go back to homes because occupied destroyed militias controlled area
Sep 26 Refugees International said Maliki govt ignoring refugees Said not committing any money for aid
and only cared about pressuring them to come home Many refugees still afraid to come back to Iraq
Sep 27 Iraqi police and Asayesh got into gun battle in Jalawla Diyala over dispute with Asayesh 1
police 1 KDP member killed 2 police wounded Ended deal with Kurds to withdraw from govt buildings in district PM Maliki moved ISF into district to pressure Kurds leading to confrontation
(Musings On Iraq Cold War Between Baghdad and Kurds Turns Hot)
(Musings On Iraq Maliki Still Pushing The Kurds On Khanaqin District)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq From War To A New Authoritarianism)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Sep 27 Oil Min Shahristani again said that KRG oil deals were illegal
(Musings
On Iraq Criticism of Iraq’s Oil Policy)
(Musings
On Iraq Iraqi Kurdistan’s Failed Independent Oil Strategy)
Sep 28 ISCI Governor of Dhi Qar came out against establishing Tribal Support Councils
there because seen as tools of Maliki
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
(Musings On Iraq Maliki’s Tribal Support Councils Appear To Be Paying Off)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Sep 28 Investigation started in Mosul over killing 11 Christians which would lead to 1000s fleeing
(Musings On Iraq review Christianity in Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Bad Times For Iraq’s Christians)
Sep 28 Electricity Min said it wanted to end power shortages by 2012 Didn’t happen Iraq produced
5500mw Demand 11000mw
Sep 29 Report Diyala sahwa said Maliki trying to disarm them Many sahwa leaders had fled to Syria
because afraid govt would arrest them US trying to mediate between Sahwa and Maliki govt
(Musings On Iraq Carrot and the Stick With Diyala’s Sons of Iraq, Or Just The Sticks?)
Sep 29 Report Special Groups that fled during Charge of Knights returning from Iran via Maysan Already
suspected of two attacks on Interior Min officials
Sep 30 Sheikh announced 20 Tribal Support Councils created in Dhi Qar by PM Maliki Creation of
Tribal Support Councils in Dhi Qar led to attacks upon sheikhs in political rivalry between ISCI and Dawa
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
(Musings On Iraq Maliki’s Tribal Support Councils Appear To Be Paying Off)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Sep 30 Def Sec Gates criticized US military for mishandling Iraq Said military was slow to adapt to
counterinsurgency Pentagon got in the way of commanders who tried to change
Sep 30 Spec Insp Gen for Iraq Recon reported that due to Amnesty Law 690 corruption cases had been
stopped
Sep 30 Report Baghdad Sahwa afraid of govt take over Afraid of arrests US told Maliki govt couldn’t
enforce any warrants from last 6 months US said 3400 of 54000 Sahwa in Baghdad had been integrated into ISF
Oct 3 US turned over control of security in Babil to Iraq 12th of 18th province to do so
(Musings On Iraq Babil Province Handover To Iraqis)
Oct 3 Dhi Qar Governor said that Tribal Support Councils were violation of law
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
(Musings On Iraq Maliki’s Tribal Support Councils Appear To Be Paying Off)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Oct 3 Report Lvin magazine harassed over reporting about corruption in KRG Editor got threats and didn’t
live at home Reporter shot in Kirkuk Barzani member told paper only write about specific cases that it had docs on
(Musings On Iraq Corruption and Reporting in Kurdistan)
Oct 4 Poland announced withdrawing its 900 troops that were stationed in Diwaniya by end of Oct Was
part of invasion force Lost 21 soldiers and 70 wounded
Oct 4 Over 3000 Christian began fleeing Mosul after 11 killed in Sep
(Musings On Iraq review Christianity in Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Bad Times For Iraq’s Christians)
Oct 4 Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum announced they would start producing natural gas in KRG
Oct 4 ISF forced Kurdish Toilers Party out of office in Jalawla Part of PM Maliki’s confrontation with
Kurds over disputed area in Diyala
(Musings On Iraq Cold War Between Baghdad and Kurds Turns Hot)
(Musings On Iraq Maliki Still Pushing The Kurds On Khanaqin District)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq From War To A New Authoritarianism)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Oct 5 Egyptian Foreign and Oil Ministers visited Iraq 1st Egyptian official visit since 1990 Said would re-
open mission Closed offices in July 05 after diplomat kidnapped and killed by Al Qaeda in Iraq
Oct 5 Report Govt raised salaries 50-75% to try to keep professionals More than 7000 doctors fled Iraq
600 came back Higher Educ Min said 6700 professionals left 150 came back
Oct 5 Displacement Min trying to close displacement camp in Najaf Maliki govt wanted to close all
camps to claim displacement over
Oct 6 Report Christians Turkmen Yazidis said Kurdish parties blocked many of them from voting in 05
elections
Oct 6 Iraq said it would hold two rounds of auctions for its major fields covering 115 bil/bar of oil in
2009 Happened after attempt to sign quick oil contracts failed
Oct 6 Maliki govt offered free bus and plane rides from Syria to Iraq for refugees
(Musings On Iraq Baghdad Continues To Encourage Return Of Refugees)
Oct 7 Armenia announced it was withdrawing its 46 soldiers Were deployed in Diwaniya Sent troops in
Jan 05
Oct 7 ISF arrested women in Baquba Diyala said to be recruiter for women suicide bombers
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers0
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Oct 8 Macedonia announced it would withdraw its 77 soldiers from Salahaddin by end of the year Sent
troops in 2003
Oct 8 Female suicide bomber attacked courthouse in Baquba Diyala killing 9 wounding 21
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers0
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Oct 8 Report Militias forced more than 7000 Sunnis out of Hurriya Baghdad during civil war Some tried to
return 325 came back One family found house occupied and soldiers told them to leave Shiite police said would be long time before Sunnis could come back US military tried to have local reconciliation in Kadhimiya and allow Sunnis back Sunnis said afraid to return Shiites couldn’t promise them protection 1 warned Sunnis they could face retribution
Oct 9 PM Maliki said he would disband any Tribal Support Council working with a political
party after ISCI criticized groups Were created to support Maliki before elections
(Musings On Iraq Maliki Responds To His Critics On Tribal Support Councils)
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
(Musings On Iraq Maliki’s Tribal Support Councils Appear To Be Paying Off)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Oct 9 Sadrist MP killed by IED in Baghdad 1000s protested his death Sadrists first blamed ISF and US
leading to nighttime clash between Mahdi Army and ISF and US Later blamed gangs which usually meant Special Groups Later 2 members of electricity directorate arrested for IED Part of wave of assassinations of Sadrist officials
(Musings On Iraq Another Sadrist Assassinated)
(Musings On Iraq Shiite Rivalries Increasing As Provincial Elections Near)
Oct 9 2 days 75 Christian families fled Mosul after 5 killed
(Musings On Iraq Bad Times For Iraq’s Christians)
(Musings On Iraq review Christianity in Iraq)
Oct 9 Report 200 attacks with sticky bombs and silenced pistols so far in 08 Jul-Aug 10 assassinated
each month in Baghdad by pistols 8 Interior Min officials killed/wounded in pistol attacks
Oct 10 Sadrists marched in Baghdad to protest assassination of MP Auqaeili day before
(Musings On Iraq Another Sadrist Assassinated)
Oct 10 Report Health Min bought $11 mil worth of expired chlorine from Iran to purify water in
Diwaniya Karbala Babil during cholera outbreak ISCI officials in Babil used expired chlorine Babil had most cholera cases as a result
(Musings On Iraq Political Intrigue and the Cholera Outbreak)
Oct 10 Report UN and Iraqi govt arguing over number of refugees returning UN says still more Iraqis
leaving country than returning Interior Ministry said opposite Head of displacement committee in parliament said many refugees who returned left again
Oct 11 Ninewa Gov Nujafi said 3000 Christians had fled Mosul after 14 people killed in city since Aug
(Musings On Iraq review Christianity in Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Bad Times For Iraq’s Christians)
Oct 12 Reports 3 Christian homes blown up 3 more found dead in Mosul Since Oct 4 5,470 Christians fled
city Baghdad sent 1,000 police to protect community
(Musings On Iraq review Christianity in Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Bad Times For Iraq’s Christians)
Oct 12 Interior Min announced it fired 20,000 police over last 2 yrs due to corruption and incompetence
Oct 12 Report 16,000 refugees returned to Iraq in Jun 20,000 in Jul 37,000 in Aug 23,000 in Sep 90%
returned to Baghdad and Diyala
(Musings On Iraq Baghdad Continues To Encourage Return Of Refugees)
Oct 13 12th Christians killed in Mosul causing more from that community to flee city
(Musings On Iraq review Christianity in Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Bad Times For Iraq’s Christians)
Oct 13 PM Maliki gave interview with London Times Said UK troops were no longer necessary in Iraq Also
accused UK of selling out to Mahdi Army because made deal to withdraw from Basra City to Basra Airport
(Musings On Iraq Chilcot Inquiry Section 9.7 May 2008 To October 2009)
Oct 14 13th and 14th Christians killed in Mosul Bomb in front of church 5,470 Christian fled as a result
(Musings On Iraq Bad Times For Iraq’s Christians)
(Musings On Iraq review Christianity in Iraq)
Oct 14 140 Iraqi refugee families returned from Syria as part of PM Maliki’s campaign to encourage
refugees to come back to Iraq
(Musings On Iraq Baghdad Continues To Encourage Return Of Refugees)
(Musings On Iraq Refugees International Report On Iraq’s Refugees and Displaced)
(Musings On Iraq January 2009 U.N. Report On Iraq Refugee Returns)
(Musings On Iraq review Children of War, Voices Of Iraqi Refugees)
Oct 14 Turkish dep Foreign Min met with Pres Barzani Made deal not to allow PKK to use KRG for
attacks on Turkey KRG had no control over Iraq-Turkey border
Oct 14 1st Syrian ambassador in 25 yrs arrived in Iraq Iraq-Syria restored diplomatic relations in Nov 06
Oct 14 US Army Corps of Engineers and South Oil Company found oil pipelines in Basra could fail due to
lack of maintenance Could cost $5 bil to fix US said Iraqis didn’t want to deal with issue
(Musings On Iraq Iraq’s Deteriorating Oil Infrastructure)
Oct 14 Report US spent $2.7 bil on oil facilities 2003-08 and production still below US goal of 3
mil/bar/day
Oct 14 Report US officials and oil analysts said danger of Iraq’s old infrastructure breaking down
Underwater pipelines used for exports in Basra falling apart Some thought would take years to fix because Iraq govt didn’t work Needed to completely rebuild Basra port to increase exports including widen channel dredge new pipes storage facilities Oil Ministry said it had plans to do all those tasks Many doubted it would ever happen Iraqi officials believed they could boost exports without major improvements because went through wars and sanctions with few changes Some thought Oil Ministry wanted oil contracts rather than improve infrastructure because signing deals easier
Oct 14 Report Oil Minister met with 35 foreign oil companies about contracts for 6 oil fields and 2 natural
gas fields Wanted 20 yr service contracts Supposed to be done Jun 09 Contracts would be based upon companies paying fees Effort failed
(Musings On Iraq Iraq Moves Ahead With 2nd Part Of Its Oil Plan)
Oct 14 Report US Iraq cmdr Gen Odierno said he had intel that Iran tried to bribe Iraqi politicians to block
Status of Forces Agreement with US Kurdish MP Othman said Iran had been talking to Kurdish and Sunni MPs
Oct 15 Moldova announced withdrawing its 20 soldiers Dec 08 Were supposed to stay until March 09
Said improved security meant not needed anymore
Oct 15 US and ISF started 3rd campaign to secure Mosul Started in western half Was ISI’s new base
Campaign failed
Oct 15 Human Rights Min said 03-07 172 Christians killed 9000 Christians displaced
Oct 17 ISF arrested 4 ISI members planning attacks on Christians in Mosul Since attacks started in Oct
9,360 had fled city
(Musings On Iraq review Christianity in Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Bad Times For Iraq’s Christians)
Oct 17 UN reported more Iraqis seeking asylum than any other nationality 1st 6 months of 2008
165,100 Iraqis asked for asylum
(Musings On Iraq Largest Number Of Asylum Seekers Continue To Come From Iraq)
Oct 17 Report Iraq govt unable to spend money Used paper system and authorizations came from multiple
ministries before money could be spent Took 6-9 months for money to be used Many bureaucrats fled country due to violence also slowing process Ninewa only spent 2% of its capital budget in 2008 Planning Min said Iraq spent 43% of its $16 bil in investment funds in 08 Govt also counted money appropriated as spent even if it wasn’t
Oct 18 Female suicide bomber killed at Sahwa checkpoint in Salahaddin
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers0
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Behind The Revival Of The Islamic State in Iraq, Interview With Naval War College Prof Craig Whiteside)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Oct 18 Govt committee to investigate attacks on Christians in Mosul found some army units worked with
armed groups and weren’t protecting Christians
(Musings On Iraq review Christianity in Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Bad Times For Iraq’s Christians)
Oct 18 4 armed members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard were found and arrested in Diyala by ISF
(Musings On Iraq Iranians And Special Groups Forces Returning To Iraq)
Oct 18 1000s of Sadrists protested in Baghdad against the Status of Forces Agreement
Oct 19 Sheikh Hayes of Anbar Salvation Council accused Sheikh Abu Risha of Iraq Awakening Movement
of making alliance with Islamic Party and working against the Awakening
(Musings On Iraq review Illusions of Victory, The Anbar Awakening And The Rise Of The Islamic State)
Oct 19 PM Maliki ordered US to release top Sadrist arrested Oct 18 for taking part in sectarian
fighting
(Musings On Iraq The Life Of Nouri al-Maliki An Interview With Journalist Ned Parker)
Oct 20 3 Iranian Rev Guard members arrested in Wasit 4 arrested in Diyala Oct 18 Special Groups and
Kataib Hezbollah members also arrested in Oct
(Musings On Iraq Iranians And Special Groups Forces Returning To Iraq)
Oct 20 Georgia and Kazakhstan withdrew its last troops from Iraq Both had deployed troops in 2003
Oct 21 ISF raided head of Sahwa in Buhriz Diyala Arrested spokesman for Diyala Sahwa and beat him
Was part of PM Maliki crackdown on Diyala Sahwa
(Musings On Iraq Government Continues Its Crackdown On Diyala Sons Of Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Carrot and the Stick With Diyala’s Sons of Iraq, Or Just The Sticks?)
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
Oct 21 Report US and Iraq had no reliable numbers on ISF Didn’t know how many soldiers and police
there were because of faked numbers to steal salaries Also hired more personnel then authorized Many were not trained 7th Army Div had 11,478 on payroll Only 7556 on duty Rest were on leave AWOL killed or wounded Dec 07 Interior Min said it got rid of 2500 ghost employees
Oct 22 Report Ayatollah Haeri in Iran issued fatwa against Status of Forces Agreement with U.S. Said it
would be against Iraqi sovereignty
Oct 22 Report Dispute over Tribal Support Councils part of rivalry between ISCI and PM Maliki’s Dawa
Councils answered directly to Maliki’s office ISCI said councils unconstitutional and patronage networks for Maliki
(Musings On Iraq Maliki’s Tribal Support Councils Appear To Be Paying Off)
Oct 24 2 Iranian agents intercepted attempting to infiltrate into Wasit One killed one arrested Were
allegedly planning military operations in Iraq 3rd such incident in Oct
(Musings On Iraq Overview of Iran’s Influence In Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Iranians And Special Groups Forces Returning To Iraq)
Oct 24 UN estimated 13,000 Christians fled Mosul after 14 killed in city
(Musings On Iraq review Christianity in Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Bad Times For Iraq’s Christians)
Oct 24 Report on avg 1,000 Iraqi soldiers AWOL 1,000 in jail 2,000 in hospital or recuperating per day
US hired company to install computers and software to track Iraqi soldiers for $21 mil Only 1 computer working by Jan 08 Officers rejected system because would interfere with ghost soldiers and stealing salaries
Oct 24 Interview with ISI War Min Abu Hamza al-Muhajir posted Said that sahwa members could repent
and return to the insurgency
Oct 24 Report Drought meant wheat crop down 27% Barley crop down 40% Rain was down 40% in 2007
Led to drought Maliki govt appropriated $200 mil for farmers Didn’t help
Oct 24 Interview with Sheikh Suleiman of Iraq National Salvation Front Said Awakening would win
elections in Anbar because kicked out Al Qaeda in Iraq Said Islamic Party that ran Anbar came to power on backs of US and insurgency
Oct 25 Iranian Pres Ahmadinejad said Iraq-US Status of Forces Agreement would weaken Iraq Iranian
Interior Min said it was a threat to Iraq Sec State Rice said Iranians were being hypocrites because interfered with Iraq all the time
Oct 26 US Special Forces raided ISI camp in Syria used to ferry foreign fighters into Iraq captured
huge amount of documents
Oct 26 US threatened to cut all services to Iraq if Status of Forces Agreement not passed
Oct 27 Iranian agent arrested attempting to infiltrate into eastern Basra 4th such incident in Oct
(Musings On Iraq Overview of Iran’s Influence In Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Iranians And Special Groups Forces Returning To Iraq)
Oct 27 Report $100 mil water treatment plant in Fallujah over budget 3 yrs behind schedule Was held up as
centerpiece of US reconstruction in Anbar No electricity to run facility No money to build pipes to connect plant to houses US officials knew about problems and did nothing Started in May 04 Was supposed to be finished in 18 months Was supposed to cover all of Fallujah Now would only service 1/3
Oct 27 Report 24 small oil companies got contracts to explore with KRG 07 2 companies found oil
Couldn’t export due to dispute with Baghdad reason why only small companies involved
Oct 27 Report Despite image KRG had limited economy Kurds were leaving for Europe to find jobs Lacked
infrastructure Corruption Few banks which meant hard to get loans Unemployment/Underemployment high Govt main employer Used foreign workers No transparency in KRG Avg only 8 hrs of electricity/day Big gap between rich and poor 2 oil companies invested $650 mil into KRG
Oct 28 Report PM Maliki tried to set up Tribal Support Council in Khanaqin Diyala Maliki tried to assert
federal control over district run by Kurds for months Maliki also just said he was closing all councils
(Musings On Iraq Maliki Still Pushing The Kurds On Khanaqin District)
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
Oct 28 Last Polish troops withdrew from Iraq Were stationed in Diwaniya 1st deployed troops during
2003 invasion
Oct 28 US general in charge of Mosul said Maliki govt’s reconstruction plan after Op Mother of Two
Springs was a failure
Oct 28 Report Iraq’s bureaucracy lacked skilled workers Doesn’t have procurement budgeting
contracting expertise Many skilled workers left due to war Baghdad counted money allocated but not spent as spent in budget
Oct 28 US Cmdr in Iraq Gen Odierno said Iran might have bribed Iraqi parliamentarians to
vote against US-Iraq Status of Forces Agreement
Oct 28 Report Dec 07 US okayed Turkish attack on PKK in KRG
Oct 29 US turned over Wasit to Iraqi control 13th of 18th province to do so
(Musings On Iraq Wasit Province Turned Over To Iraqi Control)
Oct 29 South Korea announced it would withdraw troops in December Had been in Iraq since 2003
Oct 30 Report Iraq didn’t have full metering of oil production Incomplete records of assets and contracts
Didn’t keep track of bartered oil deals worth $426 mil and State Oil Marketing Company bank account with $779 mil Said Iraq couldn’t account for its oil revenue adequately
(Musings On Iraq How Much Oil And Refined Petroleum Products Does Iraq Actually Produce? No One Knows)
Oct 30 US govt report Justice system didn’t work Judges threatened and killed Also corrupt 03-08
over 40 judges and family members killed Hundreds of new judges started work but still not enough for number of cases Jails overcrowded Mistreated prisoners
Oct 30 US govt report 164 Iraqi army battalions 107 acted in lead or independently Not enough
NCOs and officers Defense Ministry lacked officers logistics procurement Interior Ministry corrupt sectarian lacked command and control and maintenance
Oct 31 600 Sahwa arrived at Al Furat Iraq Police Training Center in Baghdad to receive basic training
Was supposed to be 1,300
(Musings On Iraq Will Baghdad Pay For The Sons Of Iraq Update)
Nov 1 PM Maliki govt took over control of Baghdad Sahwa Said would pay and integrate them Cut
salaries from $300 to $250/month to undercut Sahwa which Maliki opposed to
(Musings On Iraq What’s In The Future For The Sons of Iraq?)
(Musings On Iraq Will Baghdad Pay For The Sons Of Iraq?)
(Musings On Iraq Will Baghdad Pay For The Sons Of Iraq Update)
(Musings On Iraq Sons of Iraq Integration Update)
(Musings On Iraq review Surge, My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War)
Nov 1 International Organization for Migration report Before Feb 06 Samarra bombing 1.2 mil displaced
Afterward another 1.5 mil displaced
(Musings On Iraq International Organization for Migration’s November Report on Iraq’s Displaced)
Nov 2 Hundreds of Shabaks protested in Ninewa asking to be integrated into Kurdistan
Nov 2 Report Maliki govt took control of sahwa Cut salaries by $50/month Made sahwa leaders
angry US said it would pay difference between old and new salary
Nov 3 UN official said PM Maliki’s plan to fly Iraqi refugees back to Iraq and give them money for doing
so was a media campaign to make the govt look good Over 400 Iraqis had left for Syria vs 245 that had signed up to return since program announced
Nov 4 PM Maliki said he would create Tribal Support Councils in disputed areas Were patronage
network for Maliki
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
Nov 5 PM Maliki met with tribal leaders in Kirkuk to announce he was going to create a Tribal Support
Council Was part of plan to build patronage networks for Maliki before the 2009 elections
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
Nov 6 Report 2400 Christians out of 13000 that fled Mosul returned to city after 14 killed
(Musings On Iraq review Christianity in Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Bad Times For Iraq’s Christians)
Nov 6 Head of agriculture committee in Diyala said $2.6 mil missing from dept Said prices of farming
projects were exaggerated to steal money
(Musings On Iraq Corruption In Iraq An Interview With Stuart Bowen Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction)
(Musings On Iraq Iraq’s Trouble Fighting Corruption Interview With Vincent Foulk Former US Anti-Graft Official)
Nov 6 Tribal adv to PM Maliki said govt wanted to set up National Tribal Support Council Councils were
patronage network for Maliki
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
Nov 6 Report Jun PM Maliki gave order to form Tribal Support Councils across southern Iraq During tribal
conference Maliki talked about forming council in every province to support govt Opponents said they didn’t help with security Maliki never talked with provincial govts about councils ISCI Kurds Accordance Front opposed councils 10 provincial govts protested councils Said Baghdad needed to work with provinces to form councils Maliki said councils non political
Nov 6 Report PM Maliki formed Tribal Support Councils to increase his power Maliki 1st talked to tribes
during Mar Charge of Knights in Basra to help fight Mahdi Army Promised jobs in return 10,000 tribesmen joined ISF in Basra Spread to Dhi Qar and Wasit ISCI complained about councils Councils answer to Maliki not provincial govts that were mostly controlled by ISCI in south Sheikhs saw council as way to increase their power
Nov 7 Report Bulgaria announced it was withdrawing its 155 troops from Iraq 13 soldiers and 6 civilians
killed Allowed to join NATO as reward for deployment
Nov 7 Hurriya Baghdad Was battleground between Mahdi Army and insurgents Was mixed US thought
3000-10000 Sunni families fled area Mahdi Army then moved in poor Shiites from other parts of Baghdad Charged them rents and asked for their support Some displaced Sunnis decided to rent out their homes to Shiite rather than try to live in them again Shiites tried to stop some Sunnis from returning
(Musings On Iraq review Voices From Iraq, A People’s History, 2003-2009)
(Musings On Iraq Columbia University Charts Sectarian Cleansing Of Baghdad)
Nov 8 PM Maliki said he wanted constitution amended to give Baghdad more control over provinces
Was aimed at Kurds and their control of disputed areas
Nov 8 KDP and PUK said they were against PM Maliki creating Tribal Support Council in Kirkuk
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
Nov 8 Latvia held ceremony to withdraw its troops Deployed May 03 Worked in Wasit Babil Kirkuk
Qadisiya
Nov 9 Female suicide bomber blew herself up in front of hospital in Fallujah Killed 3 wounded 10
Another female bomber attacked a checkpoint in Baquba Diyala Klled 4 sahwa
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Nov 9 US general reported 2,750 Sahwa from Baghdad entered police academy 6,000 more expected US
had to pressure Maliki govt to do so
Nov 10 Planning Min said it would reduce govt jobs by 75% in 10 yrs Said 3.3 mil govt workers 20% of
2007 budget was for govt salaries Said govt wanted to privatize economy Opposite happened
Nov 10 Maliki govt set up 16 Tribal Support Councils in Diwaniya Part of patronage network for Maliki
Nov 11 2 Christian girls killed in Mosul bringing total of 16 since Oct Christian families had just started
returning
(Musings On Iraq review Christianity in Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Bad Times For Iraq’s Christians)
Nov 11 Iraq and China finalized $3 bil deal to allow Chinese company to develop Ahdab oil field in
Wasit Re-did old Saddam era deal
Nov 11 Report religious minorities that complain about Kurdish authorities often arrested KDP
pressured Yazidis and Arabs in Sinjar to support it Christian security forces in Ninewa Plains funded by KRG
Nov 11 Another Iranian agent arrested in Kut Wasit Brought up total of 11 Iranians arrested since Oct
(Musings On Iraq Iranians And Special Groups Forces Returning To Iraq)
Nov 12 Report 27 female suicide bombers in Diyala in 2008 Recruited by 3 ISI clerics Targeted women
who lost family members to US and Iraqi forces
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers0
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Nov 12 Gunmen attacked Christian house in Mosul killing 2 Was 17th and 18th Christian killed in city
(Musings On Iraq review Christianity in Iraq)
(Musings On Iraq Bad Times For Iraq’s Christians)
Nov 12 Deputy speaker of parliament said PM Maliki’s Tribal Support Councils were unconstitutional
Delegation from Muthanna went to Baghdad to complain about councils there Maliki said councils needed for security and law and order Councils part of Maliki’s patronage network
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
Nov 13 Iraqi Army following Order 101 moved to evict 4,000 squatters from Hurriya Baghdad Was
supposed to allow displaced to return to area Were mostly Shiite who had moved into area after Sunnis were expelled during civil war
(Musings On Iraq Government Moves Against Squatters In Hurriyah, Baghdad)
(Musings On Iraq January 2009 U.N. Report On Iraq Refugee Returns)
Nov 13 MP Latif gave petition to Election Commission calling for referendum to turn Basra into
federal region Effort failed
(Musings On Iraq Proposition To Form Basra Federal Region)
(Musings On Iraq Basra Wants Another Shot At Becoming An Autonomous Region)
Nov 13 Bulgaria announced it would withdraw troops by end of 08 Deployed in 2003 13 soldiers and
6 civilians killed
Nov 13 Head of Diyala council said most police jobs in province given out through secret deals between
police chief and tribes
Nov 14 PM Maliki officially came out in support of Status of Forces Agreement with US
Nov 14 PM Maliki govt would meet electricity demand by 2012 Plan would cost up to $5.5 bil Came after
govt signed contracts with GE and Siemens in Sep to boost production Didn’t happen
(Musings On Iraq Baghdad’s Electricity Plan)
Nov 14 Azerbaijan parliament voted to withdraw its forces from Iraq which had been deployed there
since 2003
Nov 14 CIA Dir Hayden said Iraq not central front for Al Qaeda anymore Wasn’t sending as much money
weapons for foreign fighters
Nov 14 Sadr said his militia would renew attacks upon US if Status of Forces Agreement passed Called
for immediate US withdrawal
Nov 14 Sadr asked Asaib Ahl Al-Haq to rejoin his movement They refused
(Musings On Iraq Asaib Ahl Al-Haq From A Breakaway Sadr Militia To Defenders Of Iraq)
Nov 15 Australia’s former military chief Adm Barrie told TV show that he thought Australia should have
never gone into Iraq Said never saw legitimate reason for war
Nov 15 PM Maliki put Interior Min in charge of security in Mosul Had been transferring Kurdish units
out of Ninewa Switched Kurdish officers out of units in DIyala Ninewa Salahaddin Was part of Maliki’s confrontation with KRG
Nov 15 PM Maliki organized protests in Nasiriya Tikrit Basra Hawija Karbala Najaf Nasiriya Samawa
Hillah using Tribal Support Council he created Chanted against Kurds taking disputed areas
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
Nov 15 Shiite politicians met with Ayatollah Sistani over Status of Forces Agreement with US Sistani
said he supported it
Nov 16 Iraqi cabinet passed Status of Forces Agreement with US
Nov 16 Pres Barzani on Al Jazeera criticized PM Maliki for making all the decision by himself Criticized
creation of Tribal Support Councils Said they were created to support Maliki and could lead to conflict
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
Nov 16 PM Maliki said Sahwa that weren’t wanted for crimes shouldn’t be arrested in carrot and stick
strategy
Nov 17 US Inspec Gen for Iraq Recon found that Pentagon spent $600 mil on 1,200 cancelled contracts
42% canceled because of bad work 48% cancelled because of security lack of funds or standards changed
Nov 17 Report Mahdi Army cmdr in Sadr City said militia weak 12 of 15 commanders from district fled
to Iran Were trying to come back but no longer followed Sadr
Nov 18 US signed Status of Forces Agreement with Iraq that set 12/31/11 withdrawal date for US forces
Nov 18 Report PM Maliki fired or replaced 17 anti-corruption officials Some were inspector generals at
Water, Culture, Trade, Youth Ministries and perhaps Foreign Affairs Ministry, Central Bank of Iraq, Sunni and Christian Endowments Some replaced by Dawa officials to strengthen Maliki’s hold over ministries
(Musings On Iraq Lack Of Commitment To Fight Corruption In Iraqi Government)
Nov 18 US forces arrested another Iranian Rev Guard Quds Force member This time at Baghdad airport
12th Iranian arrested since Oct US accused him of smuggling weapons into Iraq
(Musings On Iraq Iranians And Special Groups Forces Returning To Iraq)
Nov 18 Presidential Council sent letter to PM Maliki that govt money being spent on his Tribal Support
Councils should be spent upon ISF instead Councils were created as patronage networks for Maliki before 2009 elections
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
Nov 20 PM Maliki accused Kurds of violating constitution Said had diplomatic offices from other
countries Peshmerga were outside KRG Signed oil contracts Called for constitution to be amended to increase power of central govt to counter Kurds
(Musings On Iraq Iraqi Kurdistan’s Failed Independent Oil Strategy)
Nov 20 Sadrists twice disrupted reading of Status of Forces Agreement in parliament Rushed speaker and
threatened ministers Security guards called in to stop them
Nov 20 Report competition between Islamic Party that ran Anbar and Awakening growing Sheikhs
claimed Islamic Party bribing voters and handing out land Islamic Party said same thing about Awakening Also trying to divide Awakening sheikhs Sheikh Abu Risha joined with Islamic Party
(Musings On Iraq interview with author Carter Malkasian on Anbar Awakening)
Nov 20 Report PM Maliki demanding Diyala Sahwa be turned over to govt control by Jan 09 Govt agreed
to integrate 33% of Diyala Sahwa into ISF Build vocational training centers for rest Maliki appointed Diyala police chief accused of running death squads and targeting Sunnis Arrested Diyala Sahwa who were going to run in 09 election
Nov 20 Transparency International ranked Iraq 2nd most corrupt country in world in its Corruption Index
(Musings On Iraq Corruption In Iraq An Interview With Stuart Bowen Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction)
(Musings On Iraq Iraq’s Trouble Fighting Corruption Interview With Vincent Foulk Former US Anti-Graft Official)
Nov 21 Presidential Council said Tribal Support Councils should be integrated into provincial govts
Were created as part of patronage network by PM Maliki before 09 election
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
Nov 21 Report Rumors of move to replace PM Maliki with either VP Abdul Mahri fmr PM Jaafari or
Dawa’s Adeeb Oil Min Shahristani also under fire Kurds thought Maliki became too powerful Hakim also mad at Maliki
Nov 22 Iranian arrested in Wasit 13th detained since Oct Local source thought he might be involved in
voter fraud for 09 election
Nov 23 Sadr called for opposition to SOFA with US Thousands protested in Baghdad
Nov 23 $12 bil in US reconstruction contracts went to 10 companies like KBR Parsons Got cost-plus
contracts with fixed price plus costs guaranteed Most of money went to security administration and then subcontracted work Only US companies knew how to work govt contracts US now tried to give contracts to Iraqi companies
Nov 24 Female suicide bomber set off bomb in front of Green Zone 5 killed 17 wounded
(Musings On Iraq The Rise of Female Suicide Bombers0
(Musings On Iraq Motivations Behind Female Suicide Bombers)
(Musings On Iraq review Suicide Bombers In Iraq, The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom)
Nov 24 Report PM Maliki set up provincial ops commands that answered directly to him Also picked ISF
officers and assignments Was involved in all security ops US official said Maliki knew about arrests of Diyala officials which PM denied US official said Maliki thought Sunnis were roadkill he could run over
Nov 24 Baghdad mayor announced 10 yr $10 bil reconstruction plan for Sadr City
Nov 24 After PM Maliki attacked KRG for independent oil deals Oil Min Shahristani met with KRG PM
Barzani Agreed to Kurdish exports from Taq Taq and Tawke fields and partial development of Khurmalla dome field to try to get oil law passed Neither happened
Nov 24 Report Sheikh Suleiman formed Tribal Support Council in Anbar to support PM Maliki
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
Nov 24 Reports some political parties discussing removing PM Maliki Hindered by Kurdish-Sunni
divisions
Nov 24 Report Genel Energy and DNO that operated Taq Taq and Tawke oil fields in KRG said they
would be able to export soon
(Musings On Iraq Iraqi Kurdistan’s Failed Independent Oil Strategy)
Nov 24 Report MP said Pres Talabani met to discuss removing PM Maliki Fadhila MP also said there was
a movement to get rid of Maliki
Nov 25 BBC went to Rusafa Prison Baghdad Found it overcrowded Many prisoners never been charged
Justice system overloaded with cases
Nov 27 Iraq passed Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with US setting withdrawal date for US forces
12/31/11
(Musings On Iraq The Status Of Forces Agreement)
(Musings On Iraq SOFA Passes)
(Musings On Iraq July SOFA Referendum)
Nov 27 Accordance Front got Reform Document passed as part of SOFA Called for power sharing in
govt and ISF and a July 09 referendum on SOFA Document wasn’t binding and PM Maliki never followed through
(Musings On Iraq More On The SOFA Referendum)
Nov 28 Japan announced it would end its military mission in Iraq Deployed in 2004
Nov 28 KRG Natural Resource Min Hawrami said KRG would start exports at 100,000 bar/day with goal
of 250,000 bar/day by end of 09 Oil Ministry said hadn’t agreed to that
Nov 29 Bosnia and Herzegovina withdrew its military forces from Iraq
Nov 30 South Korea withdrew its military forces from Iraq
Nov 30 5 committees created to try to work with KRG to pass oil law Baghdad said it would allow KRG
to exports its oil via Turkey if deal made Didn’t happen
Nov 30 Report Honor killing of women up 70% in Basra 81 women killed there in 08 vs 47 women
killed in 07 Police said they supported killings Could hire killer for $100 to kill a woman Some women killed for talking to a man in public 9 of 12 women groups in Basra closed
(Musings On Iraq Review What Kind of Liberation? Women and the Occupation of Iraq)
Dec 1 KRG issued statement accusing PM Maliki of acting like Saddam trying to centralize power and
undermine Kurdistan
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
Dec 1 Pres Talabani said he would be taking PM Maliki’s Tribal Support Councils to court
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
Dec 2 US and Iraqi officials met about Sahwa Maliki said he agreed with Americans organizing Sunni
tribes but southern Iraq was off limits Said southern tribes could threaten Shiite parties Came after US Marines were organizing Sahwa in Qadisiyah to counter militias
(Musings On Iraq Another Chapter In The Government’s Opposition To The Sons Of Iraq)
Dec 2 Oil Min Shahristani demanded KRG void its oil contracts in return for deal to allow it to export
oil
(Musings On Iraq Iraqi Kurdistan’s Failed Independent Oil Strategy)
(Musings On Iraq Baghdad-Kurdish Oil Export Deal Collapses)
(Musings On Iraq Baghdad-Kurdistan Rivalry Continues)
Dec 2 Romania said it would keep its troops in Iraq until 2011
Dec 2 European officials said PM Maliki had no real plan to help returning refugees Govt promised
money houses and schools but none of it happening
Dec 3 Presidential Council passed Status of Forces Agreement with US setting withdrawal date for
US forces 12/31/11
Dec 3 Baghdad-Irbil oil talks broke down KRG refused to cancel its oil contracts and demanded share
of oil revenues Oil Min Shahristani refused
(Musings On Iraq Baghdad-Kurdish Oil Export Deal Collapses)
Dec 3 Report Maliki govt stopped officially releasing casualty figures in January 07 because made it
look bad January 07 UN reported 34,452 Iraqis killed in 06 Govt said only 12,357 deaths
Dec 4 Bush said that Iraq intelligence failure was his biggest regret
(Musings On Iraq Iraq One Of The Worst Intelligence Failures In US History)
Dec 4 Czech Republic ended its mission in Iraq
Dec 4 PM Maliki claimed his Tribal Support Council created as part of patronage network for 2009
elections was a sign of successful reconciliation
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
Dec 5 Report PUK fired several members in England Blamed PUK co-founder Mustafa for building up
opposition to leadership Called for Talabani to resign Would lead to Change Party
Dec 7 Qadisiyah Gov told Marines to shut down Sahwa in province on orders of Maliki
Sahwa were meant to counter militias
(Musings On Iraq Another Chapter In The Government’s Opposition To The Sons Of Iraq)
Dec 7 Report Diyala sahwa leader arrested by police Died in custody Police said he confessed to killing
Shiites ISF arrested 100s of Sahwa and members of Islamic Party in Diyala for months Move by Maliki to break up Sunnis before 09 election
Dec 9 Ukraine withdrew its forces from Iraq
Dec 10 Presidency Council of Pres Talabani VP Abdul Mahdi and VP Hashemi met in Sulaymaniya with
Pres Barzani Talked about no confidence vote against MP Maliki Nothing happened
Dec 10 Report 14 Tribal Support Councils formed in central Diyala to fight Al Qaeda Move by PM
Maliki to undermine province’s Sahwa
(Musings On Iraq Disputes Over Tribal Support Councils)
Dec 11 07 rainfall down 40% Agriculture Min said Iraq losing 5% of arable land/yr Meant increased
food imports Barley crop down 60% Farmers leaving land US Agriculture Dept said Iraq facing disaster
Dec 12 Senate Armed Service Comm report blamed Def Sec Rumsfeld and other Bush admin officials
for Abu Ghraib prison scandal Rejected White House claim torture was necessary for national security Rejected Rumsfeld’s claims his orders on enhanced interrogation had nothing to do with Abu Ghraib
Dec 14 Bush and Maliki signed Status of Forces Agreement
Dec 14 During signing ceremony for SOFA in Baghdad reporter threw his shoes at Bush and Maliki
Dec 15 Sec State Rice claimed US crackdown made Iran backdown in Iraq Said Charge of Knights was
turning point
Dec 17 Denmark withdrew its troops from Iraq
Dec 17 Mashadani resigned as speaker of parliament Claimed anti-Maliki forces wanted him out to hold
no confidence vote
Dec 17 Women Affairs Minister Samarrie said human rights abuses bad conditions mistreatment of
women common in Iraqi prisons Authorities knew and did nothing
Dec 18 Congressman Waxman released memo saying Natl Sec Adv Rice and Attny Gen Gonzalez misled
Congress about Bush claiming Iraq tried to buy uranium from Africa in his 02 State of the Union Rice claimed she didn’t know CIA objected to the story when her staff was warned 4 times not to use it Gonzalez lied to Senate saying CIA approved Bush using story twice when it didn’t
(Musings On Iraq How US Intelligence Failed The Iraq-Niger Uranium Story)
(Musings On Iraq Review Hubris, The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal, And The Selling Of The Iraq War)
Dec 18 Ninewa council voted to postpone 09 provincial elections Council controlled by Kurds who were
afraid they would lose power
Dec 18 PM Maliki had Counter Terror Unit raid Interior Min and arrested 35 officers including 6 generals
he claimed were involved in Baathist plot Charges later dropped Many believed it was a warning to Interior Min Bolani who formed his own party to run in 09 elections
Dec 19 Talabani proposed reforms to PUK at politburo meeting to address factionalism
Dec 19 US arrested Iranian Quds Force member in Diyala 13th Iranian arrested or killed in Iraq
since October
(Musings On Iraq Iranians And Special Groups Forces Returning To Iraq)
Dec 19 Report U.S. official said no deterrence in Iraq against corruption Many inspector generals were
banned from their own ministries intimidated and attacked Last head of Integrity Commission fled in 2007 due to threats Ministries could stop investigations
(Musings On Iraq interview with Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart Bowen on Iraq’s fight with corruption)
(Musings On Iraq interview with former anti-corruption official Vincent Foulk)
Dec 20 Report US farm experts didn’t think Iraqi farming would recover for 10 yrs Farming ruined
Shortage of electricity Water system from Tigris and Euphrates Lack of seeds and livestock Lack of drainage led to salinization Cheap imports from Syria Iran Turkey No govt plan
Dec 22 Oil Min Shahristani said only central govt had authority to sign deals to develop Iraq’s oil Was
criticism of KRG
(Musings On Iraq Baghdad-Kurdistan Rivalry Continues)
(Musings On Iraq Iraqi Kurdistan’s Failed Independent Oil Strategy)
Dec 22 Report ISF reported attacks down 86% from 07 to 08 Went from avg 180 per day in 07 to avg 10
per day in 08
Dec 22 Electricity Min said power shortages would end in 2011 Early in yr said would take until 2012
Didn’t happen
Dec 23 El Salvador announced it would withdraw its troops by end of 08 Had been deployed since 03
Dec 23 Outgoing Speaker Mashadani praised reporter for throwing shoe at Pres Bush and PM Maliki
Dec 23 Sadr said he would not support any party during 09 elections but back independent candidates
Dec 23 Iraq signed $80 mil contracts to survey and improve Basra ports Wanted to increase oil
production to 6 mil/bar/day and oil exports to 5 mil/bar/day by 2018 By 2018 Iraq would only avg 3.4 mil/bar/day in exports
Dec 23 Report With violence down Maliki govt was trying to get professionals to return 200,000 had left
Iraq since 03 30,000 medical professionals fled after 05 Less than 1,000 had come back
Dec 23 Report VP Cheney threatened to destroy reputation of head UN weapons inspector Blix and head
of Intl Atomic Energy Agency El Baradei if they didn’t find WMD
(Musings On Iraq UN Inspectors Were Right Iraq Was Not A Threat)
(Musings On Iraq Iraq’s Rejection of UN Inspectors Led To Mistrust Over WMD and 2003 Invasion)
Dec 24 Iraqi National Dialogue Council left the Iraqi Accordance Front (IAF) claiming that the Islamic
Party was attempting to monopolize power Ended IAF
(Musings On Iraq Iraqi Accordance Front Beaks Apart)
Dec 26 Report Talk of no confidence vote against PM Maliki Major parties met start of Dec to discuss
removing him Complained he was becoming an autocrat
(Musings On Iraq Argument For Maliki Being Iraq’s Next Strongman)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)
(Musings On Iraq review Iraq From War To A New Authoritarianism)
Dec 27 3,000 marched in Basra city demanding province be turned into a federal region
(Musings On Iraq Basra Federal Region Update)
Dec 27 Report Baghdad would take over control of Diyala sahwa in Jan 09 1 sahwa leader died in
hospital after arrest Anther shot and killed Sahwa leaders said felt persecuted by Baghdad Afraid would be arrested US officer in charge of integration tried to mediate 80% of sahwa in Diyala signed up for govt jobs
Dec 28 Iraq Body Count Avg daily deaths went from 76/day in 2006 to 67/day in 2007 to 25/day in
2008 25-27,000 deaths in 2006 22-24,000 deaths in 2007 8-9,000 deaths in 2008 Baghdad saw biggest drop in violence
Dec 29 Report Dec 2 state run banks ran out of cash Was miss communication about orders Govt salaries
and pensions held up Sr US adviser said in Iraqi bureaucracy orders came from top Nothing heard from bottom Officials did nothing without orders from bosses Many ministers had to sign all orders Lacked modernization and computers Diyala hadn’t spent all of its last 3 budgets Spending controlled by 1 accountant that used a pencil When Electricity Min negotiated contract with GE to build power plant only sent 3 people because only qualified due to brain drain
Dec 30 Govt announced it had allocated $129 mil from 08 budget for Maysan Was supposed to fund
241projects Only 41 completed
Dec 31 Prices for Iraqi oil went from $145 per barrel in July 08 to $38 per barrel setting off economic
crisis in Iraq
Dec 31 Auditors hired by Oil Ministry found only 33% of oil installations had meters Meant Iraq had no
idea about numbers of its most important industry
(Musings On Iraq How Much Oil And Refined Petroleum Products Does Iraq Actually Produce? No One Knows)
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