Why were Americans being killed in Iraq nearly every
day of 2004? When did it become a guerilla war? Why and how are Iraqis being killed? (Through
1/05)
Also
see "Deaths" FAQ), "Op-Ed
views" , "Between
War and Peace" Graphic/Map
and "Violence
post Jan. -05 elections" and "Post-Zarqawi
Violence 2006"
Only in October 2004 was the group established, "Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia (Iraq)."
Fallujah (more below) is the city 35 miles from Baghdad with some of the worst post-war violence. Americans had shot and killed demonstrators in April and have been targeted ever since in this Sunni stronghold.
|
Throughout May and June 2003, Rumsfeld and military leaders refused to describe the attacks on Americans as centrally organized, but merely random. The "Saddamists" were "in their last throes", we were told |
Veteran British journalist Robert Fisk dates the beginning of the insurgency as to when US forces killed about 12 Iraqi protestors. Fisk's book on the Middle East over the past 30 years, out in late 2005, is a lengthy but interesting read. I also recommend British correspondent Cock burn. He was in Iraq, outside of the Green Zone, as much as any reporter since 2003. His 2006 book is Occupation, which I've read in its entirety.
When the US forces first came to Fallujah, they came without a single translator and upset many by searching women. When protests materializes, US forces shot some of them.
By early July, however, Americans military leaders in Iraq and the mainstream press had picked up the label of guerilla war, including top general in Iraq Abizaid. The next week, President Bush said it was not a guerilla war. Others were starting to label it a quagmire, bringing comparisons to Vietnam. See #21 for details on Vietnam. The commander of allied forces in Iraq, Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez, said on July 4, "We're still at war" though President Bush had declared an end to major combat in May 1 onboard the USS Abraham Lincoln off the coast of San Diego. The administration continued to be confident that there were enough troops on the ground and that progress was being made in many areas of the country.
| The President was more blunt to those killing American troops: "Bring 'em on." However, in mid-July, Rumsfeld hinted that more troops might be needed. |
As an aside, in January 2005, as the President's inaugural approached, he admitted that the words were not wise and tried to put them in context: "Sometimes, words have consequences you don't intend them to mean. 'Bring 'em on' is the classic example, when I was really trying to rally the troops and make it clear to them that I fully understood, you know, what a great job they were doing. And those words had an unintended consequence. It kin of, some interpreted it to be defiance in the face of danger. That certainly wasn't the case."
On July 5, 2003 the killing of Americans took a new turn, as Iraqis being trained as policemen began to be targeted and seven were killed. The message seemed to be, don't cooperate with the Americans. In mid-July a U.S. transport plane used flares to avoid being shot down.
As U.S. forces starting turning over police duties in the hotbed of Fallujah, a top military spokesman said, "Democracy brings responsibility. We'll see if the Iraqis can handle it" (Tribune, 7/15/03). 28,000 of the 60,000 Iraqi police needed were on the job by mid-July. The next week an Iraqi militia was announced, which could help relieve U.S. troops with its 7000 strong force. In late August we learned that some of the police would be trained in Hungary. At that time Bremer said there were 40,000 police but he needed 60,000. There was controversy over how long a training period they would need to be effective.
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In July and August 2003, there was more Iraqi on Iraqi killing, both in the Kurdish north and other areas. On August 19, a huge car bomb at the Baghdad UN headquarters killed over 20 UN workers, including the UN leader in Iraq, Mr. deMello. At least 80 were injured in this worst attack to date as a three story building was left in ruins. That same day a Palestinian suicide bomber in Jerusalem killed 20 and injured over 100, as the "road to peace" seemed even more at risk. |
As a result, the UN took out 90% of its workers, despite assurances that they would not be intimidated. Most aid organization also withdrew.
Who are the guerillas? Who are the suicide bombers? This question would be continued to be asked for at least two years, and the US was never certain of the answer. Through July 2003, most of those being killed are not in British-controlled Basra or the Kurdish north, but in the "Sunni triangle" north and west of Baghdad, a stronghold for Hussein. Those who kill Americans were being referred to in various ways, depending on one's perspective or bias. In July it has become interesting to notice what they were called: "resistance forces" or "insurgents" (news reports) "trained killers" (Bremer), "Baathist dead-enders" (Rumsfeld), "criminal gangs of sadists and gangsters" (Rumsfeld's deputy Wolfowitz), "Saddhamist guerillas (William Safire, columnist), "subversive elements" (U.S. General), or "Iraqi fighters". In August reports began of "terrorist outsiders" linked to alQaeda and entering through Iran and Syria. In October, NPR consistently used the term "Saddam Loyalists" to describe the ever more frequent and bloody attacks. Experts often see suicide bombings as not typical of Iraqis and so assume these are foreigners who entered the country after the war began.
For updates on naming insurgents, see "Violence '05" FAQ.
The continual deaths of Americans is affecting American's views on the war, as polls show. For example, by mid-July more the half of the country thinks the level of U.S. casualties is "unacceptable". Part of the problem is insufficient translators for the troops. In mid-July the number of Americans killed in combat exceeded those killed in the first Gulf War, 146. Through June and July, Americans woke up to reports of one or two Americans killed nearly every day. Late July included the most deadly day in the past three months, until the UN bombing. In late July, about 10 days after the deadly bombing of the UN headquarters in Baghdad, came the bombing of the holy mosque of Najaf, the burial site of Ali, Islam founder Mohammed's son-in-law.
By late August 2003 more American had died since the President announced the end
of "major combat" than had died during the war (138). Many
more American were being wounded, reported the September 2 Washington
Post. Over 1100 had been wounded through the end of August. Some
historians saw parallels between August of 2003 and the bombing of American
forces in Beirut in 1983.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A30829-2003Aug22?language=printer
From March to August, 300 Americans had died and 1500 had been injured.
Until late August, the number of those injured was usually not reported by the
Pentagon. "Peace is
Hell" is the Time magazine cover story in mid-July. By
mid-October the numbers of Americans
killed had risen to 325, as reported by the New York Times. A
sadly typical mid-October day was when four
more Americans were killed. http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A39850-2003Oct17?language=printer
After a few week lull in car bombings, another one occurred in Baghdad on
October 9.
For more details and updates, see
"Deaths" FAQ.
Who is organizing the attacks? In the pre-Sadr days, this was not clear. Hussein's bodyguard, interviewed by a Newsday reporter who spoke on NPR, said that the resistance was not planned at the top or planned before the war. By October, Brig. Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the commander of the First Armored Division said that he had not seen "any infusion of foreign fighters" in Baghdad, but the next day President Bush felt some of the suicide bombers were coming through the borders with Syria and/or Iran. Clearly, both would agree that the series of suicide bombing on one morning in late October were closely planned.
A mid-August Newsweek analysis, "Inside the Enemy Cell," met and interviewed these guerillas...
On August 19, NPR's Ann Garels reported that Iraqis serving as translators or training as police are increasingly targeted. Before one killing, a list of names was circulated and those accused were demanded to stop working for Americans or else.
Just as "guerilla" is a negative word the administration is loath to use, so with "occupation" (for months never used), "war" ("invasion" or "disarmed by force" were preferred) and "quagmire" (still not used).
Some fear that Iraq will become like the West Bank has for Israel or like Chechnya has for Russia. Like Somalia in '93, society must be rebuilt and the battle is for the hearts and minds of the people.
The President, Rumsfeld, and Bremer usually referred to the insurgents of spring 2004 as Baathist remnants, jihadists, foreigners, common criminals, and terrorists. In late April 2004, a Pentagon study detailed on the front page of the New York Times concluded that the attacks had been planned by Saddam's secret service before the war. The report "does not address the question of how broad-based support the insurgency is.
After the bombing of the Jordanian Embassy on August 7 and the UN headquarters in Baghdad the third in a series of attacks was the most bloody. August 29 brought the horrific car bombing of the sacred Imam Ali Shia mosque in Najaf. This attack killed at least 100, including the Ayatollah Bakr al-Hakim. Hakim had been tortured and imprisoned by Hussein and was the leader of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, formed in Iran. Hakim's uncle had been targeted a few days earlier in an attack that killed three of his bodyguards. As his brother joined the U.S.-led governing council, Hakim was seen as cooperating with the U.S. occupation. Hakim's brother, on the U.S.-appointed Council, blamed the U.S. and desired U.S. troops leave Iraq.
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Hakim's rival, Moqtada Sadr, who is anti-American, condemned the attack. Sadr's father was a prominent Shiite ayatollah assassinated by the Hussein regime in the 1990s. In October the 30 year old Sadr began trying to mobilize his forces against the U.S. occupation and challenged the U.S.-appointed Council. He was upset that his newspaper had been closed down by the CPA. How strong is Shiite support for Sadr? NPR examined Sadr's following on October 23. By spring we would see how strong Sadr's support really was. |
A
fourth bombing in less than a month occurred at a police station. In
September, a bombing in northern Iraq targeted an American base of
operations. Then, in mid-September came more bad news. After a 7 day
period of no American deaths, U.S.
troops killed 8 Iraqi police, again near the city of Fallujah.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A64243-2003Sep12?language=printer
In October the story of American troops cutting down valuable trees added to the controversy, as reported in the British press and later by NPR's Jackie Lyden on October 21.
For more on these two religious leaders see, "If Not Hussein" pre-war FAQ section.
One week later a report surfaced from Human Rights Watch that the U.S. had needlessly killed numerous civilians since the end of formal hostilities (May 1) but seemed hesitant to investigate. The Chicago Tribune and The Washington Post both examined the story in "Group Faults U.S. Tactics Against Civilians in Iraq." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55860-2003Oct20.html
By late September the administration began to emphasize the Iraqization of security. One hopes that the growing number of Iraqi security and police will lead to decreases in the level of violence. As of late November, this seemed not to be the case.
On October 23, the media reported that in a memo Donald Rumsfeld expressed that the war was not going well. and would be a "long, hard slog", as daily attacks on Americans increased to 35 a day. The media did not generally report the number of those injured but not killed, nor on the severity of those injuries. Nonetheless, through the end of October, President Bush complained that the good news (more electricity, rebuilt schools, local elections) was being overlooked by the negative media.
The most deadly attacks in months came at the start of Ramadan on October 26-27, where the Al Rashid hotel was attacked. The next day brought coordinated attacks by suicide bombers in Baghdad, where over 40 were killed in organized attacks and more than 200 were injured "in the bloodiest day in the Iraqi capital since the U.S. occupation began" (Chicago Tribune and Wash Post) The Tribune front page headline "Wave of suicide attacks kills dozens in Baghdad" included, "The barrage of attacks suggested that insurgents are far more organized and sophisticated than the American military has anticipated. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22737-2003Oct27.html
Attacks
on Iraqi police
were becoming more common as a strategy during the fall months. One
day in late March saw an ambush which killed
11 Iraqi police.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A16920-2004Mar23?language=printer
President Bush responded by first stating that "the more progress we make on the ground" in terms of freedom, schools, and jobs, "the more desperate these killers become." The next day with a rare news conference defending his policy, he called Iraq "a front on the war on terror" and vowed that "they're not going to intimidate America. Multiples times he described Iraq as "dangerous." Full text of the press conference is 16 pages.
On October 28, the number of Americans killed in the war topped 350. Still, a
ban on pictures of flag-draped coffins continued as administrative
policy. http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/1103-09.htm
For more details and updates, see
"Deaths" FAQ.
Just when we thought the most violent week was over, on November 2 an American helicopter was shot down near Fullajah, killing 16 Americans, in the most bloody incident for Americans of the entire war. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51540-2003Nov2.html
Only 5 days later a quicker, more agile Black Hawk was downed near Hussein's hometown of Tikrit. Six more Americans were killed, bringing the one week death toll to over 30, a rate of over 1500/year. President Bush's reactions included, , "This country will not be intimidated." He stressed the importance of "staying the course."
Then, the bloodiest month in six months got worse with another
car/truck bomb killing at least 18 of Italians in southern Iraq on November 12,
the day after Veterans Day. Italy vows to stay on as a U.S. partner, but the war
is increasingly unpopular in Italy.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29271-2003Nov12.html
During his visit to the UK in mid-November, the President urged England to stay "resolute". The President had limited contact with the thousands of demonstrators. See his complete speech.
By late November 2003, the military was reporting that their "get
tough" policy was resulting in fewer
attacks on Americans, but more attacks on Iraqis deemed to be
cooperating with the occupation forces. http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A13053-2003Nov25?language=printer
November ended about being the worst month of the
war in terms of Americans killed, including April. November totals
were 81 Americans killed.
"Making Enemies" vividly describes the harsh tactics of American forces in storming houses, keeping detainees for months, holding family members of suspects, and arresting the wrong people. However, American forces explain that "in order to avoid the risk that the other Ayoub would learn Apache is after him, they do not release the father of six who has the misfortune of sharing a name with the suspect." Intercepted phone conversations had recorded Ayoub speaking of proceeding to the "next level" and obtaining land mines and other weapons." but this Ayoub is a kid on the phone discussing "a video game he was playing."
Comment
those of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, "if we find WMD it was
worth it. But if we don't and we're just here because Bush wanted to
finish what his daddy started, then a lot of boys died for nothing, and that's'
f***ed up...I wonder how I would feel if someone was breaking down my
door. Or if it was my grandfather who didn't understand instruction
at a checkpoint and panicked and was shot by the foreign force...Nobody
knows who the enemy is here until they shoot at you. Any time you kick
down a door, you don't know what to expect."
http://www.progressive.org/dec03/rose1203.html
President Bush surprised U.S. troops and the entire world by flying into Baghdad for a Thanksgiving dinner with the troops. Only a few press were allowed to go with him. He was the first American President to ever visit Iraq.
| Top U.S. General Abizaid called the attackers small (about 5000) but dangerous. |  |
Into mid and late December, those killed were more often Iraqi
police, civilians, and leaders, all considered "soft
targets". Three days before Christmas we received the
word of two
more Americans killed, the most in one day since Hussein's
capture.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20984-2003Dec22.html
Then, in a 24 hour period including part of Christmas day, 5 more Americans were killed.
The news of December 28 was of four suicide attacks outside the Sunni triangle, where 90% of the attacks had taken place. This time, in and around Karbala, at least 13 were killed, including four Americans as 100 soldiers and civilians were wounded. Among those dead included Bulgarian and Thai (NYTimes). http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A34975-2003Dec27?language=printer
A
broader picture of the casualties over the last months of 2003 is
gained in Post analysis.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A34702-2003Dec27?language=printer
2004
dawned with the most deadly day for Americans since October, when nine
more died in the fifth helicopter crash of the war, first
reported on January 8.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A64423-2004Jan8?language=printer
The Chicago Tribune's front page story of January 12 describes the roadside bombings as "cheap, brutal, and anonymous." From June 15 to January 7 a total of 11,138 of the explosives were detonated, "an average of more than five per day," according to the U.S. About 70 Americans have been killed and nearly 1000 coalition forces injured. "But for all the bloodshed they have caused, the bomb's broader legacy is fear."
On January 24, 5
more Americans were killed
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45151-2004Jan24.html
February opened with the most deadly bombing in over six
months, as two
suicide bombers killed over 100 in the northern Irbil city of Kirkuk.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A9613-2004Feb3?language=printer
As Iraqi police recruits continued to be targeted for a fourth
month in February, another
suicide attack killed at least 10 in northern Iraq.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A63466-2004Feb23?language=printer
March 2004 opened like a lion in Iraq as 140 (revised to 180)
were killed as Shiite
pilgrims celebrating the death of Husayn were killed in a series of suicide
bombings and explosions. Those killed were in both Baghdad and 70 miles
southwest in the holy Shiite city of Karbala. Some Iraqi reports put the death
toll at 270. On the day John Kerry's "super Tuesday" seemed to wrap
up his nomination, the front page New York Times story reported that
the attacks "were the deadliest day in the 11 months" since Hussein
fell. The highest previous toll was 105 killed in Erbil one month earlier.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21478-2004Mar2.html
Initial reports from U.S. occupation forces were pointing blame on al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian-born Sunni militant first mentioned by Colin Powell to the UN 13 months earlier. In March 2004 a bounty of $10 million was placed on the head of Zarqawi, considered a prime suspect of bombings over the previous few months, including the UN and Red Cross.
The Times further reported that "angry crowds denounced the U.S. for failing to protect them." (3/3/04). Should the U.S. be doing more to protect Iraqis? Will Iraqis push harder to establish their own militias?
As we approached the one year anniversary of the start of the war (March 19),
four Americans died in one day (March 15) is a series of
attacks. Starting in February, American civilians were more often targeted.
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On the last day of March 2004,
we awoke to news that four
Americans "private contractors" for security had been killed
when their Humvee was attacked.
The
scene near Fallujah was brutal. U.S. military leaders
called for revenge. For example, Paul Bremer
vowed, "The deaths will not go unpunished." Other
military leaders swore to "finish the job." This is the most Americans killed in one attack in weeks, and brings the total dead for the war to over 600, as five American soldiers were killed on the same day. |
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A43397-2004Apr1?language=printer
Within Iraq, many citizens seemed to echo the
reaction of Muslim clerics, condemning the horrific treatment of the bodies,
but not condemning to killing of the Americans.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A44084-2004Apr2?language=printer
The headline on March 31 was of the plans for Rice to testify
to the 9/11 Commission. Fallujah has been a hotbed since the war began and
U.S. forces killed protestors. Would President Bush decide on a full
offensive in Fallujah as revenge for the "Fallujah Four"?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37891-2004Mar31.html
The
editorial response to what I have dubbed "the Fallujah Four"
included an increasingly rare Iraq editorial
from the Washington Post.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A43551-2004Apr1?language=printer
A
few days later the Post termed the fighting in Fallujah and against Sadr
as "A
Necessary Fight."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A53327-2004Apr5?language=printer
Also see more on Falluja in 2005 after the January 2005 elections.
The Chicago Tribune editorial of April 1 urged Americans not to "cut and run." Americans must maintain their "conviction not to let their nation's foreign policy be driven by death tolls in a far-off land...Over time, they will be defanged--provided American resist the urge to cut and run."
These four private contractors are among the thousands of mostly former U.S.-military hired by the Pentagon. This happened at the same time as the Abu Ghraib torture photos were first becoming public. Kidnappings and hostage taking also began in early April, with the victims being Americans, Japanese, Russians, and many other nationalities. The headline in Moscow on April 14 might have been "The Russian are going!" as 800 Russians in Iraq were ordered home. They were in non-combat duty.
April death toll continued to rise as 8
American soldiers were killed in one day of fighting that began as protests
by Sadr's Mahdi militia. See
"Democracy Coming" FAQ section on media and Sadr.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A50348-2004Apr4?language=printer
|
Who is Maktada al-Sadr? The 31 year old Shiite cleric is more anti-American than Sistani. The group that took responsibility for the Fallujah killings of American contractors said it was avenging the assassination of Hamas leader Sheik Yassin in the Gaza Strip. A few days after the Fallujah four, Sadr announced that "he was opening the Iraqi chapters of Hezbollah and Hamas" (NYTimes, "War's Full Fury, Down Any Road", 4/11/04) Later in April, as U.S. troops seemed to be withdrawing from Fallujah. Sadr called American "an enemy is Islam." |
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A56522-2004Apr30?language=printer
Among military and diplomatic developments in May, Sadr was asked by other Shiite leaders to withdraw his troops from Najaf and Karbala, "stop turning...mosques...into weapons arsenals and return power to Iraqi police civil defense units that operate under American control," according to the Times.
In mid-May U.S. troops were fighting Sadr's militia in Najaf, with reports of dozens of Iraqis killed nearly every day. In Najaf is the holy shrine of Ali, son-in-law and cousin of Mohammed. Damage to the dome of this mosque occurred, with each side blaming the other. U.S. tanks drove through the adjacent cemetery, the "Valley of Peace."
The
week just before Good Friday was the bloodiest in a year, with 40
Americans killed in combat and at least four other American contractors killed.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59598-2004Apr7.html
During the first 12 days of the month, 70 American military have been
killed and resulted in about 700 Iraqis killed and more than 1000 wounded.
Brig Gen. Mark Kimmitt, through a spokesman, said American forces
have no estimate of Iraqi casualties. Reports put the number of killed Iraqis
in the hundreds in and around Fallujah, with over one hundred being women
and children. Starting about April 12, cease fire talks seemed to lessen
the killing on both sides.
Secretary Rumsfeld called this period "a test of will." The administration labeled these Shiites "a small minority." When Kimmitt was asked in mid-April about televised images "of Americans and coalition soldier killing innocent civilians" he replied, "Change the channel." From the Center for Strategic and International Studies, came these ideas from Anthony Cordesman: "Never, from the day we began the planning for this operation to today, have we been able to develop an effective method of communicating with Iraqi people to explain to them how they could benefit or what we were trying to achieve. At this point...we still have not provided a convincing picture of why we are there or what the new government will be or what our aid program truly intends to achieve" (NYTimes, 4/12/04).
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In a rare prime time press conference (transcript) President Bush on April 13 spoke of the 9/11 Commission and of Iraq. He strongly urged Americans to "stay the course... finish the job...remain strong...not waver" all the bring freedom to Iraq and make the U.S. "more secure." |
Defining the spring of 2004 an "an historic moment" he felt it our duty to "change the world." His opening statements included: "This has been tough weeks in that country. Coalition forces have encountered serious violence in some areas of Iraq...The violence we have seen is a power grab by these extreme and ruthless elements. It's not a civil war. It's not a popular uprising. Most of Iraq is relatively stable. Most Iraqis, by far, reflect violence and oppose dictatorship. In forums where Iraqis have met to discuss their political future and in all the proceedings of the IGC, Iraqis have expressed clear commitments. They want strong protections for individual rights, they want their independence and they want their freedom...America's objective in Iraq is limited and it is firm. We seek an independent, free and secure Iraq...As we made clear all along, our commitment to the success and security of Iraq will not end on June 30...The success of free government in Iraq is vital for many reasons...A free Iraq will confirm to a watching world that America's work, once given, can be relied upon even in the toughest times. Above all, the defeat of violence and terror in Iraq is vital to the defeat of violence and terror elsewhere, and vital, therefore, to the safety of the American people...A desperate enemy is also a dangerous enemy, and our work may become more difficult before it is finished."
The President concluded his 17 minute opening remarks of the press
conference: "We will succeed in Iraq. We're carrying out a
decision that has already been made and will not change. Iraq will be a
free, independent country. And American and the Middle East will be safer because
of it. Our coalition has the means and the will to prevail. We serve
the cause of liberty and that is always and everywhere a cause worth
serving."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A9488-2004Apr13?language=printer
What led to the April 2004 violence on Iraqis?
1. March 22 Israel assassination of Sheik Yassin, Hamas leader in the
Gaza Strip.
2. Increased frustration over plans for direct elections.
3. Inability of American occupying forces to provide jobs and security.
4. The U.S. closing of Sadr's newspaper, a few days after Yassin's death.
5. The arrest of Sadr's second in command and the announcement of an
arrest warrant for Sadr.
On April 20 the number of Americans killed in the month reached 100. That day a series of suicide bombs rocked police stations around Basra. Nearly 70 people were killed, including children riding on a nearby school bus. Up to 200 were injured, including some British soldiers. These were the largest attacks in Basra since the war began.
Also in mid-April came the mortar attacks of a prison outside Baghdad. The prison housed Iraqis detained by U.S. forces. At least 20 Iraqis were killed and scores injured. This prison would become intimately known by Americans just days later. For more on Abu Ghraib, see "Iraqis Better Off?" section.
Throughout late April, increased violence threatened in both Sadr's Najaf and Sunni stronghold Fallujah. A three weed siege ensued. Cease-fires in Fallujah didn't hold for long, as during one cease fire the U.S. dropped 500 pound bomb and hundreds had already been killed. There was a sense of foreboding in the air. UN leader Kofi Annan directly warned the U.S. not not launch a full-scale attack on Fallujah. Then, we woke up on April 29 to hear that U.S. forces were starting to actually withdraw from the city of 300,000 and the Iraqi Security Forces would be taking over, to be called the Falluja Protective Army. The next day we learned that Iraqi General Saleh, who had been closely allied with Hussein, would lead these Iraqi troops. Since Bremer had disbanded the entire Iraqi army one year previously, it was one of the first instances of Bremer, Bush, or Rumsfeld tacitly admitted to a mistake. Could Fallujah return to peace?
A few days later Gen. Saleh past became more public and he was replaced on May 3 with Muhammed Latif, a former intelligence officer, to lead the Iraqi Security force. Latif was imprisoned for seven years in the 1990s. His group was named by the Times as the Iraqi Security Force.
Late-April and early May saw three significant new U.S. tactics, according to the Times:: ceding more power to the UN to form a transitional government, allowing Baath members to ally with U.S. forces, and reopening the question of the disbanding of the Iraqi army.
In May 2004 , already 11 Americans were killed in the first two days of the month. About 40 were injured..
Throughout May and the all-encompassing prison scandal, reports of fighting
tended to be judged by how many Iraqi insurgents had been killed. This "body
count" seems reminiscent of Vietnam. Can the U.S. kill all the
"bad guys"? Iraqi civilian deaths are not counted by the U.S. military.
For more details and updates, see
"Deaths" FAQ.
In mid-May there were signs that Sadr was not popular among many Shiites and Shiite leaders. A deal was said to be close to withdraw U.S. troops from some areas in exchange for an end to the call for his death or arrest. Also see "Good News" FAQ. With fighting every day of May, Sadr appeared to be withdrawing from some areas in late May, especially Kufu. One of his top deputies was captured in late May.
On May 27 a Najaf cease fire was agreed on, after seven weeks of nearly daily fighting. Sadr's troops were seen celebrating what they saw as a victory. Sadr had wanted US forces to withdraw from the Najaf area. Into June, a second and then a third cease fire appeared more likely to hold. It turns out that Sadr occupied Najaf for two months.
We learned on May 11 that an
American contractor had been decapitated by a group who
showed their gruesome video on the web. They said more killings would come as
revenge for the "loss of dignity" of prison torture by
Americans: "coffins after coffins." Nicholas Berg was from
Pennsylvania. For more on prison torture, see
"Abu Ghraib Torture" FAQ.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A19048-2004May11?language=printer
In Senate testimony, Deputy Defense Secretary Wolfowitz admitted, for the first time, that the Pentagon might have planned poorly. He felt the U.S. may have underestimated the enemy. A few months later (late August) President Bush, in a rare New York Times interview, acknowledged for the first time that he made a "miscalculation of what the conditions would be" in postwar Iraq.
U.S. Generals on May 31 outlined a new strategy, to focus more on rebuilding and protecting roads, power plants, and electricity and less on offensive combat operations. The U.S. would also emphasize building up Iraqi security forces. They hope an improved economy will in turn lead to better security.
In June 2004, Americans continued to be killed, though the suicide bombings killing scores of Iraqis had seemed to subside. On June 4, for example, five Americans were killed in Baghdad.
By mid-June the new pattern seemed to emerge. With less than 3 weeks until the official transfer of political power, suicide car bombs were killing Iraqis and American contractors while targeted assassinations of Iraqi political leaders continued. One day the deputy foreign minister was shot as he drove to work. The next day another Iraqi education minister was killed. Neither had been exile leaders but had worked in the Hussein government. The education minister had taught English Literature and was gunned down outside his home. Another in a series of suicide car bombs killed 35 people and wounded over 100. This was the deadliest attack since February.
On June 24 attacks in five cities killed 100 and injured 300. Most of the attacks were on police stations. In Mosul alone that day, 62 were killed. In late July another attack killed 70, the worst attack since the turnover of power.
Conflict continued in and around Fallujah during the summer, as the U.S. bombed alleged "safe houses" of insurgents three times in one week. Civilians were also killed, including 14 from one family.
The number of Americans killed reached 900 in July 2004.
| After June 30, 2004 when Bremer left and Allawi was appointed interim Prime Minister he blamed outside fighters for some of the violence. There was infiltration from Syria and Iran, Allawi believed. |  |
On August 4 heavy fighting began once again between U.S. and Sadr's militia forces, which now numbered between 700 and 1500 fighters/gunmen. Sadr vowed to stay in the holy Shiite city of Najaf (location of Ali's tomb) until his "last drop of blood." At one point Allawi threatened to send Iraqi troops to storm the holy mosque. The U.S. talked of gaining permissions from Iraqis to storm the mosque themselves. This issued strong warning from religious and political leaders around the world that an assault on the shrine could be catastrophic to the US image in Iraq and the Muslim world.
For some historical background, one should know that the Imam Ali mosque was erected in the 8th century and attracts hundreds of thousands of Shiite pilgrims every year. Ali was the cousin a son-in-law of Mohammed, and his legitimate successor, according to Shiites. In the 1920s during the Iraqi insurrection against British rule, the shrine was used by another Sadr leader. Winston Churchill expressed his astonishment at how the British had "succeeded in such a short time in alienation the whole country."
A typical Chicago Tribune headline from mid-August was "US. pounds Najaf from air, ground." U.S. forces fought in the huge holy cemetery (ironically named "Valley of Peace") by Ali's mosque, destroying parts of it. The cemetery is supposed to insure all in it "peace and tranquilly. They can't stand seeing Apaches and other military aircraft bombing the are and disturbing the graves. It's very outrageous and sad," concluded a California Shia leader. Insurgents allegedly kept weapons there. News reports showed US solders stepping on graves and destroying the photos of loved ones laid on top of the crypts. Shiites world are "chocked and outraged" said of the southern California Shiite leader. "Any attack on the city will destroy America's future in Iraq completely. and discredit American and make it the new tyrant in the eyes of Shias worldwide. The LA Times quoted other Shiites as likening any attack to "bombing the Vatican. Allawi saw this battle as a turning point in his new rule. Cease fire talks seemed close at times but repeatedly failed in mid and late August and violence continued.
 |
On August 25 Sistani, the revered Shiite cleric, surprised us by returning to Iraq after receiving medical treatment in the UK. He called for a march on Najaf to save the city. |
In just a day he achieved his mission, as Sadr's forces
left the Ali mosque and U.S. forces withdrew from Najaf. Will others
from Iraq or the Middle East join Sadr's forces? It remains to be seen
where Sadr's forces will next appear. Though the mosque was relatively unharmed,
the 3 weeks of intense fighting left the city of Najaf
like "Stalingrad."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37040-2004Aug26.html
Meanwhile, in the hotbed city of Fallujah U.S. forces bombed for two days in a row in late August. The violence was in response to insurgent activity. Unfortunately, this tit-for-tat seems eerily similar to Palestinian-Israeli violence, where one loses track of who "started it."
 |
Fallujah remained a "hotspot" into October, with regular U.S. bombings of alleged "terrorist safe houses" or meetings organized by Zarqawi or his associates. In most of these attacks, Iraqi civilians were killed. |
Ramadi became the center of attention
in mid-October, as U.S. and Iraqi forces raided
at least seven mosques
that the U.S. said had been used to store weapons or used as a base by
insurgents. For more on Zarqawi see below or see
"Post-Election Violence" FAQ
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A26106-2004Oct12?language=printer
Only in October 2004 was the group established, "Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia (Iraq)."
Some Iraqis might call him "the Iraqi George
Washington". Sadr
announced a few days after Sistani's truce that he would put down his arms and join
politics. Time will tell if his intentions become
reality.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A47268-2004Aug30?language=printer
Though Sadr kept fighting, there seemed a positive sign in mid-October when his Mahdi army sold back some of their heavy weapons to the U.S. The U.S. agreed to halt military operation against his forces and to only detain those actually charged with a crime.
On a less peaceful and hopeful note, on Labor Day (Sept. 6) occurred the
worst violence toward Americans since April, as 7 were killed in
Fallujah. Other bombings that week killed dozens of Iraqis. The
number of Americans military topped 1000 American deaths in September
2004. Those injured was about 7000.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64921-2004Sep6.html
September 14 brought the deadliest day in Baghdad in six months as 47 Iraqis were killed and 100 injured outside a police recruiting station. Similarly, three October 4 bombings killed 26 and injured over 100. These suicide bombings became so regularly that they left the front pages of the papers, especially when Americans were not killed.
More Americans were killed in September than in August and more in August than July. Americans continued to be among the many foreigners to be beheaded, including the high-profile situation of the Britain who begged for his life but was beheaded anyway.
Another sadly typical day in mid-October left six
more Americans killed by bombings.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A28813-2004Oct13?language=printer
Inside
the "Green Zone" violence
hit in mid-October for the first time. The zone in Baghdad had previously
been considered very safe for Americans, contractors, and foreigners. Another
deadly attack on an American and four British occurred in November.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A33566-2004Oct14?language=printer
With less than two weeks until the U.S. election, every event
in Iraq had the potential to become politicized. The front page New
York Times story of October 20 was the
kidnapping of the CARE International leader, Margaret Hassan. She had been
in Iraq for 30 years working on clean water and health care. Hassan was
born in Dublin.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A44176-2004Oct19?language=printer
|
In the coming days, a video showed her begging for her life, urging Blair to withdraw British troops. |
 |
The next day we learned of a pre-war conversation between conservative evangelist Pat Robertson and President Bush. Robertson was worried that the President was not preparing the country for casualties. Robertson reported that Bush predicted there were be "no casualties" during the war. Karl Rove issued a denial.
In the worst violence ever against Iraqi policemen, nearly
50 were executed by insurgents on October 24. The group was
returning from a training mission and were unarmed. The ambush was
obviously very well planned.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A58312-2004Oct24?language=printer
The scary Halloween news brought the worst day for Americans
in six months. 8 Marines were killed as well as 25 civilians. A few days
later over
50 Iraqis were killed in just one day.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30508-2004Nov6.html
|
After the U.S. elections, Allawi declared martial law. It was to last for 60 days, which would likely be just before the scheduled elections. Look for martial law to continue into February. |
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A31732-2004Nov7?language=printer
In addition to an increase in violence, the news of early November was the impending U.S. offensive on Fallujah, 40 miles west of Baghdad. The UN's Koffi Annan warned against such an attack, warning that it could hurt the credibility of Iraqi elections. After the U.S. election, it seemed to be only a matter of days before an attack, according to many journalists in Iraq. This "battle of Fallujah" would likely be larger than the one in April of 2004. Would insurgents surrender? Use suicide attacks? Would civilians be killed in great numbers? Would insurgents move to another area of Iraq? Sistani, earlier upset over the lack of quick, direct elections, stood aside and did not offer to broker a deal. Sistani's stand, according to one analyst "had now become at least implicitly equivocal."
After fierce fighting, the
"liberation" of Fallujah was declared by the American forces about
one week later. 38 Americans were killed, bringing the total close to
1200. 275 Americans were injured. Later estimates from the Chicago
Tribune site 71 Americans killed in the one week battle. U.S. military tells us that 1200
Iraqi insurgents were killed, but others estimate half that amount. For
days I could not find a guess as to the number of Iraqi civilians that were killed in this
battle for Fallujah. Then, some in the Red Cross estimated this number at 800
and later warned
in December of horrible conditions in Fallujah for civilians. It was
only weeks after the major combat of Fallujah concluded that the Red Cross was
allowed to enter the city. As resistance continued into mid-December,
those civilians in Fallujah had no electricity and no running water.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48959-2004Nov14.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A56059-2004Dec10?language=printer
"House
of Torture"
locations were discovered in Fallujah, first reported on November 22.
They seemed to be the location of some of the beheadings.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A1920-2004Nov21?language=printer
Soldiers report that they have buried the bodies of more than 500 insurgents many which had been lying in the streets for weeks. Other obstacles include the remaining insurgents and embittered Fallujahn residents.
Generals put a positive spin on the post-Fallujah insurgency, emphasizing that they have gained ground and that they had "broken the back" of the insurgency.
Who are the post-Fallujah insurgents? New
insurgent estimates throughout Iraq put the number at 11,000-20,000, with about
600 allied loosely or closely with Zarqawi or Al Qaeda. The US estimates that
the largest number are sympathetic to Saddam. Sadr has about 3000
supporters. The US military stresses that a top Zarqawi lieutenant, Abu
Saeed, has been captured and more than 200 insurgents have been killed in Mosul
in the month of December.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A38094-2004Dec5?language=printer
How many insurgents are there in Iraq? That depends on one's definition of insurgent. Should one count those who actively support insurgents or only those who actively kill Americans and Iraqi security forces? Iraq's national intelligence chief, General Mohamed Abdullah Shahwani, said in January 2005 that when counting those who provide rebels with intelligence, logistics, and shelter, the number is 200,000. His "full-time, hard-core" estimate is 40,000. American estimates were at first "a handful of dead enders" (Rumsfeld, June, 2003), then 5000, and up to 20,000 in October, 2004. Anthony Cordesman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, does not dispute the estimate,. according to the Agence France Presse. Shahwani also believes that Saddam's half brother and a former aide are operating out of Syria with funding and tapping his connections to old army divisions.
One of 18 districts/neighborhoods had opened for about 900 men (half the number predicted) to return to Fallujah two days before Christmas to access the damage. They would stay only for the day. Other parts of Fallujah saw US warplanes make attacks on insurgents. The US military has decided that each family will receive about $100 to immediately assist them and homeowners will receive $2000-10,000 for damage to their homes. The US still hopes that most of the 250,000 residents will return in time for the January 30 elections. Probably 200,000 fled during the American attacks. In late December Fallujah still did not have electricity or water, though the US was planning to provide temporary supplies. Two NYTimes reporters describe the city as a virtual ghost town, "with many homes damages, sewage running in the streets and electrical and water facilities demolished." American officers admit that it will take months to restorer electricity and water and longer to create "the showcase city" they have promised.
In addition to the ongoing beheadings, late November also saw scores of slain bodies left in the streets of Mosul. 32 bodies were discovered in two days, and 65 bodies in 8 days, .mostly Iraqi security forces. American Col. Paul Hastings describes this insurgent tactic as a "campaign of fear, intimidation and murder, and doing whatever they can to disrupt operations here."
In early December 2004 the violence was a bad as ever. Over one weekend (Dec. 4-5) 70 Iraqis were killed and 11 Americans. As always, many more were injured. A new purpose of the attacks appears to be to intimidate voter registration. Common targets remain civilians cooperating with the U.S., national guard, and police.
Christian churches and Muslim mosques also continued to be targets. 17 other church attacks occurred,. with deadly ones on November 8 and August 1. About 15 people have been killed in the attacks.
Estimates are of 800,000 Christians still in Iraq at the end of 2004, though perhaps 50,000 have fled the country. Christians are about 3% of Iraq and predominately well educated. The Tribune reported that "The Christians who remain have all but canceled Christmas" forging Christmas eve mass for safety reasons. One Christmas eve service not canceled was to draw parallels "between the US occupation of Iraq and the Roman occupation of Jerusalem during the time of Jesus..." Christians have lived in Iraq for hundreds of years.
 |
If we thought the violence couldn't get any worse,
we were wrong. In the worst attacks since July, at least
64 were killed and at least double wounded in attacks
near Shiite holy sites of Najaf and Karbala. On
December 19, attacks occurred during a funeral procession to maximize
civilian casualties. One bombing was 300 yards from the Imam
Ali mosque. 50 suspects were detained. How deadly was this attack compared to others? The day brought memories of the July 28 attack in which about 70 people were killed in Baquba. Just below its huge headline of "Rocket hits mess tent", the Tribune front page chart reminded us that the deadliest day for Americans was March 23, 2003 in Nasiriyah, which included the injuries to Jessica Lynch. The worst incident was 11/15/03 when two Black Hawk helicopters collided |
As if these attacks were not bad enough, then came the worst day for Americans since the war began. An apparent suicide bomber entered a mess tent in Mosul, killing about 18 Americans.
The Washington Post editorial "Explosion
in Mosul" gives some perspective the the dark December day. The group
which took credit for the attack was Ansar al-Sunna, even showing a video which
is allegedly of the planning and the actual bombing. US officials say the
bomber was wearing on Iraqi National Guard uniform, leading to more mistrust, caution,
and fear is infiltrators.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A18035-2004Dec21?language=printer
 |
President Bush's response to the Mosul attack included a visit to Walter Reed Army Medical Center. "The mission is a vital mission for peace", he assured the soldiers. "The idea of democracy taking hold in what was a place of tyranny and hatred and destruction is such a hopeful moment in the history of the world...I'm confident democracy will prevail in Iraq." |
Rumsfeld echoes these confident comments. Though Iraqi "looks bleak" and is a "tough situation" the US will prevail. He criticized the "naysayers and the doubters who say it can't be done, and that we're in a quagmire here." His encouraging words to the soldiers in his Iraq visit were: "The task you have is not to create a country, but to create an environment so that they can do it on their own."
At the end of December, over two dozen Iraqi
police officers were killed in a single day.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A30605-2004Dec28?language=printer
Journalists suffered their worst year in a decade 2004. 23 journalist and 16 media support workers were killed during the year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Iraqization in early 2005 continued as training of Iraqi forces to some day take over for the Americans. At the start of the year, about 115,000 officers were on duty, with 73,000 of them fully trained and equipped. About half of the projected 100,000 Iraqi Army, National Guard and commando troops are now operating. In mid-January, Bush and Rice continued to emphasize that the future of Iraq was "up to the Iraqi people." Does that mean if Iraqi forces can't contain the insurgency then the U.S. can still, in good conscience, leave?
 |
Zarqawi, who had been relatively quite in December, made the news again when Osama bin Laden, in an alleged tape, endorsed Zarqawi as his al-Qaeda deputy in Iraq. In January, Zarqawi promised a "holy war" against the occupiers (and against Shiites). He first attacked in a Shiite areas in January, with a bomb outside of a mosque on a holy Friday. Zarqawi claims that Shiites aren't true believers of Islam. In the days leading up to the Jan. 30 elections, it was announced that Zarqawi aides had been arrested, including his alleged top bomb maker. |
In addition to Zarqawi, U.S. General Abizaid alleged that 34 Baathist leaders were operating out of Syria. Syria has been ruled by Baathists for decades.
As 2004 comes to a close, what are the prospects for the future? CIA reports are not positive. Daily reports of bombings and killings are also not positive. As a measure of how bad things had become, in late December gunmen without their faces covered pulled Iraqi election workers from their car in broad daylight and executed them. The murders were photographed by the AP.
In 2005, a new tactic occurred for the first time, a house bomb. Iraqi police were lured into a Baghdad building, which was then blown up in a massive explosion, killing 28 people
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32855-2004Dec29.html
Another new tactic being considered, Newsweek reported,
is the "El Salvador option." This Pentagon plan would involve highly
trained death squads to kill suspected high-profile insurgents.
U.S.-supported right-wing death squads in El Salvador used this policy in the
early '80s. Many killed were civilians and four killed were U.S. nuns.
http://www.commondreams.org/cgi-bin/print.cgi?file=/headlines05/0109-06.htm
Political assassinations did not ease with the new year. In the first week of January, the Governor of the Baghdad region was gunned down, along with his body guards. This was part of violence that killed 40 Iraqi security forces in the first 4 days of the year, including 19 with one suicide bomb, one of the deadliest attacks in months. Can the horrific rate of 1-3 suicide bombings continue throughout 2005?
The Baghdad deputy police chief was assassinated in mid-January. His son was also killed. A few days later two Sistani aides were killed
 |
An American F-17 fighter dropped a 500 pound bomb on a house south of Mosul on January 8. The U.S. admitted that the satellite-guide bomb struck a house that "was not the intended target." The Pentagon said that 5 people were killed but the owner of the house countered that 14 were killed, including 7 children. |
Trying to put a positive spin on the pre-election violence, American military leaders in Iraq said that the situation is "gradually improving, in terms of the number of attacks." The attacks were, however, more powerful and violent.
The US tried a new approach, to offer amnesty to insurgents in return for them signing a pledge to stop violence leading up to elections. Not one Iraqi took up the offer. Some claimed, according to the Tribune, that "they were falsely accused of being insurgents because they did not agree with the occupation." For example, an Sunni imam spoke at a public forum, "You arrested my children, my cousin. How can you expect me not to speak against the coalition?"
The Tribune reported in mid-January that nearly 180 foreigners have been taken hostage since April 2004 and more than 30 of them have been killed. In addition, in the first two weeks of January, at least 202 people died, including police officers and U.S. soldiers. If this rate continues throughout the year, the death toll we be over 20,000. Not included are Iraqi civilians accidentally killed by U.S. forces. 375 Iraqis were killed in the first 26 days of January, the Pentagon estimated. The Pentagon does not keep a toll of civilians killed by the U.S.
| The Mosul Archbishop was kidnapped for a few days in mid-January. He is Archbishop Basile Georges Casmoussa of the Syrian Catholic Church. Also that day a video was released of 8 Chinese hostages. |  |
Four suicide bombs killed at least 26 in one day in Baghdad on January 19. They were car and truck bombs. Among those targeted were the Australians. Again, one assumes that the attackers were Sunni. Will Shiites, often the victims, continue to turn the other cheek?
In the 30 days ending Jan. 22, The New York Times concluded that "more than half the Iraqis live in districts--roughly the equivalent of large counties in the US--that suffered an average of at least one attack every three days." During this period there were 2,376 total attacks in the country.
The worst day of the 22-month old war for US forces was Jan. 26, the week of the elections. 31 marines died in a helicopter crash and 37 in that one day. The previous worst days (see above) were Nov. 2, 2003 (16 killed), Nov. 15, 2003 (17 killed) and Dec. 21, 2004 (22 killed)
On election day we learned that British forces suffered their greatest loss of the 22-month old war. A plane crash left about 15 British dead.
For post-Jan. 30, 2005 election violence,
see
"Violence since January 2005 elections" FAQ and Violence
Since June 2006
