Crackdown draws U.S. forces deeper into Iraq's militia fight Mar 29, 2008
In Washington, President Bush said the battle against Shiite extremists presents "a defining moment in the history of Iraq" and a "necessary part of the development of a free society.". DEFINING MOMENT. (USA Today)
Letters for Wed., March 19, 2008 Mar 20, 2008
We are still waiting for you to step up and admit your many errors about the recent history of Iraq, the connections to al qaeda and 911 would be a nice start. When you can admit your falsehoods and accept accurate stories of the past, perhaps your stories of the future will be bothered with. (North County Times)
Letters to the Editor - 3/18/2008 Mar 19, 2008
If Mr. Pulse truly believes that, then he convinently has over looked the history of Iraq, prior to our invasion. The numbers of mass graves should be only one indication as to how Iraq's were "living in peace" under Hussein. (North County Times)
Ahmadinejad makes 'brotherly' trip to Iraq Mar 3, 2008
"It seems as though the Iraqis restrained Ahmadinejad and laid down some kind of line on what he could say," said Marr, author of The Modern History of Iraq. The first-ever visit to Iraq by an Iranian leader was announced beforehand and his convoy traveled from the airport to central Baghdad amid relatively normal security precautions. (USA Today)
Britain 'as inept as US' in Iraq Jan 22, 2008
Charles Tripp of the School of Oriental and African Studies, and author of the standard work, A History of Iraq, said that apart from this meeting in Downing Street, "I can't remember participating in any meaningful seminar on Iraq with the Foreign Office.". Political Alerts. (Guardian Unlimited -- World)
Bush Speaks To Cheering Troops In Kuwait Jan 13, 2008
(January 12, 2008)--President Bush says when the history of Iraq is written, the final page will say ``Victory was achieved by the United States of America for the good of the world. . (KWTX.com, TX)
Arming SaddamHow the UK sold 70m of defence equipment to Iraq in one year Dec 28, 2007
In light of the subsequent history of Iraq, it seems almost unthinkable that 30 years ago Britain sold millions of pounds of military equipment to the country's Baathist government. Saddam Hussein (left) took power from Gen al-Bakr (centre) in 1979. (BBC News -- UK)
U.S. gamble on sheiks is paying off Dec 27, 2007
"Some of the U.S. military have so focused on this, they may have gone a little overboard," says Phebe Marr, author of The Modern History of Iraq. "We're empowering a very traditional and, presumably, not very modern form of government.". (USA Today)
Touchy, feely in the kill chain Dec 18, 2007
In an interview on National Public Radio, Schachtman said: "Originally, the idea was to have civilian and military teams where the civilians had at least PhDs and really knew Arabic or knew Iraqi culture well. But they've been having trouble recruiting enough people and so they'd have to drop their standards, and so now they are people with Masters in let's say religious studies or even political science, that don't necessarily have expertise in Iraq or Afghanistan per se going over there. The... (Asia Times Online)
Iraq Torture House Found; Iran Thwarts Arms Flow Nov 16, 2007
"I think we're at here an historical point in the history of Iraq," said Boozer, commander of Multi-National Division-North in Iraq. Boozer said it appears Iran is keeping its promise to Iraqi leaders to helping stop the flow of roadside bombs into Iraq, which has contributed to a decrease in attacks. (Fox News)
Ali: Pakistan's Travails Nov 13, 2007
We dont want the history of Iraq to be repeated here in Pakistan, she announced. Fair enough. (Zmag.org)
Riot police deployed to prevent rally Nov 10, 2007
"We have seen what happens in Iraq. There was a dictatorship, the people revolted, and there was a bloody end ... We don't want the history of Iraq to be repeated here in Pakistan.". The threat was underscored in Peshawar, 160 km (100 miles) to the west, where a suicide bomber attacked the home of the minister for political affairs, Amir Muqam. (Guardian Unlimited)
Reader's Alley Nov 7, 2007
Just read an letter to the editor giving a history of Iraq since 3000 B.C. Since then, there has been at least six times that the Arabs have traded turns owning the place, after a bloody battle each time. I m sure macho males resist giving up territory. (Helena Independent Record, MT)
DoD News Briefing with Secretary Gordon England, Paul Brinkley and Minister Fawzi Hariri at the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. Sep 5, 2007
It is the first time in the history of Iraq that we have such an initiative. And it is a detriment (sic) to the policy of the government. (DOD DefenseLINK -- News)
Maliki blunted by party's fears Aug 4, 2007
"There is not a single Iraqi who is not affected by the recent history of Iraq," said Qazi, the U.N. envoy. "And all of these things make governance extremely difficult for anyone.". (MSNBC -- International)
COLUMN: To understand Iraq's future, learn its past Aug 4, 2007
Answering these questions requires knowing the history of Iraq and the Middle East. The troubles in Iraq actually began in October 1914, when the Ottoman-Turk Empire entered World War I against Russia, Britain and France. (U-Wire.com)
Around the Square - U.N. involvement needed to help end Iraq war Jul 18, 2007
When a person looks at the history of Iraq, a big question will come to mind. Read a little bit and see if you don t wonder why this country and any other parts of the world are concerned with its destiny. (Canton Daily Ledger, IL)
Soldier awed by history of Iraq, sad to see such turmoil Jul 17, 2007
News - newsjournalonline. TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2007. (Daytona Beach News Journal)
Further delay on Iraq withdrawal too costly Jul 15, 2007
NO SHORTAGEOF TURNING POINTS "A turning point will come in less than two weeks. On June the 30th, full sovereignty will be transferred to the interim government. The Coalition Provisional Authority will cease to exist, an American embassy will open in the capital of a free Iraq. President Bush, June 18, 2004 "Tomorrow the world will witness a turning point in the history of Iraq, a milestone in the advance of freedom, and a crucial advance in the war on terror ... " President Bush, June 28, 2005... (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Iraqi court sentences "Chemical Ali" to death Jun 24, 2007
It was the "logical if brutal conclusion of the policies pursued by the regime towards the Kurds," wrote historian Charles Tripp in his book, a "History of Iraq.". The trial heard evidence from survivors, some still bearing the scars of the poison gas attacks, and prosecutors presented forensic data unearthed from mass graves across Iraq. (Yahoo News -- Top Stories)
Iraq's cultural heritage in ruins Jun 16, 2007
Mariam Muhammad, a senior official at the ministry, said: "We are seeing the history of Iraq being lost and because of violence we cannot move to afford protection. Professionals in the area are being killed on [a] daily basis and our employees are afraid to leave their homes.". Haythem Abdel-Lattef, 56, an archaeologist who was working at the Babylon heritage sites south of Baghdad in 2006, chose to leave Iraq seven months ago after one of his sons was kidnapped. (Aljazeera.Net)
Spiritual support Jun 1, 2007
In the two-hour session given on May 23 in front of a group of 70, Ren Lawson gave a short history of Iraq from Mesopotamia through to the current war. Careful not to touch on political issues, Lawson then gave a slide show of about 60 photos he had taken while serving as a chaplain in Iraq and related his individual story. (McKinney Courier-Gazette, TX)
Vietnam vets compare Iraq war to their battles May 29, 2007
"One trip to Vietnam was enough. Not two. And now they're asked to do three, said veteran Paul Washington. Blumenthal can hear Truman's line: The only thing new in the world is the history you don't know. "We failed to recognize the history of Iraq and the history of warfare, including Vietnam. " So how does the country get out of this? I don't have an answer, Blumenthol said after a pause. I pray about that every day.". (KHOU.com, TX)
Baghdad backs US withdrawal timetable May 11, 2007
"We think that America has committed a grave injustice against the Iraqi people and against the glorious history of Iraq, when they destroyed our institutions and then rebuilt them in the wrong way," said Hussein al-Falluji, a Sunni lawmaker who supports the timetable proposal. Several legislators, including those loyal to Maliki, doubted the effort would succeed at a time when Iraqi troops still rely heavily on US firepower. (Boston Globe)
Iraq 'is university of terrorism' Apr 17, 2007
"The largest batch of soldiers for jihad in the path of God in the history of Iraq are graduating and they have the highest level of competence in the world." Baghdadi, speaking to mark the fourth anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq, also said that his group was increasingly confident of success. "The fear of the American marines has disappeared from the hearts of the people of the world, as the mujahidin have become thousands from the few they were after the fall of the infidel Baath... (Aljazeera.Net)
Shi'ite power bloc in Iraq takes shape Apr 4, 2007
One of the oddest developments in the recent history of Iraq has been the growing connection between the young firebrand cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, and the highest-ranking Shi'ite cleric, Ayatollah Ali Sistani. In 2003, the erratic politics of Muqtada, with his mix of Arab nationalism and militant chiliastic ideology, was considered eventually to collide with Sistani's quietist form of Shi'ism, which advocates that clerics should maintain a clear distance from day-to-day state politics. (Asia Times Online)
U.S. Diplomat Feels Renewed Sense of Hope Mar 15, 2007
The last 30 days have seen important developments in the history of Iraq, Speckhardt said. The Iraqi government has taken steps to improve security, governance, economic development and economic opportunities, he noted. (DOD DefenseLINK)
Some see Biden's peace proposal as best hope for Iraq Mar 4, 2007
Phebe Marr, author of The Modern History of Iraq, said she thinks the Biden-Gelb plan is too simplistic because Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds have several internal factions fighting for supremacy. "The assumption that these groups are homogeneous is erroneous," Marr said in a telephone interview from her Florida home. (AZCentral -- News)
Letter to the Editor Feb 6, 2007
Mr. Ramagli also suggests that the president's new plan should be given a chance; however, anyone who has studied the history of Iraq and the current situation vigilantly comprehends that the Iraq problem requires a political solution instead of a military one, and this is precisely what the Iraq Study Group has suggested. But, unfortunately the president has completely ignored the recommendations of this bipartisan panel and insists on a troop surge. (Daily Collegian, PA)
Blair`s scandal Feb 1, 2007
Leo - study some history of Iraq and you will quickly realize the context of the remark. Jerry FitzgeraldJan 31st, 2007 - 17:00:22. (Monsters and Critics.com)
History becoming a thing of the past Jan 25, 2007
Opponents of the Iraq adventure like to say it would never have happened if the leaders of the coalition of the willing knew their history, especially the history of Iraq in the early 20th century. But one of the proponents of the invasion was Bernard Lewis, the best-known Western historian of the Middle East. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Former ambassador, author lays out reality of Iraq Jan 24, 2007
The history of Iraq and the fundamental divisions among a stable Kurdish region, a Shiite area and a Sunni- and Shiite-divided Baghdad, is a roadblock to stabilizing the country, Galbraith said. "Unless you can make these people into (unified) Iraqis, a strategy that involves U.S. stabilizing Baghdad and handing off to Iraqis is never going to work and of course there is no way that we can transform them into something that they are not," he said. (WCAX.com, VT)
US military may join Iraq against militia leaders Jan 14, 2007
"Even if the Iraqis had the will -- and that's a big question -- to do something about sectarian violence, it's going to be a very bloody business," said Phebe Marr, a specialist on Iraq's emerging political parties and author of "The Modern History of Iraq.". "This could make Sadr even more popular," Marr said. (Boston Globe)
- Mary Riddell: Blair can still make the world a better place Jan 14, 2007
Yet this was the most potentially dangerous week in the recent history of Iraq. In Washington, the air is thick with the smoke of burning bridges. (Guardian Unlimited)
Experts remain skeptical of Iraqi premier Jan 11, 2007
Phebe Marr, author of "The Modern History of Iraq," said: "The weakness of Iraq is that it doesn't have a government such as you and I understand the word. "The institutional structures that we would expect to underpin an effective government have been badly eroded. Even if Maliki has the intention to carry these things out, what has he got to work with. (Los Angeles Times)
Hussein -- terrorist or terrorized? Jan 4, 2007
It perfectly mirrors decades of U.S. meddling in the history of Iraq, beginning with U.S. support for Hussein's Baath Party when it overthrew Iraqi nationalist Abdul-Karim Qassem because we feared he was tilting ever so slightly to the Soviets. In fact, Hussein, like Osama bin Laden and the other Islamist fanatics our CIA recruited and helped to wage Holy War against the Soviets, is a monster at least partially of our creation. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Opinion)
