Islamic State’s Offensive Could Be Winding Down

(Shafaaq News)

The Islamic State’s latest offensive Revenge of the Levant appears to be coming to an end. It was announced in April and peaked in May. Since then the number of incidents has declined each month.

This Day In Iraqi History - Aug 5

1933 Iraqi army swept through Jebel Behkair executed any Assyrians found

(Musings On Iraq book review of The Tragedy of the Assyrian Minority in Iraq)

(Musings On Iraq book review State and Society in Iraq)

1958 Communists organized huge protest in Baghdad for federal union with United Arab Republic

and Yemen and against immediate union which was pushed by pan-Arab officers, Nasserists and Baathists

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

(Musings On Iraq Interview with Prof Johan Franzen on the history of the Iraqi Communist Party)

1968 Pres Bakr govt announced amnesty for KDP rebels Reconciliation attempt by new Bakr govt

with Kurds

(Musings On Iraq book review of The Kurds, A Modern History)

(Musings On Iraq book review Kurds of Iraq, Tragedy and Hope)

1980 Saddam went to Riyad to tell King Khalid Iraq was going to invade Iran and asked for financial

backing King questioned war and was afraid of repercussions Said Saudi military was weak and was afraid of Soviet intervention Couldn’t change Saddam’s mind and gave him tacit support

1983 Iraq counterattack in Mehran central front aimed at recapturing lost territory in Iranian Op

Wa al-Fajar 3

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Anthony Tucker-Jones on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Tom Cooper on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review Iran-Iraq War, The Lion of Babylon, 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War)

1990 Pres Bush said Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait would not stand

1990 Saudi King asked for briefing on US military plans to respond to Kuwait invasion Sec Def

Cheney went to get basing rights

1990 NSC meeting Bush said that Kuwait problem wouldn’t be solved until Saddam removed and

defending Saudis and invading Kuwait two different things

(Musings On Iraq book review from storm to Freedom, America’s Long War with Iraq)

1991 2,000 Turkish troops invaded 3 districts of Kurdistan in retaliation for PKK attack in Turkey

KDP and PUK supported Turkey PKK criticized them for doing so

(Musings On Iraq book review of The Kurds, A Modern History)

2002 CENTCOM cmdr Gen Franks briefed Bush on latest Iraq war plans Had original Generated Start plan Running Start which would have quicker build up and new Hybrid Plan which would be immediate start to war

(Musings On Iraq book review of Shaping the Plan for Operation Iraqi Freedom, The Role of Military Intelligence Assessment)

2002 Sec State Powell told Bush that Iraq invasion would dominate 1^st term and US would be responsible

for Iraq afterward Powell said US had to go through UN to disarm Iraq and build international coalition Bush said wanted coalition

(Musings On Iraq article on Part I Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Hard Lessons Planning for Postwar Iraq September 2001 to May 2003)

(Musings On Iraq book review Leap of Faith, Hubris Negligence, and America’s Greatest Foreign Policy

Tragedy)

2003 Def Sec Rumsfeld announced US forces had been finding buried Iraqi fighter jets in desert Explained

why Iraqi air force didn't fight during invasion

(Musings On Iraq article on why Iraq buried its jets before the 2003 invasion)

2003 Def Sec Rumsfeld said “Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence” about Iraq’s WMD not

found yet

(Musings On Iraq article Iraq, One Of The Worst Intelligence Failures In US History)

2003 Def Sec Rumsfeld said death of Uday and Qusay Hussein showed Iraq that Baathists not returning to

power

2004 US Cmdr in Iraq Gen Casey issued first military campaign plan for Iraq since 2003 invasion

Said US had to confront insurgency Build Iraqi forces Persuade Sunnis to give up insurgency Rebuild country

(Musings On Iraq article on pre-Surge US Iraq strategy)

(Musings On Iraq book review Nights in the Pink Motel, An American Strategist’s Pursuit of Peace in Iraq on writing campaign plan for Gen Casey)

2004 Sadr called for his followers to rise up against the US occupation

(Musings On Iraq article on 2^nd battle of Najaf)

(Musings On Iraq book review Battle For The City Of The Dead)

2004 Mahdi Army attacked main police station in Najaf city and US forces in Baghdad starting 2^nd

Battle of Najaf

(Musings On Iraq book review US Marines in Battle An-Najaf August 20014)

2004 Anbar governor resigned after his son was kidnapped by insurgents

2005 US said that EFPs were being shipped from Iran into Iraq to attack American forces

(Musings On Iraq interview with Galen Wright of Arkenstone blog on Iranian arms shipments to Iraqi militias) 

(Musings On Iraq article on Iran’s Iraq policy)

2006 Sec of State Rice told Bush Iraqis pulling their country apart

2015 Protests in Sulaymaniya over lack of services broken up by police

2015 Asaib Ahl Al-Haq said it would participate in next protest in Baghdad attempting to co-opt demos

(Musings On Iraq article on history of Asaib Ahl Al-Haq)

2018 Report parliamentarian said Iraqi National Intel Service proved voting machines were not secure

2018 Continued sit ins by West Qurna 1 oil field in Basra and Muthanna Protests in Basra City West Qurna

2 and Barjisiya fields Safwan border crossing South Gas Company all in Basra, 2 in Qadisya, Babil

View the Iraq History Timelines 

This Day In Iraqi History - Aug 4

1933 French deported Assyrians who had fled to Syria Iraqi troops sent to meet Assyrians and disarm

them Assyrians attacked army camp upon return to Iraq believing army was going to kill them 33 soldiers killed 40 wounded Over 500 Assyrians crossed back into Syria and were arrested by French Assyrians caught on Iraqi side were executed by army

(Musings On Iraq book review of The Tragedy of the Assyrian Minority in Iraq)

(Musings On Iraq book review State and Society in Iraq)

1963 Govt troops captured Barzan and Mazna in offensive against KDP in Kurdistan

(Musings On Iraq book review of The Kurds, A Modern History)

(Musings On Iraq book review Kurds of Iraq, Tragedy and Hope)

1970 Saddam visited Soviet Union and asked for debt relief Also for Moscow to stop aiding Kurds Soviets

agreed

1986 VP Bush used Egyptian Pres Mubarak to pass message to Iraq that it should expand air campaign

against Iran

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Anthony Tucker-Jones on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Tom Cooper on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review Iran-Iraq War, The Lion of Babylon, 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War)

1990 Bush met Kuwait emir Sabah and said US would free Kuwait and return emir to power

1990 Joint statement by US and Soviet Union condemned Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait and called for

withdrawal

1990 European Community imposed sanctions on Iraq for invasion of Kuwait

1990 Iraq announced Provisional Government of Free Kuwait

1990 King Hussein said Saddam was a patriot and wanted good Jordan-Iraq relations

1990 White House went over military plans in response to Kuwait invasion Included 200,000-250,000

troops deploying to Saudi Arabia

(Musings On Iraq book review from storm to Freedom, America’s Long War with Iraq)

1990 Bush said goal of deploying US forces to Persian Gulf was to protect Saudi Arabia

1990 Mukhabarat agents flown into Kuwait to run internal security

1991 Baath ordered property in Kirkuk to be given to Arabs and building over 2700 new homes for them

1992 Iraqi army shelled Kurdish positions in Kirkuk

1998 Saddam ended cooperation with UN inspectors Kept monitoring system in tact Saddam demanded

inspectors reflect rotating membership of Security Council and offices be moved to Geneva or Vienna and out of NY to not be influenced by US

(Musings On Iraq book review The Saddam Tapes)

(Musings On Iraq article UN Inspectors Were Right Iraq Was Not A Threat)

(Musings On Iraq article Iraq’s Rejection of UN Inspectors Led To Mistrust Over WMD and 2003 Invasion)

(Musings On Iraq Chilcot Report Sec 1.1 UK Iraq Strategy 1990 To 2000)

(Musings On Iraq article Charles Duelfer’s Account Of The End Of The 1990s U.N. Inspections)

2002 UnderSecDefArmsControl Bolton told BBC US didn’t care whether new UN inspections happened

because goal was regime change in Iraq

(Musings On Iraq book review Wanting War: Why the Bush Administration Invaded Iraq)

2002 Fmr National Sec Adv Brent Scowcroft came out against invading Iraq

2003 US reopened Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad

2004 Mahdi Army shot down US helicopter in Sadr City Police chief there led celebration for its downing

2004 Sec State Powell told UK Foreign Sec Straw that security in Sunni areas of Iraq was worse than

thought Said it was an indigenous movement with good intel to adapt to situation on the ground

2005 Report large shipment of EFPs captured in northern Iraq coming from Iran

(Musings On Iraq interview with Galen Wright of Arkenstone blog on Iranian arms shipments to Iraqi militias) 

(Musings On Iraq article on Iran’s Iraq policy)

2006 Sec State Rice said US making progress Iraq strategy not failing US had to stay the course Privately

Rice thought strategy failing

(Musings On Iraq article on pre-Surge US Iraq strategy)

2008 Flyers posted in Baghdad’s Dora warning Shiite families not to return to district Up to 50% of Shiite

families had been driven out during civil war

(Musings On Iraq article on anti-Shiite flyers in Baghdad’s Dora)

2015 2 Protests in Sulaymaniya province over lack of services that led to clash with police Over 30 wounded

Also demo in Maysan

2017 Thousands protested in Baghdad over corruption called for by Sadr

2018 8^th day sit-in protest West Qurna 1 oil field 7^th day sit-in in Muthanna Protest ended in Husseiniya

Baghdad Demonstrations in Dhi Qar Qadisiya 2 others in Basra

View the Iraq History Timelines 

This Day In Iraqi History - Aug 3

1954 Nuri al-Said became Iraq’s premier 7^th time Went after opposition parties

1982 Iran called off Op Ramadan invasion of Basra At its peak Iran seized 300 sq km of Iraqi territory By

end only held 80 sq km US est Iran lost 14,000 casualties Iraq lost 8700 casualties and 1700 prisoners

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Anthony Tucker-Jones on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Tom Cooper on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review Iran-Iraq War, The Lion of Babylon, 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War)

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

1990 Amnesty said Iraqi army had arrested Iraqi exiles in Kuwait

1990 Arab League said it would mediate dispute between Iraq and Kuwait after invasion

1990 2^nd NSC meeting on Kuwait invasion Bush said he agreed with PM Thatcher that Iraq’s actions could

not stand Bush said regional leaders were just talking about accepting the situation even though didn’t like it NatSecAdv Scowcroft said US wouldn’t accommodate Iraq Def Sec Cheney said Iraq was close to Saudi oil fields If didn't seize them would threaten them in future Bush and advisers agreed force might be necessary against Iraq and sanctions would probably fail

(Musings On Iraq book review from storm to Freedom, America’s Long War with Iraq)

1990 Bush ordered CIA to come up with destabilization plan against Saddam

1990 Bush met Saudi Amb to US Bandar and convinced him to support US troops being sent to his country

1998 Tariq Aziz met UN inspectors Complained they were focusing upon minor issues  not important to

disarmament Said dragging out process at behest of US Demanded that Iraq be certified WMD free and inspections end Aziz said Iraq had nothing else to declare about its weapons programs Chief UN inspector Butler said Iraq had not provided evidence to prove claim it had declared all of its weapons programs

(Musings On Iraq book review The Saddam Tapes)

(Musings On Iraq article UN Inspectors Were Right Iraq Was Not A Threat)

(Musings On Iraq article Iraq’s Rejection of UN Inspectors Led To Mistrust Over WMD and 2003 Invasion)

2004 Sadr ordered his followers to seize Najaf shrine and attack Coalition forces in south starting 2^nd Battle

of Najaf

(Musings On Iraq article on 2^nd battle of Najaf)

(Musings On Iraq book review Battle For The City Of The Dead)

(Musings On Iraq book review US Marines in Battle An-Najaf August 20014)

2004 Mahdi Army kidnapped 18 police demanding release of their militiamen in return for freeing officers

2005 Integrity Commission investigated a number of corrupt deals made by Defense Ministry under Allawi

govt One Defense Ministry deal was with Poland’s Bumar that included helicopters that turned out to be 28 years told Another deal was for ammunition which cost four times more than it was worth

(Musings On Iraq book review The Occupation of Iraq, Winning The War, Losing The Peace)

2005 Report Defense Min lacked capacity to pay supply recruit and replace personnel and carry out

promotions or deliver spare parts

2006 CENTCOM Cmdr Gen Abizaid told Senate Iraq could fall into civil war if violence continued

2006 Report outgoing UK Amb to Iraq said Iraq would be unstable for 5-10 yrs Said Iraq could breakup

along ethnosectarian lines Said had to stop Mahdi Army from becoming like Hezbollah

2006 Inter Min Bolani said rogue elements within his ministry Told parliament new uniforms and IDs

would be made to distinguish between real and fake police Said he would root out corrupt police and those accused of torture and would show results by end of August Inter Min only ordered 25,000 new uniforms for force of 145,000

(Musings On Iraq interview with Jerry Burke police and Interior Min adviser on how Badr took over Interior Ministry)

2006 Report some neighborhoods in Baghdad set up checkpoints and refused to allow police in without US

troops accompanying them

(Musings On Iraq book review Voices From Iraq, A People’s History, 2003-2009)

2006 Report of 14,000 planned reconstruction projects in Iraq more than 500 had not been started Special

Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction said start of US reconstruction effort was confused overwhelmed lacked coordination and planning

2007 Reports Iraqi parties talking about replacing PM Maliki after Iraqi Accordance Front and Sadrists

            boycotted cabinet and parliament

2007 Report Maliki govt intentionally releasing lower casualty figures for violence in Iraq to downplay

insurgency Govt said 25 dead and 100 wounded in car bombing in Baghdad Later local officials said 92 dead and 127 wounded

2014 IS seized Sinjar Zumar Wana in Ninewa Began massacre and enslavement of Yazidis

(Musings On Iraq interview with AUIS’s Christine van den Toorn on what happened to Yazidis when IS invaded Sinjar) 

(Musings On Iraq article on how KRG tried to cover up what happened to Yazidis in Ninewa)

(Musings On Iraq interview with journalist Wladimir van Wilgenburg on dispute between KDP Hashd and Yazidis in Sinjar)

2014 IS attacked north into Irbil

2015 Protest in Pirzin Irbil over power cuts and water shortages

2017 Sadr called for mass demonstrations over passage of provincial council law

2018 Protests in Baghdad 2 in Basra Najaf Karbala Qadisiya Muthanna Babil Dhi Qar Maysan for better

services

View the Iraq History Timelines

This Day In Iraqi History - Aug 2

1914 Ottomans signed alliance with Germany that would bring Mesopotamia into WW1

1924 Yasin al-Hashemi became 2^nd PM of Iraq Was ordered to organize elections for an assembly to draft a

constitution

1933 Iraqis met with French again Told Assyrians couldn’t stay in Syria Assyrians had been disarmed

voluntarily Only 415 had gone to Syria Were another 350 on border on Iraqi side Iraqis asked whether Assyrians would be given back weapons when returned but French said nothing

(Musings On Iraq book review of The Tragedy of the Assyrian Minority in Iraq)

(Musings On Iraq book review State and Society in Iraq)

1968 Iraq announced it would seek better ties with Soviet Union and China

1983 Iraqi forces retreated 15 mi south of Mehran Iran back to Iraqi border Iraq launched

counterattack stopping Iranian Op Wa al-Fajr 3 Iranian forces dug in around Mehran

1986 Saddam offered peace agreement to Iran Was rejected by Tehran

1988 Iraq bombed Oshnaviyah, Iran with mustard gas wounding 2,680 people

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Anthony Tucker-Jones on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review Iran-Iraq War, The Lion of Babylon, 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War)

1990 Saddam invaded Kuwait originally claiming there was a coup and emir called on Iraq for help Saddam

then changed justification for invasion by saying an opposition govt had overthrown Sabah family and asked for help

1990 Iraq said it would only be in Kuwait for days-weeks until Provisional Free Kuwait Govt asked it to

leave

1990 Iraq accused Kuwait of being involved in foreign and Zionist plots

1990 Most of Arab world did not report on Iraq’s Kuwait invasion until 2 days later

1990 Kuwait’s ruling Sabah family tipped off about invasion US flew them to Bahrain and then Saudi

Arabia Called for resistance against the Iraqis

1990 Iraq could not find any credible Kuwaitis to establish a provisional govt to run country for it

1990 Iraq banned foreign travel for its nationals

1990 Bush NSC meeting focused on how Iraq invasion of Kuwait would allow Baghdad to control oil

market Wondered if Iraq would invade Saudi Arabia to seize its oil Made no decision on what overall policy to take Decided to go to UN gain international support impose sanctions

1990 Natl Sec Adv Scowcroft talked to Bush said he wanted to address next NSC meeting and express

steadfastly that US would not allow Kuwait invasion to stand Bush agreed Discussed using force to expel Iraq from Kuwait

1990 NSC’s Near East Dir Haas drafted memo on using sanctions and military options to deal with Iraq’s

invasion of Kuwait 

1990 Bush met PM Thatcher who said Kuwait invasion couldn't stand and troops had to be sent to Middle

East Bush agreed Thatcher said that if Iraq’s aggression was allowed to stand no small country could ever feel safe

1990 US stopped loan guarantees to Iraq due to Kuwait invasion Froze Iraqi and Kuwait assets in US

1990 Bush told reporters he was not thinking of using force in response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait

1990 Joint Chiefs chairman Gen Powell told Gen Schwarkopf he thought US would go to war over Saudi

Arabia but not Kuwait

1990 UN Resolution 660 demanded Iraq’s immediate withdrawal from Kuwait Said Iraq and Kuwait had to

use talks to resolve problems

1990 Joint US-USSR statement condemned Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait

(Musings On Iraq book review from storm to Freedom, America’s Long War with Iraq)

1992 Kuwait and Saudi officials argued that Iraq should be divided along ethnosectarian lines to stop threat

of country to Persian Gulf

2002 DIA report on debate over aluminum tubes Iraq tried to buy DIA sided with CIA that tubes were for

centrifuges Said matched 1950s German centrifuge design

(Musings On Iraq article on the aluminum tubes story)

2004 Marines just given control of Najaf came under attack 1^st time by Mahdi Army in city as passed near

Sadr’s house Led to attacks by Mahdi Army in Baghdad, Kuwat, Nasiriya, Amara, Basra

(Musings On Iraq book review US Marines in Battle An-Najaf August 20014)

2004 Al Qaeda in Iraq War Min Abu Masri executed Turkish civilian Murat Yuce

2007 Saudis told Sec State Rice and Def Sec Gates that they were not funding Iraqi insurgency Said

wouldn’t support Iraqi govt Said Iraq was a threat because terrorists could come from there into Saudi Arabia

(Musings On Iraq article on Saudi role in insurgency)

2008 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 article on female suicide bombers)

2011 Car bomb at Holy Family Syriac Church in Kirkuk 2 other car bombs defused at other churches in city

2012 Turkey’s Foreign Min Davotoglu visited Kirkuk City which Iraq’s Foreign Ministry called interference

in Iraqi affairs

2015 Protests in Seysaib in Irbil and Dhi Qar Babil and Najaf over lack of services

2018 Protesters blocked road to West Qurna 1 oil field in Basra Gave govt 48 hours to answer their demands

View the Iraq History Timelines 

Postwar Situation In West Mosul - Many Unresolved Issues

Old City West Mosul (Al Jazeera)

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is the main group working with Iraq’s displaced population (IDPs). In June 2019 it released the results of survey work it did in West Mosul, the most war damaged area in Iraq. It talked with people that stayed in the city during the Islamic State occupation, those the fled and have now returned, and those that are still displaced. The IOM found that there are still major unresolved issues for the district including a lack of rebuilding, services, schools and jobs, along with distrust and resentment.

This Day In Iraqi History - Aug 1

1921 Gertrude Bell wrote US diplomat that England carried King Faisal on its shoulders into power

(Musings On Iraq book review of Gertrude Bell And Iraq)

(Musings On Iraq book review Gertrude Bell, Explorer of the Middle East)

1979 22 coup plotters sentenced to death 33 others given prison time

1982 Iran made final attack in Basra as part of Op Ramadan Failed

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Anthony Tucker-Jones on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq interview with author Tom Cooper on Iran-Iraq War)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review Iran-Iraq War, The Lion of Babylon, 1980-1988)

(Musings On Iraq book review The Iran-Iraq War)

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

1982 Dawa bombed Planning Ministry in Baghdad

1990 Iraq walked out on talks with Kuwait held in Saudi Arabia Kuwait offered to cancel Iraq’s oil debts

worth $14-$15 bil and lease Werba Island Kuwait and Saudis offered to pay $10 bil to Iraq for ending dispute Iraq said no and demanded $27 bil

1990 Revolutionary Command Council and Regional Command met to hear about meeting with Kuwait No

progress Invasion order given

1990 US intelligence found Iraq moved divisions within 3 miles of Kuwait border

1990 Chief DIA analyst for Middle East believed Iraq would invade Kuwait CIA thought invasion imminent

1990 Pentagon meeting included SecDef Cheney and Joint Chiefs head Gen Powell Agreed Iraq would   not invade Kuwait

1990 NSC Deputies Committee decided Iraq was going to invade Kuwait after artillery units detected

Committee said Bush should send Saddam warning not to invade Kuwait

1990 NSC’s Haas convinced Natl Sec Adv Scowcroft to talk to Bush about warning Saddam not to invade

Kuwait

1990 NSC’s Haas and NatlSecAdv Scowcroft convinced Bush to call Saddam to warn him about invading

Kuwait Then got news of invasion

(Musings On Iraq book review from storm to Freedom, America’s Long War with Iraq)

2001 Paper on increasing pressure on Saddam and supporting Iraqi opposition presented to NSC

2002 Senate Foreign Relations Committee began hearings on possible postwar Iraq scenarios Senator Biden

warned that unless US gained international support it could spend $70-$80 bil rebuilding Iraq

(Musings On Iraq book review Leap of Faith, Hubris Negligence, and America’s Greatest Foreign Policy

Tragedy)

2002 Iraq invited Chief UN Inspector Blix to Baghdad for talks about new inspection regime

(Musings On Iraq article UN Inspectors Were Right Iraq Was Not A Threat)

(Musings On Iraq article Iraq’s Rejection of UN Inspectors Led To Mistrust Over WMD and 2003 Invasion)

2002 CIA made 1^st paper explaining assessment of aluminum tubes Said they were for nuclear program Said

high specifications showed they were for centrifuges

(Musings On Iraq article on the aluminum tubes story)

2002 Clinton’s National Security Adviser Sandy Berger OpEd in Washington Post said just because US

could overthrow Iraq didn't mean it should do it Berger said power did not mean legitimacy

2003 CIA Iraq station chief showed Bremer document from Saddam’s secret police calling for

sabotage looting ambushes Suggested Saddam planned insurgency Later proven false Was for guerrilla tactics against invasion

(Musings On Iraq article Did Saddam Plan the Insurgency?)

2003 New US training program to rebuild Iraq’s army began

2003 After trip to Iraq DepDefSec Wolfowitz said most Iraqis glad US liberated them from Saddam

Said US commanders rejected more troops to help secure Iraq Said Iraq could pay for its own reconstruction using oil and frozen assets Said invading Iraq was crucial to fight international terrorism Said invasion of Iraq and creating democracy could be start of transforming entire Middle East

(Musings On Iraq book review Iraq’s Future The aftermath of regime change)

(Musings On Iraq book review Wanting War: Why the Bush Administration Invaded Iraq)

2004 Al Qaeda in Iraq bombed 6 churches in Baghdad and Mosul 12 killed 71 wounded

2005 Battle of Haditha began

2005 Oil Minister Uloom announced gas cooking gas and kerosene rationing to ease to help with shortages

2005 Constitution commission said it was deadlocked because didn’t have authority to make major

decisions

(Musings On Iraq interview with constitutional scholar Zaid al-Ali on Iraq’s constitution)

2005 Ex-CIA officer claimed spring 01 received intelligence that Iraq had ended its uranium enrichment

program years ago

2007 Iraqi Accordance Front withdrew 6 ministers from cabinet claiming PM Maliki was excluding them

from govt that PM was sectarian and no reconciliation

(Musings On Iraq article on Accordance Front boycott)

2007 US intel report Iraq polarized State and ISF weak Increased extremism US needed to increase ISF loyal

to govt Sectarian politics likely to continue Iraqi elite unlikely to agree upon reconciliation Shiites insecure about holding power Leads to mistrust and lack of reconciliation Many Sunnis don’t accept minority status Sunnis think Shiites Iranian tools ISF short on equipment and couldn’t handle security

2007 US Govt Accountability Office found Pentagon couldn’t account for $19.2 bil worth of equipment it

gave to ISF Pentagon also said it only delivered 1/3 of equipment meant for Iraqi army and less than half of equipment for police

2008 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 article on Kurdish protests over election law)

(Musings On Iraq book review Iraq After America, Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance)

2012 Russia’s Gazprom signed deal for 2 oil blocks in KRG

2012 KRG said it would restart oil exports for Baghdad to try to get a new revenue deal with the central

govt

2015 Protests in Basra and Karbala over lack of electricity and services

2018 Protests in Dhi Qar Basra Muthanna Najaf 4^th day of sit in protest in Muthanna

View the Iraq History Timelines