This Day In Iraqi History - Jun 7

1920 Iraqi rebels led by Jameel al-Midfai reached Mosul with about 1,000 men

1941 British forces crossed from Iraq into Syria attempting to capture German

            diplomat Dr. Grobba

1967 Iraq broke diplomatic relations with U.S. after defeat in Arab-Israeli War

1975 Iran-Iraq agreed on Shatt al-Arab border Shah would stop arming Kurdish

            revolt neither would support opponents of each other

1981 Israel bombed Iraq’s Osirak nuclear reactor at Tuwaitha to stop Saddam’s

bomb program Destroyed facility

1983 Iraq offered ceasefire in Iran-Iraq War Rejected by Iran

1984 Soviets delivered new missiles to Iraq which Baghdad said it would use

            against Iran’s oil industry

1991 UN began taking over camps run by US military to help Kurds following 91

            uprising

2003 Sadrist march in Basra against British occupation

2003 Sadr travelled to Iran to talk with Iranian officials and met Ayatollah Haeri

2003 ISCI threatened to boycott CPA’s Iraqi Governing Council

2003 CPA Order 12 ended all of Iraq’s tariffs leading country to be flooded with cheap

            imports closing down many Iraqi businesses

2003 DIA chief Adm Jacoby said couldn’t find specific WMD sites in Iraq in 2002 but

            didn’t mean Iraqi didn’t have WMD program

2003 Iraq Survey Group took over US search for WMD

2003 Report US and British analysts said captured Iraq trailers were not WMD mobile

            labs as suspected

(Musings On Iraq article on mobile labs story)

2003 White House spokesman said WMD would be found

2003 Report 2002 DIA report said no reliable intel that Iraq was producing or had

            stocks of WMD

2006 Zarqawi killed by U.S. F-16 jet north of Baquba

2006 Natl Sec Adv Rice said White House agreed on Iraq policy Privately Rice working

            on new one

2008 Poland announced that it would withdraw its forces from Iraq by Oct 08

2009 Inter Min said it would investigate torture charges in Maysan and Qadisiyah

            Nothing happened

2010 Oil Min said oil production would reach 12 mil/bar/day by 2017 Didn’t happen

2011 Maliki’s 100 day deadline to reform ministries ended with no changes Was to

            appease protesters

2011 Army started withdrawing from Fallujah as part of deal with Anbar govt to

            pull out of urban areas

2012 Maliki welcomed new breakaway party that had 7 MPs that didn’t sign no

            confidence vote against him

2013 Sadrists State of Law and SIIC agreed on new provincial govt in Maysan Sadrists

            would retain governorship

2014 ISIS stormed Anbar Univ in Ramadi taking hostages

2014 US warned Baghdad that ISIS moving forces from Syria to attack Mosul

2014 US wanted Peshmerga to move into eastern Mosul Pres Barzani offered Maliki

said no

2014 Maliki told US 9 brigades would be sent to Mosul US said wouldn’t arrive in

            time

2014 Gen Ghidan ground forces commander Gen Qanbar chief of staff took over

            defense of Mosul

2014 Badr said it would protect Askari shrine in Samarra against insurgent threat

2015 KRG PM Nechirvan Barzani accused Baghdad of breaking constitution by not

            giving Kurdistan budget payments

2016 Protests in Dhi Qar and Baghdad calling for reform

2016 Abadi said people would be arrested for abusing displaced in Fallujah op

2016 UN called on Baghdad to protect displaced from abuses by govt forces

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Bernard Lewis And The Invasion of Iraq

(Princeton)

In May 2018, renowned Princeton Professor Bernard Lewis passed away. He was one of the West’s leading scholars on Islam and the Middle East. He also threw in with the neoconservatives, and contributed to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

This Day In Iraqi History - Jun 6

1920 Sir Percy Cox was reassigned to run Iraq from his posting in Persia

1924 UK run Baghdad Times said Iraqis were turning on British protection for Mosul

(Musings On Iraq article on how Mosul province became part of Iraq)

1941 British forces sent to Haditha and pushed insurgents led by Qawujki into

            Syria

1967 Most of Iraqi air force destroyed by Israel

1967 8^th Iraqi Brigade tried to cross Damiya Bridge destroyed by Israeli air strike

1975 Shah Pres Bakr Algerian Pres Bumidan met over Iran-Iraq border issues

1982 After Israel invaded Lebanon Saddam offered ceasefire in Iran-Iraq War and for

            Iraq to send troops to help Palestinians

2003 Imam at Abu Hanifa Mosque in Adhmaiya Baghdad called for resistance to the

            US occupation

2003 UN head inspector Blix said just because there were questions about Iraq’s WMD

didn’t mean it had them Said US and UK never provided quality intel on Iraq’s WMD

2003 DepUnderSecDef Feith said intel on Iraq didn’t change from Clinton to Bush

2003 White House spokesman intelligence showed no doubt that Iraq had WMD

2003 US intel thought they were close to finding Iraq’s WMD because more Iraqis

            coming forward and giving info

2003 Report Bush admin dropped uncertainties about WMD intel and made them

            certainties that Iraq had them

2003 US rejected having UN weapons inspectors back in Iraq to look for WMD

2003 Sep 02 DIA report leaked to press DIA thought Iraq had WMD but couldn’t find

            specific facilities making them

2007 Islamic Army and ISI announced truce after killings and accusations Didn’t last

2008 Kurds said they could export 150,000 bar/day in oil but no neighboring countries

            would allow it

2009 Asaib Ahl Al-Haq’s Laith Khazali released and AAH released bodies of 2

            British bodyguards they kidnapped and killed

2011 6 US soldiers killed in rocket attack in Baghdad by Kataib Hezbollah most lost in

one attack since 2009

2012 PM Nechirvan Barzani talked with Turkish PM Erdogan about KRG exporting

            oil to Turkey

2012 Report front companies acting as recruiters for Iraqis to go fight in Syria for Assad

            govt

2013 Mass grave found in Diwaniya with victims of Saddam

2013 Govt sponsored meeting to try to get Anbar tribes to organize against ISI

2013 Baghdad asked Kurds to withdraw Peshmerga from Tuz Kharmato and Suleiman

            Bek Kurds said no

2013 VP Hashemi said he supported Sunni region in Iraq

2013 Salahaddin Governor Abdullah won 2^nd term in office

2014 37 Sunnis abducted shot and dumped in Samarra in separate incidents

2014 ISIS continued attack on Mosul Took 5 neighborhoods

2014 Head of Ninewa Ops Command Gen Gharawi ordered defensive line in western

            Mosul

2014 Maliki told Gen. Gharawi to hold city until Gen Ghidan ground forces

            commander and Gen Qanbar chief of staff arrived

2016 Ayatollah Sistani warned against attacks on innocents revenge attacks destruction

            of property in war against IS

2016 605 men from Saqlawiya who were abducted by Hashd released to Anbar

            officials showing signs of torture and beatings

2016 Member of Anbar council demanded Hashd be withdrawn from Fallujah op for

            abuses

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Oil Exports and Revenue Increase In May As Iraq Pushes Ahead With Development Plans

Iraq saw across the board growth in its oil exports in May 2018. The average oil flow, prices, and revenues were all up for the month. The Oil Ministry also signed contracts with several companies after its latest auction, and oil exports from Kirkuk to Iran finally began.

This Day In Iraqi History - Jun 5

1926 Turkey and England agreed to have Mosul join Iraq

(Musings On Iraq article on how Mosul province became part of Iraq)

1941 British forces occupied Kirkuk after overthrowing PM Gaylani govt Anglo-Iraq

            War

1951 Grenade hit Jewish car dealership in Baghdad 6^th of 7 such attacks on Jews 1950-51

1967 Iraqi airplanes attacked Jezreel Valley and Afula Israel to little effect Israeli

            airplanes attacked H-3 airbase west Iraq destroying 22 Iraqi planes
2001 During confirmation hearing future Dep Undersec of Def Feith said Saddam should be
            overthrown

2002 Czech envoy to UN claimed 9/11 hijacker Atta met with Iraqi intel officer

            in Prague in 01

2002 Blair told Rumsfeld UK would be with US in any military action against Iraq

2003 Report VP Cheney and chief of staff Libby made multiple trips to CIA to question

analysts about Iraq intelligence Some CIA analysts complained to press about VP Cheney’s questions about Iraq intelligence before invasion

2003 Some US intel officers admitted they didn’t have much new intel on Iraq’s

            WMD since 1990s

2003 Dep Undersec of Def Feith denied that Iraq intel was politicized before

            invasion Admitted creating special Pentagon intel unit

2003 Bush said no terrorist could get WMD from Iraq because Saddam had been

            overthrown

2003 Fmr UN inspector Kay told CIA Dir Tenet military not doing good job hunting

            for Iraq’s WMD

2003 UN Security Council asked US to allow its weapons inspectors back into Iraq

2005 State Dept memo Peshmerga arresting hundreds of Arabs and Turkmen in Kirkuk

and taking them to KRG to establish control of city

2006 Mass grave found with Shiite victims of 1991 uprising

2006 State Dept paper said new Maliki govt ill prepared to rule No experience

2006 State Dept paper argued for limited counterinsurgency strategy in Iraq with

            limited troop increase

2008 Over 100 weapons caches of Mahdi Army found in Sadr City Most weapons

            came from Iran Aftermath Charge of Knights

2010 Iraqi army banned Sahwa in Diyala carrying weapons Sahwa replied they would

            stop working with govt

2010 Iraqiya member Faris Jabouri assassinated in Mosul 3^rd member of Iraqiya

            killed in city before and after elections

2010 Iraqiya member killed in Qaim, Anbar by IED

2011 Report violence increasing in Iraq 2010 vs 2011

2011 Maliki told human rights conference that some human rights groups were

            actually terrorists and criticized Baghdad protests

2011 Maliki replaced head of Trade Bank of Iraq Arrest warrant issued for old head

            because didn’t back Maliki business deal

2011 Rockets fired at Zubayr oil field in Basra Set oil reserves on fire

2012 US intel report attacks by ISI went from 19 per month in 2011 to 25 per month

            in 2012

2012 KRG Natural Resource Min Hawrami said KRG could reach 2 mil/bar/day

            in production by 2019

2012 Sadr criticized Asaib Ahl Al-Haq march in Baghdad claiming it was directed by

            Iran 2 State of Law officials attended event

2012 Sadrists/Mahdi Army members started riots in two different prisons in Baghdad

2012 Report Maliki tried to get Sadr kicked out of National Alliance because

            supported no confidence vote

2012 Sadr said Maliki should be investigated for trying to stop MPs from signing

            no confidence vote against him

2013 Mass graves found in Irbil and Sulaymaniya with victims of Saddam

2013 Provincial elections in KRG delayed because of problems with election law

2013 Anbar protest movement told Anbar Governor Fahadawi he should not hold

            talks with Baghdad

2013 Def Min tried to replace 16^th Bgd commander a Kurd with a Shiite Arab and

            commander refused to give up command

2013 Def Min attempted to force 16^th Bgd to leave Tuz Kharmato after commander

            refused to be replaced Ministry backed down

2014 Report ISIS demanded Army of Mujahadeen in Anbar give it baya

2014 Iraqi Special Forces killed Abu Bilawi ISIS’s military chief of staff

2014 ISIS launched large scale raid upon Samarra Seized several districts before

            beaten back

2014 Mosul intel chief warned that ISIS would attack 2 neighborhoods in city That night

            ISIS began its attack upon Mosul eventually taking city

2014 Turkey said 2^nd tanker of oil exports by Kurds through independent pipeline

was being loaded KRG said 1^st tanker of independent oil exports had been sold but was actually told to leave Morocco’s waters

2015 Report thousands of Iraqi fighters going to Syria for new Iranian led offensive

            there

2015 Report Norway’s DNO owed $500 mil-$1 bil by KRG for non-payments for oil

            production and exports

2015 Oil Min Mahdi said oil prices would reach $75 per barrel by end of year Iraq

            crude dropped to $29 per barrel in Dec

2016 Anbar govt set up investigating into Hashd abuses in Fallujah op

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Iraq’s Troubles Fighting Corruption Interview With Vincent Foulk Former US Anti-Graft Official

Vincent Foulk served in Iraq from 2003-12 in all types of capacities. He started as an Army Civil Affairs officer in 2003, then worked with the Coalition Provisional Authority, and assisting Iraq’s courts. He then returned as a legal adviser to the Iraqi police, moved onto helping Iraq with anti-corruption activities, and finished with the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction. He is also the author of The Battle for Fallujah, Operation, Resistance and Stalemate in the War in Iraq. This interview focuses upon Foulk’s time trying to combat fraud and graft in Iraq.

This Day In Iraqi History - Jun 4

1920 Sherifan Army of Liberation arrived in Tal Afar to fight British and seize

            town 1920 Revolt

1922 Gertrude Bell said King Faisal was indecisive and lacked backbone to stand

            up to others

1924 Anti-British protests in Baghdad closed parliament

1982 Tariq Aziz went to Moscow seeking military aid for Iran-Iraq War but turned

            down

1985 Iraq carried out heavy air raid on Iran oil terminal at Kharg Island

1992 New Kurdish parliament met first time Jawhar Salim elected speaker Cabinet

            also announced

1997 UN Resolution 1111 extended Oil For Food Program for 2^nd time since

            started in 96

2003 Barzani went to Najaf and met Ayatollah Sistani and Abdul Aziz al-Hakim to talk

            about post-war govt and constitution

2003 Ayatollah Sistani called for an Iraqi parliament to produce a new constitution in

            opposition to CPA plan

2003 Blair said that he had no doubt that Iraq’s WMD would be found Rejected

            independent inquiry into case for Iraq War

2003 Cheney told Senators to stop asking for investigation into pre-war

            intelligence on Iraq

2003 DepUnderSecDef Feith said US wasn’t only country that claimed Iraq had WMD

            and so did Clinton admin

2003 DepUnderSecDef Feith denied that Bush admin pressured intelligence agencies

            over Iraq

2003 DepUnderSecDef Feith admitted he created Office of Special Plans within

            Pentagon to find Iraq-Al Qaeda connections

2004 George Tenet resigned as director of CIA in part due to failed Iraq intelligence

2004 Pope criticized Bush over Abu Ghraib prison abuse and called for international

            solution to Iraq

2005 New KRG parliament sworn in

2008 Half of parliament signed letter saying they were against Status of Forces

            Agreement unless it included US withdrawal

2008 Police arrested top 5 Mahdi Army commanders in Karbala aftermath Charge of

Knights

2010 Gen Odierno US cmdr in Iraq said 34 of ISI’s 42 leaders had been killed or

            captured

2011 Source in Maliki’s office said he was planning on stopping demonstrations

            in Baghdad and arrest protest leaders

2011 Kurdish opposition presented reform program to KDP and PUK after Sulaymaniya

            protests broken up Nothing came of it

2011 Dep PM Shahristani said Iraq would reach 3 mil/bar/day in oil production by

            end of 2011

2011 Maliki said national unity govt didn’t work and called for majority rule

2012 176 parliamentarians signed no confidence vote against Maliki and given to

Pres Talabani for verification Maliki office claimed signatures were collected illegally

2012 Sadr called to Iran to talk him out of backing no confidence vote against Maliki

2012 Shiite Endowment offices in Baghdad bombed 18 dead 125 wounded Bomb

            at Sunni Endowment defused but hit by mortar

2012 Inter Min head of explosives Gen Jabiri given 4 yrs in prison on misdemeanor

charges for buying fake bomb detectors

2013 Asaib Ahl Al-Haq denied it tried to assassinate a Sadrist leader

2014 ISIS began attack upon Mosul eventually taking city

2014 ISIS head of Military Council Bilawi killed by Iraqi special forces

2014 Babil police chief press conference with 6 prisoners confessing to car bombing

            then posted 4 of them executed on his Facebook hours later

2014 Report State of Law delegation went to Iran and got backing for 3^rd term for Maliki

2015 IS held ceremony for Fallujah sheikhs to give it baya

2015 Number of displaced in Iraq reached 3.0 mil

2016 Abadi said human rights committee would be formed to investigate abuses of

            Hashd in Fallujah op Nothing happened

2017 Hashd freed Baaj west Ninewa Emptied it of civilians and started creating security

            zone

View the Iraq History Timelines