Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in Western Asia that borders Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, Kuwait to the southeast, Saudi Arabia to the south, Jordan to the southwest, and Syria to the west.

Topography of Iraq

Ethnic Groups of Iraq

Iraqis Mesopotamian Arabs 75-80% of the population Majority since the Sassanid Empire 97% are Muslim, majority Shi’a

Kurds Second largest ethnic group 15-20% Persian decent Often called for independence Brutally persecuted

Turkmen Live mainly in the north 5% Descendants of the Turks Suffered Arabization and Kurdification

Assyrians 2% Origins in ancient Mesopotamia Aramaic Christian Eastern Orthodox Persecution, massacre and attempted genocide

Sumerian Empire Southern Iraq Sumer One of the earliest in human history Irrigated farming and granaries for food surplus Cuneiform Greatest achievement Laws, stories, personal letters and religious beliefs

Assyrian Empire Northern Iraq, Syria and parts of Turkey 2500 BC to 605 BC First military power in history Camels in warfare, invented siege weapons and metal wheels on chariots

Babylonian Empire Central and southern Iraq 1894 BC to 911 BC Babylon Hanging Gardens Tower of Babel Hammurabi Law code Presumption of innocence and providing evidence

Persian Empire Founded by Cyrus the Great Extended from modern-day Pakistan to Turkey Largest empire of all time Greco-Persian Wars First postal system Centralized government Official language Aramaic

Greek Empire 331 BC, Alexander the Great defeated the Persian king Darius at the Battle of Gaugamela Extended the border to India Died without an heir, empire split Perdiccas gained control of present-day Iraq, assassinated by Seleucus Created the Seleucid Empire

Roman Empire Euphrates River Easternmost border Parthia Roman province under Emperor Trajan in 116 AD Revolts from both Parthians and Assyrians Abandoned the region in 363 Many Assyrians adopted Christianity

Sassanid Empire Last to rule before the rise of Islam Main power in western Asia Clashed with the Roman-Byzantine Empire for more than 400 years Trade and exchange with Byzantines and Chinese created a rich culture Considered to be a high point in Iranian civilization Much of medieval Islamic culture, such as architecture and poetry was adopted from the Sassanids

Abbasid Caliphate Between 634 and 651 Arab Muslims fought the Persians for control of Irag Built the city of Baghdad Largest immigration of Arabs into the region Settled in central and southern Iraq North mainly Assyrian and Christian Abbasid Caliphate lasted until 1258 when the Mongols sacked the city Khwarizmi was a great Muslim Mathematician during the Abbasid Caliphate. He was one of the first founders of Algebra.

Baghdad Located on the Tigris River Founded in the 8 th century Capital of Iraq today Center of learning, science and culture in the Muslim world First city to reach over 1 million people Now ranked one of the least hospitable places to live

Ottoman Empire 1533 to 1918 Divided into three vilayets (provinces) Mosul, Baghdad, and Basra After collapse Iraq was occupied by the British

Kingdom of Iraq 1921, monarchy under Faisal I 37 years and three kings Tensions existed with the British who refused to truly give up control Five attempted coups Brief control by a pro-Nazi government during WWII

Kingdom of Iraq Faisal I Ghazi I Faisal II

Anglo-Iraqi War 1941, members of the Golden Square, high ranking military officers Toppled the British-backed Iraqi government Began a British military campaign to reoccupy Iraq and reinstate the monarchy Rebels were defeated Strong resentment of the British Hashemite Monarchy

Republic of Iraq Under British control until 1947 Violent protests against the government connection with the British and later the formation of Israel 1958, inspired by Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nassar, under the leadership of Abd al-Karim Qasim the monarchy was overthrown and Iraq declared a republic

Iraqi-Kurdish Wars War and rebellions by the Kurds began shortly after the fall of the Ottoman Empire and continue today Kurds have had numerous leaders Short-lived Kingdom of Kurdistan Backed by Iran in the Iran-Iraq War Genocidal campaigns by the Ba’ath Party Kurdish autonomy after 2003 but tensions remain

Ba’ath Party 1963, Iraqi PM Abd al-Karim Qasim was overthrown and assassinated Coup was allegedly backed by the British government and American CIA due to communist leanings Ba’ath means “renaissance” Call for Arab nationalism, socialism and the unification of the Arab world into a single state

Saddam Hussein Fifth president of Iraq, dictator until 2003 Took over in 1979 Nationalized the oil industry and took control of state-run banks Fought a costly war with Iran Known for genocidal campaigns against the Kurds Brutal treatment against majority Shia population Overthrown and hanged in 2006

Iran-Iraq War Inconclusive war over border disputes and dominance Tactics like WWI, trench warfare, barbed wire, assaults over No Man’s Land, and use of chemical weapons by the Iraqis US supported Hussein War ended in a basic stalemate

Halabja Chemical Attack Part of the al-Anfal Campaign or Kurdish Genocide March 16, 1988 Multiple chemical agents Mustard gas, nerve gas, and hydrogen cyanide Largest chemical weapons attack directed against a civilian population in history, crime against humanity Led to the hanging of Ali Hassan al-Majid (“Chemincal Ali”) Part of the trial of Saddam Hussein

First Persian Gulf War 1990 – Iraqi forced invaded and annexed Kuwait Disputes over historical borders and oil drillings Saddam Hussein refused to withdraw Coalition forces from 34 countries attacked Iraq Operation Desert Storm US forces along with Saudi Arabia, Great Britain and Egypt

Iraq Invades Kuwait UN Security Council Resolution 678 (authorized military force to be used against Iraq.) August 2, 1990

“Operation Desert Storm”

U. S. Military Leaders General Colin Powell General Norman Schwarzkopf

The Ground War

U. S. Female Soldiers Everywhere is a combat zone!

Range of Iraqi Missiles

Saddam Lobs SCUD Missiles Israel & Saudi Arabia: The fear of bio-chemical attacks.

President George H. W. Bush with General Schwartzkopf

Kuwait is Liberated

Allies March to Baghdad Iraqis cheer Allied forces. Iraqis soldiers surrender.

“Highway of Death”

400 Iraqi Oilfields on Fire An environmental disaster!

U. N. No-Fly Zones

1990s: Iraqi Targets

U.S. Invasion of Iraq After September 11 attacks calls for removed of the Ba’ath government in Iraq President George W. Bush accused Hussein of violating 16 U.N. resolutions and producing “weapons of mass destruction” March 2003, American forces and its allies invaded Iraq

Reasons for Going to War Against Saddam (according to the U. S. and Britain)  Saddam kicked out U.N. weapons inspectors.  WMDs  Weapons of Mass Destruction.  Saddam did not obey the No-Fly Zone limitations.  He was a savage dictator.  Stop Saddam before he can launch nuclear missiles against Israel, Europe, or even the United States.

Allied Advance on Baghdad

“Shock & Awe!” Coalition forces attack Baghdad (again).

Anti-War Protestors

Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf Saddam’s Minister of Information (better known as “Baghdad Bob”)

“Baghdad Bob”

The Dictator is “Toppled”

“Mission Accomplished” President George W. Bush lands on board the USS Abraham Lincoln (May, 2003) President George W. Bush lands on board the USS Abraham Lincoln (May, 2003)

Saddam Is Captured! December, 2003

The American Soldier: 2003

Capt. Dawn Halfaker One of many female soldiers killed or wounded in Iraq.

An Interim Iraqi Government is Created (June, 2004) Prime Minister Ayad Allawi

The Scandal at Abu Ghraib Prison

1/30/05 – The Vote! Courage at the Polls!!

A Growing Insurgency Former Baathists and foreign terrorists (Al-Qaida, etc.)

Abu Masab Al-Zarqawi Jordanian member of al-Qaeda who pledged allegiance to Osama Bin Laden Founded the group al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, better known as al-Qaeda Wanted for numerous acts of violence, including the beheading of two American civilians Also focused his attacks on Shia Muslims Killed in June 2006

Mujahideen Shura Council Umbrella organization of Sunni Islamist groups Iraqi insurgency of the US invasion Consists of at least six fighting groups 2006 – officially disbanded and replaced by the Islamic State of Iraq

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria Originated in al-Qaeda Joined with other insurgent groups and became known as the Islamic State of Iraq After entering the Syrian Civil War the group became known as ISIS or Islamic State Self-proclaimed caliphate and claims religious authority over all Muslims worldwide

Islamic State Goal is to establish political control over Muslim-inhabited region of the world Human rights abuses Ethnic cleansing Al-Qaeda has even cut ties with IS

Aby Bakr al-Baghdadi Leader of the Islamic State Known as Caliph Ibrahim Claims descent from the prophet Muhammad Second only to Ayman al-Zawahiri, leader of al-Qaeda In 2013, al-Qaeda disavowed any relationship with him due to his operations in Syria

Peshmerga “those who confront death” Kurdish freedom fighters who have existed since the 1920s Currently engaged in fighting the Islamic State