IRAQ SECTION • 1a-Terminology • 2-Invasion • 3-Pre-2003 • 4-Perfect Storm • 5-Links - -------------------------------------------- cont. from page 1 See also: Wikipedia Information/Resources: CNN (2007/06/17) Troops find missing U.S. soldiers' ID cards http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/06/16/iraq.main/index.html Excerpt: "Coalition forces raided a suspected al Qaeda in Iraq safe house near Samarra on June 9 and discovered the identification cards" of Spc. Alex R. Jimenez of Lawrence, Massachusetts, and Pvt. Byron W. Fouty, of Waterford, Michigan, a military news release said. NBC (2007/05/16) Fort Drum recalls missing dead soldiers 4 killed during ambush http://www.nbcnews.com/id/18695899 Small inputs on the deceased and leaders involved in the search for abducted. Excerpt on Byron Fouty, one of the ones abducted and tortured: Dressed smartly Cathy Conger, 49, said Fouty lived with her family for 14 months, during which time he earned his GED and enlisted in the Army.Conger said she last saw Fouty in December when he returned home following boot camp. The well-mannered youth she remembered was suddenly grown up, she said, dressed smartly in a military uniform."He looked so handsome," Conger said, adding that Fouty told her then that he was headed for Iraq. "He wasn't scared," she said. "He was real brave about it." LA Times (2007/07/19) Search for U.S. soldiers, answers after May attack. By Tina Susman https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-jul-19-fg-search19-story.html Army dot Mil (2008/0/15) Missing 10th Mountain Soldiers recovered, returned home after determined search. By Staff Sgt. Michel Sauret, MND-C PAO https://www.army.mil/article/10876/missing_10th_mountain_soldiers_recovered_returned_ home_after_determined_search Draw-Down Period 2009 June Baghdad USA Drawdown Period -Incident South of the Gold Wall, During a time the USA was drawing down in Iraq; Army 2-5 Cavalry, Colonel Timothy Karcher serious injured in EFP blast Book The Endgame, by Gordon and Trainor, “The Odd Couple” chapter, p. 590 Excerpt: “On June 18, the American battalion tasked with patrolling the area south of the Gold Wall, 2-5 Cavalry, formally handed authority for security in the slum to the 11th Iraqi Army Divion, but the American unit continued to patrol regularly there. On June 28, the battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Karcher (a veteran of the 2004 battles of Najaf and Fallujah) was driving through Sadr City when his MRAP was hit by an array of several EFPs. The copper slugs penetrated the MRAP’s armor and tore both of Karcher’s legs off. The attack, American intelligence learned, had been conducted by a cell of the Promised Day Brigades based nearby in Shaab. Even though the Americans were leaving under the terms of the SOFA, the Iranian-backed group was determined to foster the narrative that the occupiers were being driven out. Criminal Incidents on part of USA 2006/06 101st Airborne Division’s 502nd Infantry Regiment Stripes (2006/10/08) Tall Task for 10th Mountain in Mahmudiyah. Iraqi town infamous for insurgent attacks, allegations of troop misconduct. By Anita Powell https://www.stripes.com/news/tall-task-for-10th-mountain-in-mahmudiyah-1.55134 5-TROOP MISCONDUCT 101st Airborne Division, 502nd Infantry Regiment-Mahmudiyah Rape/Killing Incident; notice Green allegedly suicided later in 2014 in jail Wikipedia Mahmudiyah Rape and Killings by American soldiers https://en to wikipedia dot org/wiki/Mahmudiyah_rape_and_killings [Note from RG/PF: Wikipedia 2020/02/03 - although this material likely has factual data, watch for any bias in this particular article because it sounds suspiciously sympathetic to the victim, as if written by someone who knew them; although we cannot tolerate American soldier brutality of this nature, we still need to check our resources in Wikipedia and elsewhere.] Excerpt: Green and the other soldiers who participated in the incident lied to the Iraqi Army soldiers who arrived on scene immediately after the incident, telling them that it had been perpetrated by Sunni insurgents. These Iraqi soldiers conveyed this information to Abeer's uncle, who viewed the bodies. This lie prevented the event from being recognized as a crime or widely reported amidst the widespread violence occurring due to the 2003 invasion and occupation of Iraq. Sergeant Yribe learned of their torture and he told Private First Class Justin Watt, a newly assigned soldier to Bravo Company, that Green was a murderer. Private Watt conducted a personal inquiry about this alarming act by a fellow soldier and coworker. He talked to other members of his platoon who revealed to him that the gang-rape and murder had in fact occurred. Watt then reported what he believed to be true to another Non-Commissioned Officer in his platoon, Sergeant John Diem. Watt trusted Sergeant Diem; he told him that he knew a terrible crime had been committed and asked for his advice, knowing that if he reported the crime he would be considered a traitor to his unit and could possibly be killed by them. Sergeant Diem told him to be cautious, but that he had a duty as an honorable soldier to report the crimes to the proper authorities. Unfortunately, they did not trust their chain of command to protect them if they reported the war crime. As a result, Private First Class Watt asked to speak with a mental health counselor, thereby bypassing the chain of command to report the crimes. On June 22, 2006, the rape and the murders came to light when Watt revealed them during a mental health counseling session and on to Army criminal investigators. Before Watt reported the crimes, Green had previously been honorably discharged from the Army on May 16, 2006, before the crime was recognized, with "antisocial personality disorder". The FBI assumed jurisdiction for the crime committed by Green under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act and the U.S. Department of Justice charged him with the murders. https colon //en dot wikipedia dot org/wiki/Mahmudiyah_rape_and_killings 2014 Green found possibly suicided from a hanging in his cell in Tucson, Arizona U.S. soldier convicted of Iraq rape, murders found hanged in prison https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-iraq-soldier-suicide/u-s-soldier-convicted-of-iraq-rape-murders-found- hanged-in-prison-idUSBREA1I03V20140219 A former U.S. Army soldier sentenced to life in prison for the 2006 rape and murder of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and killing of her parents and sister, was found hanged in his cell, The Los Angeles Times reported on Tuesday, citing prison officials. Stripes (2006/10/08) Tall Task for 10th Mountain in Mahmudiyah. Iraqi town infamous for insurgent attacks, allegations of troop misconduct. By Anita Powell https://www.stripes.com/news/tall-task-for-10th-mountain-in-mahmudiyah-1.55134 Excerpt: (Early Photo of Mike Kershaw in article) By contrast, he said, Mahmudiyah, the small, ethnically mixed town inside Iraq’s “Triangle of Death,” is “not the worst place I’ve ever been in the war on terror.”But the town of about 110,000 residents has had its share of notoriety, grabbing headlines earlier this year while under the purview of the 101st Airborne Division’s 502nd Infantry Regiment. In June, two 502nd soldiers were abducted by insurgents, tortured and killed. Later that month, a soldier from the unit accused five other soldiers of gang- raping a 15-year-old girl, then killing her and four members of her family in March.Later that month, a soldier from the unit accused five other soldiers of gang-raping a 15-year-old girl, then killing her and four members of her family in March. (Also in Encounters) 6-IRAN-IRAQ-USA Reuters: 2007/08/05 Iraq Air Force wants Iran to return its planes. Ross Colvin https //www reuters com/article/us-iraq-airforce/iraq-air-force-wants-iran-to-give-back-its-planes- idUSCOL54415720070805 Exerpt: Security information Web site GlobalSecurity.org estimates that half of the air force fled to Iran in 1991, just three years after the end of the Iran-Iraq war, rather than confront Coalition planes.Much of the rest of the air force was destroyed during the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.Iraq’s air force is slowly rising from the ashes of decades of war and sanctions that wiped out its fleet of combat aircraft, once reputed to be the world’s sixth-biggest https //www reuters com/article/us-iraq-airforce/iraq-air-force-wants-iran-to-give-back-its-planes- idUSCOL54415720070805 7-INJURIES See also-HONORS Iraq related See also EFPs Military Times.com-2015/07/14 PTSD moved to separate page Afghanistan v. Iraq/Stressors etc Fallujah/PTSD Victims (Marlboro Marine, Tan Mai) CNN (2018/05/30) One-third of US military injuries in Iraq, Afghanistan weren't from battle. By Susan Scutti https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/30/health/afghanistan-iraq-war-injuries-study/index.html Excerpt: Car accidents, falls, equipment mishaps and other nonbattle incidents caused about a third of all injuries sustained by nearly 30,000 US service members during three military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to research published Wednesday in the medical journal JAMA Surgery.These accidents also claimed the lives of more than one in 10 injured service members deployed to those conflicts, the study found.Air Force grounds all aircraft for one day following accidentsAir Force grounds all aircraft for one day following accidents."Nonbattle injury among deployed forces may have different possible causes, deplete medical resources, increase costs, decrease mission capabilities, and result in long-term disability for injured service members," wrote the research authors, led by Dr. Tuan D. Le of the US Army Institute of Surgical Research at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/30/health/afghanistan-iraq-war-injuries-study/index.html CBS (2018/07/08) Video Clip - Wounded warrior becomes artist after losing both arms-in-iraq. By David Martin. https://www.cbsnews.com/video/wounded-warrior-becomes-artist-after-losing-both-arms-in-iraq/ Wounded warrior Peter Damon's injuries helped him discover a talent he never knew he had. Despite losing both arms in Iraq, Damon is now an artist creating about 30 paintings a year Huffington Post 2011/12/30) How Many U.S. Soldiers Were Wounded in Iraq? Guess Again.By Dan Froomkin https://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-froomkin/iraq-soldiers-wounded_b_1176276.html Excerpt: Reports about the end of the war in Iraq routinely describe the toll on the U.S. military the way the Pentagon does: 4,487 dead, and 32,226 wounded. The death count is accurate. But the wounded figure wildly understates the number of American servicemembers who have come back from Iraq less than whole. The true number of military personnel injured over the course of our nine-year-long fiasco in Iraq is in the hundreds of thousands — maybe even more than half a million — if you take into account all the men and women who returned from their deployments with traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress, depression, hearing loss, breathing disorders, diseases, and other long-term health problems. We don’t have anything close to an exact number, however, because nobody’s been keeping track. The much-cited Defense Department figure comes from its tally of “wounded in action“ — a narrowly-tailored category that only includes casualties during combat operations who have “incurred an injury due to an external agent or cause.” That generally means they needed immediate medical treatment after having been shot or blown up. Explicitly excluded from that category are “injuries or death due to the elements, self-inflicted wounds, combat fatigue” — along with cumulative psychological and physiological strain or many of the other wounds, maladies and losses that are most common among Iraq veterans. The “wounded in action” category is relatively consistent, historically, so it’s still useful as a point of comparison to previous wars. But there is no central repository of data regarding these other, sometimes grievous, harms. We just have a few data points here and there that indicate the magnitude. Consider, for instance: The Pentagon’s Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center reports having diagnosed 229,106 cases of mild to severe traumatic brain injury from 2000 to the third quarter of 2011, including both Iraq and Afghan vets. A 2008 study of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans by researchers at the RAND Corporation found that 14 percent screened positive for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and 14 percent for major depression, with 19 percent reporting a probable traumatic brain injury during deployment. (The researchers found that major depression is “highly associated with combat exposure and should be considered as being along the spectrum of post-deployment mental health consequences.”) Applying those proportions to the 1.5 million veterans of Iraq, an estimated 200,000 of them would be expected to suffer from PTSD or major depression, with 285,000 of them having experienced a probable traumatic brain injury. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-froomkin/iraq-soldiers-wounded_b_1176276.html 8-DEATHS See also-HONORS Iraq related CNN (2013/10/30) Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn Fast Facts https://www.cnn.com/2013/10/30/world/meast/operation-iraqi-freedom-and-operation-new-dawn-fast- facts/index.html September 6, 2004 - The number of US troops killed in Iraq reaches 1,000. December 30, 2006 - The number of US troops killed in Iraq reaches 3,000. March 22, 2008 - The number of US troops killed in Iraq reaches 4,000. Daily Kos Honoring the Dead in Iraq May 2007; CNN Iraq Casualties site is listed as a resource here; this site has a by year and by name aspect from 2003 up to 2010 https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2007/6/3/342252/- Huffington Post (2011/12/30) How Many U.S. Soldiers Were Wounded in Iraq? Guess Again.By Dan Froomkin https://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-froomkin/iraq-soldiers-wounded_b_1176276.html NPR Toll of War https://www.npr.org/news/specials/tollofwar/tollofwarmain.html The Toll of War in Iraq: U.S. Casualties and Civilian Deaths Chart U.S. military casualties and civilian deaths in Iraq month by month against key events in the war -- and hear about the lives of those who died fighting.Iraq War Coverage The Impact of War New York Times: (2012/02/28) US Military Deaths in Iraq in Afghanistan https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/28/us/us-military-deaths-in-iraq-and-afghanistan.html The Department of Defense has identified 4,477 American service members who have died since the start of the Iraq war and 1,888 who have died as part of the Afghan war and related operations. It confirmed the deaths of the following Americans recently. Iraq: AL-TAIE, Ahmed K., 41, Staff Sgt., Army; Ann Arbor, Mich.; Fourth Infantry Division. Afghanistan: BORN, Joshua A., 25, Sgt., Army; Niceville, Fla.; 385th Military Police Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade. CONRAD, Timothy J. Jr., 22, Cpl., Army; Roanoke, Va.; 385th Military Police Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade. LOFTIS, John D., 44, Lt. Col., Air Force; Paducah, Ky.; 866th Air Expeditionary Squadron. MARCHANTI, Robert J. II, 48, Maj., Army; Baltimore; 29th Infantry Division Security Partnering Team of the Maryland Army National Guard. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/28/us/us-military-deaths-in-iraq-and-afghanistan.html Wikipedia Casualties of the Iraq War Summary - Iraq War 2003 -2010 - Casualties and Human Cost This article is about casualties of the Iraq War from 2003 to 2010. For casualties of ongoing insurgency, see Casualties of Iraqi insurgency (2011–present).White and red flags, representing Iraqi and American deaths, respectively, sit in the grass quadrangle of The Valley Library on the Corvallis, Oregon, campus of Oregon State University. As part of the traveling Iraq Body Count exhibit from 2008 to 2009 (not related to Iraq Body Count project), the flags aim to "raise awareness of the human cost of the Iraq War." (May 2008) Estimates of the casualties from the conflict in Iraq (beginning with the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, and the ensuing occupation and insurgency) have come in many forms, and the accuracy of the information available on different types of Iraq War casualties varies greatly. Credible estimates of Iraq War casualties range from 150,000 to 460,000.[1] Other disputed estimates, such as the 2006 Lancet study, and the 2007 Opinion Research Business survey, which likely overestimates mortality put the numbers as high as 650,000 and 1.2 million respectively, while Body Counts, which likely underestimate mortality put the numbers as low as 110,000.[1] https colon //en dot wikipedia dot org/wiki/Casualties_of_the_Iraq_War As of June 29, 2016, according to the U.S. Department of Defense casualty website, there were 4,424 total deaths (including both killed in action and non-hostile) and 31,952 wounded in action (WIA) as a result of Operation Iraqi Freedom. 9-UNITED KINGDOM INVOLVEMENT IN IRAQ, OTHER ALLIES UK UK military deaths in Iraq BBC (2016/07/07) UK military deaths in Iraq https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-10637526 The UK lost 179 servicemen and women during the campaign that followed the invasion of Iraq on 20 March 2003. Many of those who died were killed by roadside bombs or in clashes with insurgents while on patrol. Others died as a result of accidents, so-called "friendly fire" strikes, suicide or natural causes.The six-year British military mission came to an end in April 2009. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-10637526 The Guardian: (2018/06/07)War Crimes British Troops/Iraq Historic Allegations Team. By Samira Shackle https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/jun/07/british-troops-war-crimes-iraq-historic-allegations-team Excerpt: In Iraq, this question of command responsibility was particularly important. Numerous public inquiries have concluded that five banned interrogation techniques were widely used by British soldiers. These techniques – hooding, white noise, sleep deprivation, food deprivation and stress positions – were outlawed by the UK in 1972 and breach the Geneva conventions. But by the time of the Iraq war, training manuals did not mention that these techniques were forbidden. Nor did the manuals formally advocate using these techniques – they simply were not mentioned at all. Institutional knowledge of the ban seemingly having been lost, in the chaos of the war – where thousands of Iraqi men and boys were arrested without adequate holding facilities – soldiers may have been told by commanding officers to, for instance, hood detainees. This meant that, under Ihat, soldiers could theoretically face criminal prosecution for things they were told by their commanders to do. https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/jun/07/british-troops-war-crimes-iraq-historic-allegations-team OTHER ALLIES Afghanistan and Iraq page 274, Chapter 11 on A Final Assessment, Ballard, Lamm and Wood, From Kabul to Baghdad and Back “Enduring Freedom combat operations began with air strikes on Taliban targets in Afghanistan on October 7, 2001, just three weeks following the attacks in New York City. The United States led an impressive coalition of more than sixty-eight nations in this effort; all united against the Al-Qaeda perpetrators of the terrorist attacks and their supportive Taliban hosts. In fact NATO even considered the attacks justification for invoking Article V of the allieance character - it was perhaps the most emotionally unified coalition since the Second World War 10-SOME MENTIONED DIVISIONS IN THIS SECTION (IRAQ) 1) Army, 101st Airborne Division, 502nd Infantry-2006-Rape of Iraqi girl, killing her and her family; Ambushes;Abductions- Torture/Death; See Battles/Incidents, See Stripes-2006/10/08 above in 10th Mountain Div/2nd Brig 2) Army, 10th Mountain Division, Second Brigade-Atkins-Honors; See Battles/Incidents, See also: Honors/USIP dot org-(2017/06/28); Honors/Atkins, Travis/2019 and earlier; 3) Army 1st Cavalry Division, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Battalion-200-Bacevich killed by suicide bomber See Battles/Incidents 11-NAMES SOME MENTIONED IN THIS SECTION (IRAQ) - VERY BRIEF Albin [Capt. Cameron Albin] Anzack Jr [PFC Joseph John Anzack Jr.,] Atkins [Staff Sgt. Travis Atkins/Army/Honors/ in Stripes-2015/11/13 and Army dot mil-2019/03] Austin [Gen. Lloyd Austin/Army] Bacovich, [Andy, Jr. Army-1st Cavlary DIvsion] Bolgiano [David "Bo" Bolgiano/Army] Connell, Jr. [Sgt. First Class (SFC) James David Connell Jr] Note: Connell had a premonition of his death Cotton[Senator Tom Cotton/Army] Courneya [Pfc. Daniel Courneya] Dunford [Joseph Dunford/Marines-Marine Corps General] Fouty [PVT Byron Wayne Fouty-Battles/Incidents/Mouhmudiya] Jimenez [SPC Alex Ramon Jimenez] Jimenez was abducted and tortured Kershaw [Col. Mike Kershaw/Army in Stripes]; Menchaca [Army Kristian Menchaca] Messer Christopher [Army Sergeant] Had a premonition early on of his death, he died according to the nature of the precognitive visions or dreams Murphy [PFC Christopher Edward Murphy] Schober [ SGT Anthony Jason Schober] Tucker [Army Thomas Tucker] Weston [ PFC Daniel Weston/Battles-Incidents] 12-LATER ERA IRAQ, 2018 AND BEYOND Mosul -Shifts to Secularism among certain youth (2018) The Atlantic: (2018/07/05) The Rise of Iraq's Young Secularists On Facebook and in the cafés of decimated Mosul, they envision a country free from political Islam. Do they have a shot? Alice Su https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/07/iraq-secular-sectarian-election- mosul/564452/ Excerpt: Without their own militias, patronage networks, or political candidates, the secular youth in Mosul say they are at least laying the groundwork for eventual reform; the ravages of isis have, surprisingly, given them room to do so. “We want Muslim society to think critically,” Saleh said. “People need faith and spirituality. You can worship a stone if you Without their own militias, patronage networks, or political candidates, the secular youth in Mosul say they are at least laying the groundwork for eventual reform; the ravages of isis have, surprisingly, given them room to do so. “We want Muslim society to think critically,” Saleh said. “People need faith and spirituality. You can worship a stone if you want,” Hadidi said. “Just don’t throw that stone at me.” https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/07/iraq-secular-sectarian-election- mosul/564452/ More Recent Issues in Iraq after 2017 2018 in just the month o fJuly alone: July 17, 2018 Daesh has no safe haven in Iraq - SOUTHWEST ASIA - Iraqi Security Forces, including the Peshmerga, conducted coordinated clearance operations July 16 to eliminate Daesh presence in Iraq. July 13, 2018 Maghawir al-Thowra Captures Eleven Daesh Fighters in Southern Syria - SOUTHWEST ASIA – The Maghawir al-Thowra, an Operation Inherent Resolve partner force in Syria, detained 11 Daesh fighters inside the 55-kilometer deconfliction zone in southern Syria, July 10, 2018. July 13, 2018 Coalition and Iraqi artillery supports Operation Roundup - SOUTHWEST ASIA -- South of Sinjar, Iraq near the Syrian border, Iraqi and Coalition troops lived and worked side-by-side for more than a month as they shelled Daesh in Syria. July 7, 2018 Maghawir al-Thowra Captures Daesh Fighters in 55km Deconfliction Zone - SOUTHWEST ASIA -- The Maghawir al-Thowra, an Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) partner force in Syria, detained nine Daesh fighters who were traveling through the 55-kilometer deconfliction zone (DCZ), located in southern Syria. July 6, 2018 U.S. senators see Coalition and partner security efforts, need for international stabilization efforts in Iraq and Syria - SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Three United States senators and key staff joined Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Syria this week. Independent: (07/04/2018) After Isis is gone, Iraq will continue to be a deeply corrupt country. Patrick Cockburn https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/iraq-isis-corruption-airstrikes-baghdad-patrick-cockburn- a8434371.html Excerpt: Though there is talk of reforming this system, it is politically dangerous to do so because the networks of corruption and patronage established themselves too long ago and involve too many powerful people and parties https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/iraq-isis-corruption-airstrikes-baghdad-patrick-cockburn- a8434371.htm US News: (2017/11/08) 5 Ways the US can build off optimism in Iraq. By Hardin Lang https://www.usnews.com/opinion/world-report/articles/2017-11-08/5-ways-the-us-can-build-off- optimism-in-iraq Such a partnership could serve several U.S. interests, maximizing the odds that Iraqis can hold the line against the Islamic State group's successor, Iranian domination or relapse into civil war. But it will take sustained, holistic American engagement to lay the foundation. What would that mean in practice? https://www.usnews.com/opinion/world-report/articles/2017-11-08/5-ways-the-us-can-build-off- optimism-in-iraq NPR 2018/07/04 By Jane Arraf From Deep in the Iraqi desert a new US fire base targets ISIS in Syria https://www.npr.org/2018/07/04/625581972/from-deep-in-the-iraqi-desert-a-new-u-s-fire-base-targets-isis-in- syria Exerpt: From Deep In The Iraqi Desert, A New U.S. Fire Base Targets ISIS In Syria Few of the U.S. soldiers at the base are aware of what happened a few miles away four years ago, when ISIS killed thousands of Yazidis and forced thousands of women into sexual slavery. The plight of the Yazidis, members of a terrorized religious minority trapped with no food or water after they escaped to Mount Sinjar, helped bring the U.S. into the war against ISIS in 2014…."The big picture, I think, we're just trying to take care of destroying the enemy – trying to support the Iraqis and Syrians as they fight ISIS," says Sgt. Jason Powell from the 4th squadron 3rd Cavalry Regiment.U.S. Marines from the 3rd Battalion 7th Marine Regiment protect the base and are responsible for maintaining contact https://www.npr.org/2018/07/04/625581972/from-deep-in-the-iraqi-desert-a-new-u-s-fire-base-targets-isis-in- syria NPR (2018/07/02) Along The Iraq-Syria Border, U.S. Troops Focus On Defeating ISIS ISIS Wives, With Children In Tow, Are Handed Long Jail Sentences Or Death Penalty Pentagon Questioned Over Blackout On War Zone Troop Numbers Iraq Works To Form New Government https://www.npr.org/2018/07/02/625406747/along-the-iraq-syria-border-u-s-troops-focus-on-defeating-isis Al-Sadr, Muqtada NPR (2018/05/18) Muqtada Al-Sadr's Win In Iraq Is Dredging Up Tough Memories For Some U.S. Soldiers May 18, 2018 • Iraq has just held parliamentary elections, and the apparent winner is a coalition dominated by an unlikely politician, Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. I say unlikely because until recently, Sadr was better known for leading a militia, the Mahdi Army, which fought and killed American troops.In 2004, Muqtada al-Sadr and his Mahdi Army fought ferociously against the U.S. in Iraq. Hundreds of U.S. soldiers lost their lives and many more were wounded. Now the Shiite cleric turned politician is celebrating his first election victory. NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Eric Bourquin and Peter Salerno, who both served in Iraq and fought Sadr, about their view on his win. SALERNO: When my battalion left Iraq in March of '05, when we went down to Kuwait, it was right after the elections in 2005 in February. And I honestly believed that all the blood and treasure at that point had been worth it. My interpreters were coming in on Election Day, and they were literally crying. They were so happy. They were hugging us. They were telling us, this is the greatest day in Iraq. And I honestly thought we had done something good. And over the years, just watching it unravel the way it has has been absolutely heartbreaking - absolutely heartbreaking for me. See-related: While Petraeus credited the surge for the decrease in violence, the decrease also closely corresponded with a cease-fire order given by Iraqi political leader Muqtada al-Sadr on August 29, 2007. Al-Sadr's order, to stand down for six months, was distributed to his loyalists following the deaths of more than 50 Shia Muslim pilgrims during fighting in Karbala the day earlier.[75] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_War_troop_surge_of_2007 https://www.npr.org/2018/05/18/612441140/muqtada-al-sadrs-win-in-iraq-is-dredging-up-tough-memories-for- some-u-s-soldiers NPR (2018/05/15) Former US ambassador to iraq discusses election results https://www.npr.org/2018/05/15/611389703/former-u-s-ambassador-to-iraq-discusses-election-results 13-VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF IRAQ Wikipedia/Iraq War https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Iraq Excerpt: Military History of Iraq, broad and brief summary The military history of Iraq, due to a rich archaeological record, is one of the longest in written human history. The region of Iraq, which used to be Mesopotamia, has been referred to as the "cradle of civilization", and wars of conquest have been recorded in this region as far back as the third millennium BC. The area possesses strategic value, initially for the rich, fertile agricultural region in the Mesopotamian plain, and more recently for large petroleum deposits and access to the oil-rich Persian Gulf. The present territory of Iraq lacks significant strategic barriers, making it difficult to defend against foreign invasion. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Iraq 14-IRAQ WAR CONTRACTORS CNN: (2013/03/19) Iraq War Contractors https://www.cnn.com/2013/03/19/business/iraq-war-contractors/index.html 15-OTHER ALLIES OF THE USA IN IRAQ - OIF Other Information Defense One 2015/09 By Marcus Weisgberger Alternative View of Numbers of Killed and Wounded From Iranian IEDs https //www defenseone com/news/2015/09/how-many-us-troops-were-killed-iranian-ieds-iraq/120524/ Explosively formed penetrators — a particularly deadly form of roadside bomb — killed 196 American soldiers in Iraq over a five-and-a-half-year period, according to recently declassified Pentagon

LINKS - List of Links of this section - separate page Draw-Down Period 5-TROOP MISCONDUCT 6-IRAN-IRAQ-USA Iran-Iraq-USA: Iranian proxy or direct warfare in Iraq against Americans, Sunni-Shiite issues with Iranian link, Coalition forces, Weaponry 7-INJURIES (ALSO VETERANS ISSUES) PTSD moved to separate page Afghanistan v. Iraq/Stressors etc Fallujah/PTSD Victims (Marlboro Marine, Tan Mai) 8-DEATHS 9-UNITED KINGDOM INVOLVEMENT IRAQ 10-SOME MENTIONED DIVISIONS 11-SOME MENTIONED NAMES 12-IRAQ, 2018 AND BEYOND Shifts to Secularism in Mosul (2018) 13- VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF IRAQ 14-IRAQ WAR CONTRACTORS 15-OTHER ALLIES OF THE USA IN IRAQ - OIF Al-Sadr, Muqtada PAGE 1a (Previous Page) 1-BOOKS 2-TERMINOLOGY (BRIEF) 3-OPERATIONS 4-BATTLES, ENCOUNTERS-INCIDENTS IN HIGH INTENSITY AREAS

IRAQ SECTION Brief • 1 General Information o 1a-Terminology o b-Operations o c-Battles, Encounters, incidents • 2-Invasion • 3-Pre-2003 • 4-Perfect Storm • 5-Links More Detail • 1 General Information o 1a-Terminology o b-Operations o c-Battles, Encounters, incidents • Iraq-2 5-Troop Misconduct 6-Iran-Iraq-USA 7-Injuries (also Veterans Issues) 8-Deaths 9-United Kingdom Involvement Iraq, other allies (Afghanistan and Iraq) 10-Some mentioned divisions 11-Some mentioned names 12-Iraq after Op End. Freedom 13- Very brief history of Iraq 14-Iraq War Contractors 15-Other Allies of the USA in Iraq - OIF • Iraq-3 • Iraq-4a Case Study “Perfect Storm” • Iraq-4b • Iraq-5-Links • See also • Incidents/Deaths US Combat Zones Iraq, etc • Taps-1a Memorial • Taps-1b Articles • Islamic Resources • Islamofascism • Road Bombs