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102-730: The 1998 bombing of Iraq (code-named Operation Desert Fox ) was a major bombing campaign against Iraqi targets , from 16 to 19 December 1998, by the United States and the United Kingdom. On 16 December 1998 Bill Clinton announced that he had ordered strikes against Iraq. The strikes were launched due to Iraq's failure to comply with United Nations Security Council resolutions and its interference with United Nations inspectors that were searching for potential weapons of mass destruction. The inspectors had been sent to Iraq in 1997 and were repeatedly refused access to certain sites. The operation

204-402: A complete changeover to Western equipment, Western countries were reluctant to sell large amounts of weaponry to Iraq. Western weapons were more expensive than Soviet ones, and they took longer to train personnel on, so there was a reluctance to make a complete equipment reversal. However, more weapons were bought from various non-communist countries, supplementing their largely Soviet arsenal, and

306-888: A cornerstone of the 2006 United States counter-insurgency doctrine. However, after the national elections in December 2005, the Iraqi insurgency shifted focus from a resistance against the occupation towards a sectarian conflict . Accelerated by the Golden mosque bombing in February 2006, the levels of sectarian violence rose dramatically. In Baghdad , a cycle of sectarian violence accelerated in which Al-Qaeda -affiliated Sunni insurgents carried out suicide-bombings in Shia districts and Shia militias retaliated with killings in Sunni districts. It became evident that

408-527: A dearth of technical skills and a limited exposure to machinery." However it also had significant strengths, particularly in two areas: logistics and combat engineering. Two impressive logistical accomplishments of the army included the ability to sustain an armoured corps in Syria during the Yom Kippur War/1973 Arab–Israeli War and their ability to move formations of corps size from one end of

510-499: A high degree of confidence any of the facilities bombed in Operation Desert Fox were active in producing weapons of mass destruction. The testimony given by Jones is supported by the former Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence, John Morrison , who informed the same program that, before the operation had ended, DIS came under pressure to validate a prepared statement to be delivered by then Prime Minister Tony Blair , declaring

612-635: A local level by using infantrymen on dismounted patrols. As insurgents lose passive or active support from the local population, they will more easily be defeated, it was believed. Light infantry brigades are equipped with small arms, machine guns, RPGs, body armor and light armored vehicles. Mechanized infantry brigades are equipped with T-54/55 main battle tanks and BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles. The Hungarian Defence Forces donated 77 Soviet-made T-72 tanks from their own arsenal. The tanks were refurbished by Hungarian specialists and were delivered in fully battle-ready condition in 2004. Training of personnel

714-663: A modernising influence in the country. In 1931, the Iraqi Air Force was founded with a small number of pilots. Six Army coups took place, with one in 1936 being led by Bakr Sidqi and the last being the Rashid Ali coup of 1941. Following the persecution of the Assyrians, which culminated in the Simele massacre of 1932, a conscription law was introduced, which strengthened the Iraqi Army at

816-841: A number of changes. They concluded that Soviet equipment and methods did not meet their needs and that many western weapons were superior to their Soviet counterparts. Also the Soviet Union was trying to influence Iraqi policy by holding up arms deliveries. Despite the large amount of Soviet equipment that Iraq continued to receive (shown by the SIPRI Arms Transfers Database, Iraq 1973–1990 ), Iraq sought Western military equipment. Purchases from France included 64 Mirage F1 fighter-attack aircraft in 1976 and 200 AMX-30 tanks in 1977. That same year, Iraq ordered ten frigates and corvettes from Italy and in 1978 it purchased 200 Cascavel APCs from Brazil. While Iraqi generals supported

918-578: A reliance on Soviet doctrine reduced. In most cases, the Iraqis went back to British doctrine, while in others, they melded British and Soviet doctrine. Iraq's logistics capability was also improved, with the purchase of 2,000 heavy equipment transporters. Iraqi participation in the Yom Kippur War of 1973 took the part of a 60,000 strong Iraqi Army expeditionary force which operated on the Syrian front. However,

1020-460: A reserve capacity. The base is home to the Kuwait Air Force's entire fighter/attack aircraft fleet. Two front-line (9 Squadron and 25 Squadron) and one training unit (61 Squadron) operate a fleet of McDonnell Douglas KAF-18C/D Hornets . The aircraft is a twin-engine , supersonic , all-weather, multirole combat jet, designed as both a fighter and attack aircraft . Ahmad al-Jaber hosts

1122-464: A stalemate on 20 August 1988 when Iran accepted a UN-brokered ceasefire . Iraq's rationale for the invasion was primarily to cripple Iran and prevent Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini from exporting the 1979 Iranian Revolution movement to Shia -majority Iraq and threaten the Sunni -dominated Ba'athist leadership. Iraq had also wished to replace Iran as the dominant state in the Persian Gulf , which

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1224-450: A subordinate command to MNF-I, under Major General David Petraeus . MNSTC-I was given the task of building up the new Iraqi Armed Forces, as well as the Ministry of Interior (Iraq) (MOI) and other security forces. A new force generation plan aimed to create ten army divisions. On 22 April 2004, under Coalition Provisional Authority Order Number 73 all personnel, facilities, and equipment of

1326-959: A success. Supported by Secretary Cohen, as well as United States Central Command commander General Anthony C. Zinni and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Henry H. Shelton, President Bill Clinton declared "victory" in Operation Desert Fox. In total, the 70-hour campaign saw U.S. forces strike 85 percent of their targets, 75 percent of which were considered "highly effective" strikes. More than 600 sorties were flown by more than 300 combat and support aircraft, and 600 air-dropped munitions were employed, including 90 air-launched cruise missiles and 325 Tomahawk land attack missiles (TLAM). Operation Desert Fox inflicted serious damage to Iraq's missile development program, although its effects on any WMD program were not clear. Nevertheless, Operation Desert Fox

1428-514: A well camouflaged minelaying barge, and the tug Al Raya , which had been outfitted as a minelayer itself. Of the units that remained by late 2002, most were in a poor state of repair and the crews were in a poor state of readiness. Whatever units that remained after 1991 were used primarily for safeguarding Saddam's palaces on the Tigris river. The Navy "was reformed in 2003 around five Taiwanese-built 28-meter Predator -class patrol boats, calling itself

1530-595: Is strictly ceremonial and honorary, such as awarding medals and decorations on the recommendation of the commander-in-chief (Article 73). The appointment of the chief of staff is approved by the Council of Representatives of Iraq after being appointed by the Council of Ministers which is headed by the commander-in-chief (prime minister). Iraq's legislation on defence dates from the Coalition Provisional Authority period of 2003–2004. CPA Order 22 established

1632-613: Is the ground force component of the Iraqi Armed Forces. It was known as the Royal Iraqi Army up until the coup of July 1958. The Iraqi Army in its modern form was first created by the United Kingdom during the inter-war period of British control of Mandatory Iraq . Following the invasion of Iraq by U.S. forces in 2003, the Iraqi Army was rebuilt along U.S. lines with enormous amounts of U.S. assistance at every level. After

1734-695: The 1948 Arab–Israeli War , a first war against the Kurds from 1961 to 1970, and then in the Six-Day War of 1967. Iraqi participation in the Six-Day War was limited, principally owing to the slow reaction of the Iraqi 3rd Armoured Division , which had been stationed in eastern Jordan. The 3rd Armoured Division did not organise itself and reach the front line before the Jordanians ceased operations. Therefore, Iraqi participation

1836-576: The 2003 invasion of Iraq . After the invasion, the Air Force was rebuilt, receiving most of its training and aircraft from the United States . In 2007, Iraq asked Iran to return some of the scores of Iraqi fighter planes that flew there to escape destruction during the Gulf War in 1991. As of 2014, Iran was receptive to the demands and was working on refurbishing an unspecified number of aircraft. By 2002

1938-581: The Arvand Rud ). Although Iraq hoped to take advantage of Iran's post-revolutionary chaos and expected a decisive victory in the face of a severely weakened Iran, Iraq only made progress for three months. By December 1980 the invasion had stalled. In fierce fighting, the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran started to gain momentum and regained virtually all lost territory by June 1982, pushing

2040-496: The B-1 b aircraft from Ellsworth and Dyess AFB also conducted missions. Also on 17 Dec, USAF aircraft based in Kuwait participated, as did British Royal Air Force Tornado aircraft. The British contribution totaled 15 percent of the sorties flown during Desert Fox. By 19 December, U.S. and British aircraft had struck 97 targets, and Secretary of Defense William Cohen claimed the operation was

2142-604: The Battle of Basra (2008) . The IA received Coalition support only in air support , logistics and via embedded advisors . A British infantry brigade stationed at Basra International Airport was ready in a tactical overwatch role, but it did not intervene. On January 1, 2009, the Provincial Iraqi Control process was superseded by the U.S.-Iraqi Security Agreement (see also U.S.-Iraq Status of Forces Agreement ), which transferred all provinces' security responsibilities to

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2244-466: The Battle of Nasiriyah and the Battle of Baghdad . The British Army controlled the southern regions of Iraq and fought there until their withdrawal on 30 April 2009. The United States controlled Northern and Central Iraq. After the invasion, the Coalition Provisional Authority was established to administer the occupation . The Armed Forces were formally disbanded and the Iraqi Ministry of Defense

2346-535: The Bush Administration decided that Saddam Hussein's regime must be removed, and it gave an ultimatum to that effect. Saddam's government did not respond to the ultimatum in the way that the Bush Administration wanted them to. On March 19, 2003, the United States, with British, Australian , and Polish assistance began the 2003 invasion of Iraq . In the process, Saddam's armed forces were defeated. In

2448-641: The Iraqi Civil Defense Corps as a temporary security agency to complement Coalition military operations in Iraq. In April 2004, an Iraqi battalion refused to fight insurgents in Fallujah . Soon afterwards, U.S. forces in Iraq were reorganised. Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF-I) was created under General George W. Casey, Jr. For the new Iraqi armed forces, the most important move was the creation of Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq (MNSTC-I) as

2550-426: The Iraqi insurgency coalesced shortly after the invasion, the Iraqi Army was redesigned as a counter-insurgency force. After the withdrawal of U.S. troops in 2010, Iraqi forces assumed full responsibility for the country's security. A New York Times article suggested that, between 2004 and 2014, the U.S. had provided the Iraqi Army with $ 25 billion in training and equipment in addition to an even larger sum from

2652-517: The KDP and PUK , which had sided with Iran. The United States, United Kingdom , Soviet Union , France , and most Arab countries provided an abundance of financial, political and logistical support for Iraq, while Iran was largely isolated. Saddam Hussein had also poured massive resources into regime protection agencies, like the Republican Guard , that later took on a battlefield role. Losses during

2754-538: The Persian Gulf War from the United States -led coalition resulted in the reduction of Iraq's ground forces to 23 divisions and the air force to less than 300 aircraft. The Iraqi Popular Army was also disbanded. Military and economic sanctions prevented Iraq from rebuilding its military power. What rebuilding was done was concentrated on the Republican Guard and the new Special Republican Guard , created after

2856-547: The USS ; Enterprise , and Patrol Squadron Four flew combat missions from the Persian Gulf in support of ODF. The operation marked the first time that women flew combat sorties as U.S. Navy strike fighter pilots and the first combat use of the United States Air Force 's B-1B bomber . Ground units included the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit ( Special Operations Capable ), of which 2nd Battalion 4th Marines served as

2958-553: The United Arab Emirates initially announced they would deny the U.S. military the use of local bases for the purpose of air strikes against Iraq. The bombing was criticized by Clinton's detractors, who accused him of using the bombing to direct attention away from the ongoing impeachment proceedings he was facing. U.S. President Bill Clinton had been working under a regional security framework of dual containment , which involved utilizing military force when Iraq challenged

3060-660: The United Kingdom as well as Breda Ba.65 attack planes and SM-79 bombers from Italy. In the years following Iraqi independence, the Air Force was still dependent on the Royal Air Force . The Iraqi government allocated the majority of its military expenditure to the Army and by 1936 the Royal Iraqi Air Force had only 37 pilots and 55 aircraft. The following year, the Air Force increased its number of pilots to 127. The air force used both Soviet and British aircraft throughout

3162-563: The United States Air Force 's 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing (332 AEW), which moved to the base in May 2016. The 332 ARW provides a wide range combat capabilities including aerial-refueling , Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), space, combat search and rescue (CSAR), and precision strike, all in support of the military intervention against ISIL/ISIS (known by the US military as Operation Inherent Resolve ) and wider military operations in

1998 bombing of Iraq - Misplaced Pages Continue

3264-597: The United States Department of Defense . Since the implementation of the U.S.-Iraq Status of Forces Agreement on January 1, 2009, the Iraqi Armed Forces and the forces of the Iraqi interior ministry are responsible for providing security and upholding law and order throughout most of Iraq. The Iraqi armed forces were historically one of the more competent militaries in the Arab world. However, during Saddam Hussein's dictatorship and interference in military organization,

3366-459: The ground combat element . The U.S. Air Force sent several sorties of F-16s and A-10s from Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base into Iraq to fly night missions in support of the operation. On the second night of Operation Desert Fox, 12 B-52s took off from the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and launched a barrage of conventional air-launched cruise missiles (CALCMs). The other bomber wing

3468-602: The 'Armed Forces of the Kurdistan Region,' are a separate armed force loyal to the Kurdistan Regional Government . The force is quite sizable. The KDP and PUK both had around 100,000 peshmerga (totalling 200,000) as of January 2010. Two divisions of the army are included in this figure; the regional government and the central government disagree as to whether they are under Baghdad's authority and to what extent. Iraqi military intelligence has been rebuilt since

3570-542: The 1920s and early 1930s. The RIrAF was based at the airport in the Washash neighborhood of Baghdad, and consisted of five pilots, aeronautics students trained at the RAF College Cranwell , and 32 aircraft mechanics. The original five pilots were Natiq Mohammed Khalil al-Tay, Mohammed Ali Jawad, Hafdhi Aziz, Akrem Mushtaq, and Musa Ali. During the early years of the Royal Iraqi Air Force, it mainly received aircraft from

3672-573: The 1950s and 1960s. When Saddam Hussein came to power in 1979, the air force grew quickly when Iraq ordered more Soviet and French aircraft. The air force's peak came after the long Iran–Iraq War , which ended in 1988, when it consisted of 1029 aircraft of all types (of which 550 were combat aircraft), becoming the largest air force in the region. Its downfall came during the Gulf War (1990–91) and continued as U.S. and allied forces enforced no-fly zones. The remains of Iraq's air force were destroyed during

3774-454: The 1967 Six-Day War , and in the 1973 Yom Kippur War . Two wars against the Kurds were fought during 1961-1970 and 1974–1975 . A much larger conflict was the Iran–Iraq War , initiated by the Iraqis in 1980, which continued until 1988. Thereafter Iraq began the invasion of Kuwait , which led to the Gulf War of 1991, which led in turn to confrontations over the Iraqi no-fly zones during

3876-504: The 1990s, and finally the Iraq War of 2003, which resulted in the dissolution of the Iraqi armed forces imposed by the Coalition Provisional Authority . The nascent post-Iraq war Iraqi armed forces were engaged in anti-insurgency during the insurgency and civil war that followed the US-led invasion of the country. The latest major conflict in which the armed forces of the country participated

3978-487: The 332 ELS Commander and 10 personnel were on one-year tours; all others (1190 personnel) rotated every 90 to 120 days. According to USA Today , on 22 October 2003, the US Ambassador to Kuwait, Richard Jones, announced that the United States was reducing its presence at Al-Jaber to fully reduce its forces at that location. USAF assets remaining in Kuwait are primarily stationed at Ali Al Salem Air Base . The U.S. side of

4080-503: The American and British jets, began to blanket the sky with near random bursts of flak fire however the air strikes continued, and cruise missile barrages launched by naval vessels began being used in addition to bombs dropped by planes. By the night of the fourth day of the operation most of the specified targets had been damaged or destroyed and the operation was deemed a success. U.S. Navy aircraft from Carrier Air Wing Three , flying from

4182-601: The Iraqi Air Defence Command counted four air defence sectors and at least five missile brigades, the 145th, 146th, 147th, 148th, and 195th. The Iraqi Navy ( Arabic : القوات البحرية العراقية) is one of the components of the Armed Forces. Its primary responsibilities are the protection of Iraq's coastline and offshore assets. It was formed in 1937 as a small four-ship force headquartered in Basra. Between 1937 and 1958, it

1998 bombing of Iraq - Misplaced Pages Continue

4284-417: The Iraqi Armed Forces and the various MOI forces were incapable of putting a lid on the sectarian violence and protecting the population, and MNF-I had to adjust plans again for a security transition. Though Iraqi forces had received initial training and been equipped, they had not developed the capabilities needed to plan, conduct and sustain effective counter-insurgency operations. There were also challenges at

4386-534: The Iraqi Civil Defense Corps were transferred to the Iraqi Ministry of Defence as a component of the Iraqi Armed Forces. After the dissolution of the Coalition Provisional Authority on June 28, 2004, the U.S. and its allies remained in Iraq, receiving authorisation to do so under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1546 . For periods immediately after the invasion, U.S. Army forces had seen

4488-539: The Iraqi Coast Guard until December 2004, when it assumed the navy title." By the time the force "assumed its new identity as the Iraqi Navy in December [2004], it had mustered a force of 600, including 200 naval infantry who guard" Iraq's two oil platforms." Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base When Iraq launched its invasion in 1990 on Kuwait , Iraqi Air Force jets dropped air-scattered mines, preventing operations on

4590-564: The Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, the allied action resulted in 242 Iraqi military casualties, including 62 killed and 180 wounded. However, on 5 January 1999, American General Harry Shelton told the U.S. Senate that the strikes killed or wounded an estimated 1,400 members of Iraq's Republican Guard. The number of Civilian casualties has been equally disputed. Iraq's former ambassador to the UN, Nizar Hamdoon said in December of 1998 that there

4692-475: The Iraqi Government's commitment to the respect and implementation of Iraq's international obligations regarding the non-proliferation, non-development, nonproduction, and non-use of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. The Second Section says that military service shall be regulated by law. The prime minister acts as the commander-in-chief (Article 78 of the constitution), and the president ’s role

4794-855: The Iraqi government. Five provinces were transferred at once as a result. The Ministry of Defense (MOD) oversees the forces, as well as the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Bureau, reporting directly to the Prime Minister of Iraq , which oversees the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service . MOD forces include the Iraqi Army , the Army Aviation Command, the Iraqi Air Force , the Iraqi Navy , the Iraqi Air Defence Command ,

4896-404: The Iraqi treasury. The Iraqi Army was designed as a counter-insurgency force that was developed under United States Army tutelage from 2003 to 2009. The force generation plan as of November 2009 includes 14 divisions, each consisting of 4 brigades. The Iraqi Army was described as the most important element of the counter-insurgency fight. The tactic is to provide security and other services on

4998-507: The Iraqis back to the pre-war border lines. Following this, the next five years saw Iran go on the offensive until Iraq took back the initiative in mid-1988, and whose major offensives led to the final conclusion of the war. There were a number of proxy forces operating for both countries—most notably the People's Mujahedin of Iran , which had sided with Iraq and the Iraqi Kurdish militias of

5100-829: The Iraqis. During the 1991 Gulf War , coalition aircraft attacked Ahmad al-Jaber Airbase several times due to the chemical munitions storage rumors. They also dropped anti-personnel mines to impede base operations. On the first night of the war at around 4:00 AM, three A-6E TRAM Intruder from VA-115 Eagles ( Carrier Air Wing 5 ) based on the USS Midway attacked the airbase with six Mk.83 bombs each . Later that morning at 8:50 AM, 12 French Air Force SEPECAT Jaguars from EC 2/11 Vosges attacked Al-Jaber with no less than four aircraft sustaining damage (three were hit by IR-SAMs and one by small arms fire) although all returned safely. As of 2022, satellite images show aircraft Hardened aircraft shelters (HAS) still unrepaired throughout

5202-548: The Navy was destroyed during Operation Pearl . Between 1977 and 1987, the Iraqi Navy received eight Osa -class missile boats , armed with P-15 Termit ("Styx") anti-ship missiles, from the Soviet Union . It also purchased four Lupo -class frigates and six Assad -class corvettes from Italy, although these were never delivered because of international sanctions following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. The Iraqi Navy

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5304-402: The New Iraqi Army on August 18, 2003, and CPA Order 67 renamed the New Iraqi Army the Iraqi Armed Forces on March 21, 2004. In the process, the New Iraqi Army was expanded to include an Army, Air Force, Coastal Defense Force, reserve forces, and other elements. Iraq does not appear to have publicly issued a national defence review or white paper. Much of defence policy since 2003 has been set by

5406-462: The Special Security Division (Green Zone protection), and also reportedly the Special Forces Command. The MOD also runs a Joint Staff College, training army, navy, and air force officers, with support from the NATO Training Mission - Iraq . The college was established at Ar Rustamiyah on September 27, 2005. The center runs Junior Staff and Senior Staff Officer Courses designed for first lieutenants to majors . The Peshmerga , since September 2009

5508-422: The Taji National Depot at its centre, is now well under way. The Iraqi Air Force (IQAF or IrAF) ( Arabic : القوات الجوية العراقية, Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Iraqiya ) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Iraqi Armed Forces, responsible for the policing of international borders and surveillance of national assets. The Air Force also supports the Iraqi Navy and the Iraqi Army . The Royal Iraqi Air Force

5610-508: The U.S. only attacked biological and chemical sites that had been identified with a high degree of certainty, and that the reason for the low number of targets was because intelligence specialists could not identify weapons sites with enough specificity to comply with Zinni's directive. Dr. Brian Jones was the top intelligence analyst on chemical, biological and nuclear weapons at the Ministry of Defence . He told BBC Panorama in 2004 that Defence Intelligence Staff in Whitehall did not have

5712-524: The United States and its allies. These weapons were ordered destroyed by United Nations Security Council Resolutions . After a protracted and problematic weapons inspection process, the majority of these type of weapons were considered to be destroyed and their facilities sealed under UN weapons inspections . A new round of weapons inspections was performed in early 2003 by United Nations weapons inspectors led by Hans Blix , which searched Iraqi sites again, but found no new weapons or weapons programs. However,

5814-407: The United States or the international community. Although there was no Authorization for Use of Military Force , Clinton signed the Iraq Liberation Act into law on 31 October 1998. The new act appropriated funds for Iraqi opposition groups with the goal of carrying out a regime change . Prior to Desert Fox, the U.S. almost led a bombing campaign against Saddam called Operation Desert Thunder. It

5916-417: The United States. For example, one mission objective for Multi-National Force-Iraq was an "Iraq that has a security force that can maintain domestic order and deny Iraq as a safe haven for terrorists" . To do this, the U.S. aimed to train and equip Iraq's security forces and gradually transition security responsibilities to them. In 2010 there are at least three major defence tasks. They are the suppression of

6018-475: The air base On 1 December 1998, the 4406th Operations Group (Provisional) at Al-Jaber Air Base was inactivated and the 332nd Air Expeditionary Group activated. Sitting 75 miles south of the Iraqi border, the base has supported active duty United States Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II and General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter units, along with support individuals, rotated in and out. At Al-Jaber AB,

6120-411: The armed forces and report directly to the Prime Minister; namely, the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service and the Popular Mobilization Committee . The armed forces of Iraq were initially formed in the early 1920s. Six military coup d'états were mounted by the army between 1936 and 1941. They first saw combat in the Anglo-Iraqi War of 1941. They fought against Israel in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War , in

6222-495: The armed forces of internal security functions by creating new paramilitary forces, such as the Iraqi Popular Army . He also guaranteed the military's loyalty to the regime by promoting loyal officers and purging questionable ones. However, this had the effect of filling the senior officer ranks with incompetents. The Iran–Iraq War was a protracted armed conflict that began on 22 September 1980 when Iraq invaded neighbouring Iran . The war lasted almost eight years, ending in

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6324-437: The army was dissolved in 2003. However, it has suffered from political interference. In mid-2009 Prime Minister al-Maliki reportedly dismissed Major General Jamal Suleiman, the director of military intelligence, and took on the job himself. The Prime minister had reportedly dismissed the director of Iraqi national intelligence at the same time. The Iraqi Army, officially the Iraqi Ground Forces ( Arabic : القوات البرية العراقية),

6426-521: The base was re-opened around July 2010 in support of Operation New Dawn. The U.S. side of the base was re-opened in 2014 sometime before October. From 22 November 2014 four Panavia Tornados from 6º Stormo of the Italian Air Force deployed there for an unknown amount of time along with a Boeing KC-767 A from 14º Stormo . Between 15 October 2014 and 30 September 2015, the Royal Danish Air Force deployed seven General Dynamics F-16AM Fighting Falcons with four being operational and three others in

6528-417: The bombing had not been all that effective. The Duelfer Report concluded in 2004 that Iraq's WMD capability "was essentially destroyed in 1991" following the end of sanctions. Some critics of the Clinton administration, including Republican members of Congress, expressed concern over the timing of Operation Desert Fox. The four-day bombing campaign occurred at the same time the U.S. House of Representatives

6630-493: The bombing, the Iraqi ambassador to the UN told him, "If we had known that was all you would do, we would have ended the inspections long ago." Gen. Peter de la Billiere , a former head of the SAS who commanded British forces in the 1991 Gulf war , questioned the political impact of the bombing campaign, saying aerial bombardments were not effective in driving people into submission, but tend to make them more defiant. Iraqi Armed Forces The Iraqi Armed Forces are

6732-427: The competence of the Army severely declined. The Army, in particular, is one of the most trusted national institutions of Iraq. Iraqi Armed Forces deficiencies have been identified in enabling functions, such as, logistics and military intelligence . In high-end conventional operations, Iraqi capabilities are currently limited by lack of artillery and air power . Article 9 of the Constitution of Iraq establishes

6834-541: The control of the civilian authority, shall defend Iraq, shall not be used as an instrument to oppress the Iraqi people, shall not interfere in political affairs, and shall have no role in the transfer of authority.' Parts B and C prohibit the formation of military militias outside the framework of the armed forces and prohibit armed forces personnel from standing for political office or campaigning for political candidates. Part C expressively notes that military personnel are allowed to vote in elections. Part E expressively states

6936-417: The country to another in days during the Iran–Iraq War . Since 2003, creation of combat forces has been the priority, and logistical support was initially supplied in one way or another by the coalition. As of mid 2008, logistical problems included a maintenance crisis and ongoing supply problems. Logistical capabilities have been developing, however, and the build-up of a nationwide logistical structure, with

7038-409: The expense of the tribal sheiks . In 1938–1939, Iraqi Army forces were concentrated near the Kuwaiti border, as the military portion of a policy by then- King Ghazni to encourage its union with Iraq. British forces later defeated the Iraqis in the short Anglo-Iraqi War of May 1941, during the Second World War . The Iraqi Air Force used British aircraft until the 14 July Revolution in 1958, where

7140-462: The fighting as conventional ' fighting in built up areas ,' rather than as an insurgency . After a review of the Iraq War strategy in the end of 2004, General Casey directed the Coalition forces to shift their focus from fighting insurgents to training Iraqis. This was to be the strategy until 2006. The aim was a small Coalition footprint and a rapid handover of security responsibilities to new Iraqi forces. Developing indigenous military forces became

7242-425: The firing of its chairman, Australian diplomat Richard Butler . Former U.S. Army intelligence analyst William Arkin claimed in his January 1999 column in The Washington Post that the operation was focused on destabilizing the Iraqi government, and that claims of WMDs were being used as an excuse. According to Department of Defense personnel with whom Arkin spoke, CENTCOM chief Anthony Zinni stated that

7344-526: The force did not perform very well, and the Iraqi Air Force did not do well either, losing 26 of the 101 fighter aircraft sent to Syria without shooting down any Israeli aircraft. The Kurds started the second Kurdish war of 1974–75, but the war ended in a Kurdish defeat after the Iranian–Iraqi Algiers agreement cut off Iranian support to the Kurds. From 1973 to 1980, Saddam largely relieved

7446-766: The insurgency, the resolution of the Kurdish Peshmerga forces' status in relation to the Iraqi Armed Forces themselves, and longer-term, the growth of the armed forces so that they can defend Iraq from external threats. The armed forces of Iraq began to be formed by the United Kingdom after they assumed mandated control over Iraq after 1917. During the March 1921 Cairo conference , it was agreed that an Iraqi Army would be created along British lines, with British training and equipment. King Faisal wanted an army of 15,000–20,000 men. The army actually grew from 3,500 in 1922 to 7,000 in 1927 and then to 11,500 in 1932. The army became

7548-419: The legal basis of the Iraqi Armed Forces. Much of the wording of Article 9 draws upon Article 27 of the 2004 Transitional Administrative Law . Part A, First Section, Article 9 states that 'The Iraqi armed forces and security services will be composed of the components of the Iraqi people with due consideration given to their balance and representation without discrimination or exclusion. They shall be subject to

7650-699: The military forces of the Republic of Iraq . They consist of the Ground forces , the Army Aviation Command , the Iraqi Air Force , the Air Defence Command and the Iraqi Navy . The armed forces are administered by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Effective control of the MOD armed forces rests with the Prime Minister of Iraq . Along with the primary service branches, there exists two non-MOD agencies that are part of

7752-682: The ministerial level, within the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Interior, and these ministries could not sustain their forces in terms of logistics, intelligence, communications and procurement. The Iraq War troop surge of 2007 allowed Iraqi forces more time for training and leadership development, as well as more Coalition partnering with Iraqi units. The commander of the Iraqi Assistance Group , General Dana Pittard , said in June 2007 that Coalition forces should not draw down too quickly and that

7854-479: The new Iraqi government began increased diplomatic relationships with the Soviet Union . The Iraqi Air Force used both Soviet and British aircraft throughout the 1950s and 1960s. In 1961, Iraqi forces were again amassed along the Kuwaiti border, and Iraqi again threatened to invade. A quick British deployment of troops, aircraft, and naval vessels, called Operation Vantage , deterred any move though. Iraqi forces fought in

7956-476: The operation an unqualified success. Large-scale damage assessment takes time, responded Morrison, therefore his department declined to sign up to a premature statement. "After Desert Fox, I actually sent a note round to all the analysts involved congratulating them on standing firm in the face of, in some cases, individual pressure to say things that they knew weren't true". Later on, after careful assessment and consideration, Defence Intelligence Staff determined that

8058-425: The operation did not strive to fully eliminate Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, but instead to make their use and production more difficult and less reliable. The main targets of the bombing included weapons research and development installations, air defense systems, weapon and supply depots, and the barracks and command headquarters of Saddam's elite Republican Guard . Iraqi air defense batteries, unable to target

8160-456: The process. On August 2, 2003, the first battalion of new Iraqi Army (IA) recruits started a nine-week training course at a training base in Qaraqosh . They graduated on October 4, 2003. In the interim, the new army had been formally established by Coalition Provisional Authority Order 22 of August 18, 2003. Then on September 3, 2003, Coalition Provisional Authority Order Number 28 established

8262-560: The runways. This led to the Kuwaiti Air Force Mirage F1s and A-4 Skyhawks having to land on a road nearby. After the invasion, the US, which was preparing for Operation Desert Storm, feared that al-Jaber housed Iraqi chemical weapons mainly because the Iraqi army had deployed 30 howitzers and used the Kuwaiti hardened concrete hangars at al-Jaber for munitions storage. These howitzers, known as GHN-45 , were notable for being preferred for chemical munition delivery by

8364-499: The south, the U.S. Combined Forces Land Component Command drove north with the Army's V Corps , and I Marine Expeditionary Force (which included a British Army division). They defeated the Iraqi 3rd Corps, the Republican Guard, and much of the Fedayeen Saddam . In the north, the special operations-led Task Force Viking , defeated the 1st Corps and Iraqi 5th Corps plus parts of the Republican Guard. Significant battles included

8466-526: The southern part of Iraq while Operation Northern Watch did the same in the north. As a result of Iraqi actions, cruise missile strikes on Iraq were launched in June 1993. The same year, the Iraqi Air Defence Command was elevated and established as a fourth service. Kuwait was then threatened with Republican Guard divisions in October 1994, which resulted in a major U.S. protective deployment designated Operation Vigilant Warrior . Operation Vigilant Sentinel

8568-479: The transitioning of security responsibilities would take time. In July 2006, a milestone was achieved when the first Iraqi province transferred to Provincial Iraqi Control . Al Muthanna Governorate was the first province to be transferred. Twelve further governorates were transferred to Provincial Iraqi Control from September 2006 to October 2008. The Iraqi Army launched its first solely planned and executed high-profile division-level operation March 25, 2008 in

8670-607: The war ended. Iraq maintained standing armed forces about 375,000 strong. Armed force intelligence was provided by the Directorate of General Military Intelligence . Under Saddam Hussein, Iraq had a growing domestic arms producing industry that produced everything from rifle bullets to ballistic missiles, advanced naval mines, the Lion of Babylon (tank) , remote-piloted "drone" aircraft, sophisticated cluster-bomb, infrared and television-guided bombs and laser-guided missiles. At that time, Iraq

8772-491: Was a later 1995–2007 operation of the same nature. More cruise missile strikes on Iraq were launched in 1996. Iraq was bombed again in Operation Desert Fox in 1998. As U.S. preparations for an attack on Iraq gathered pace in 2002, Operation Southern Focus was launched, further damaging Iraqi air defences in the southern part of the country. In the 1980s and 1990s, Iraq built and used an arsenal of chemical and biological weapons , some of which have been alleged to come from

8874-486: Was a major flare-up in the Iraq disarmament crisis as it involved a direct attack on Iraq. The aim of the bombing was to disable military and security targets which may have enabled Iraq to produce, store, maintain, and deliver weapons of mass destruction . The bombing campaign had been anticipated earlier in the year and faced criticism both in the U.S. and from members of the international community. Saudi Arabia , Bahrain , and

8976-464: Was abandoned at the last minute when Iraq allowed the United Nations to continue weapons inspections. Clinton administration officials stated that the aim of the mission was to degrade Iraq's ability to manufacture and use weapons of mass destruction, not to eliminate it. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright , when questioned about the distinction between degredation and elimination, commented that

9078-495: Was almost completely destroyed by the Royal Navy during the Gulf War of 1991. The force had 19 ships sunk and 6 vessels damaged. In total, more than 100 Iraqi ships were destroyed. The Navy was not rebuilt and played little part in the Iraq War (2003). One Soviet patrol boat was destroyed. One exception was two mine warfare vessels captured by US Navy and Coast Guard units during the assault on Al Faw ; The tug Jumariya , towing

9180-406: Was also provided to the newly forming Iraqi Army. Iraq was planned to receive 280 M1A1 M tanks from 2010 and 2013. The Army extensively collaborated with Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces during anti-ISIL operations. From its creation in 1922 to 2003, the army suffered from a number of serious difficulties, junior tactical leadership among them. "Iraqi forces consistently had problems because of

9282-514: Was before this point not seen as feasible by the Iraqi leadership due to pre-revolutionary Iran 's colossal economic and military might, as well as its close alliances with the United States and Israel . The war followed a long-running history of border disputes , as a result of which Iraq had planned to annex Iran's oil-rich Khuzestan Province and the east bank of the Shatt al-Arab (also known in Iran as

9384-510: Was believed to be way ahead of its then rival Iran 's arms producing industry. The Iraqi Armed Forces were involved in suppressing the 1991 uprisings in Iraq , which led to refugees fleeing north in 1991. The U.S. launched Operation Provide Comfort with allied aid to provide assistance to these refugees. This involved some confrontations with the Iraqi armed forces. The Iraqi no-fly zones were established partially due to these operations. Operation Southern Watch dominated Iraqi airspace in

9486-490: Was called to testify before a grand jury during the Lewinsky scandal and his subsequent nationally televised address later that evening in which Clinton admitted to having an inappropriate relationship. Other critics, such as former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger , said the attacks did not go far enough, commenting that a short campaign was likely not to make a significant impact. According to Charles Duelfer , after

9588-496: Was conducting the impeachment hearing of President Clinton . Clinton was impeached by the House on 19 December, the last day of the bombing campaign. A few months earlier, similar criticism was levelled during Operation Infinite Reach , wherein missile strikes were ordered against suspected terrorist bases in Sudan and Afghanistan on 20 August. The missile strikes began three days after Clinton

9690-607: Was dissolved shortly after the invasion, by Coalition Provisional Authority Order Number 2 of May 23, 2003. On June 25, 2003, the Vinnell Corporation was awarded a contract to train the first nine battalions, or 9,000 recruits, of a 44,000 person-strong " New Iraqi Army ." MPRI was given the military training subcontract. The Department of Defense created the Coalition Military Assistance Training Team under Major General Paul Eaton to oversee

9792-574: Was founded in 1931, during the period of British control in Iraq after their defeat of the Ottomans in the First World War, with only a few pilots. The Air Force considered its founding day as 22 April 1931, when the first pilots flew in from training in the United Kingdom . Before the creation of the new air force, the RAF Iraq Command was in charge of all British Armed Forces elements in Iraq in

9894-499: Was limited to a Tu-16 bomber raid on Israel , which did not locate its targets, and a return Israeli air raid on the H-3 airbase , which was around 435 kilometers from Bagdad in western Iraq, near the H-3 oil pumping station. The Israelis reportedly destroyed 21 Iraqi aircraft for the loss of three of their own. After the first Kurdish war ended with a stalemate, the Armed Forces began to implement

9996-516: Was primarily a riverine force. Following the 14 July Revolution of 1958, the Iraqi Navy began to expand. Based in the port of Umm Qasr , the Arabic Gulf Academy for Sea Studies was established in Basra , which offered a bachelor's degree in war and engineering naval studies. By 1988, the Navy grew to a force of 5,000, but played a relatively small role during the 1980–1988 Iran–Iraq War . Much of

10098-496: Was the war against ISIS during 2013-2017. Logistics and combat engineering have been traditional strong points. Iraqi soldiers have also usually fought hard in difficult situations. After the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq , which resulted in the toppling of the Saddam Hussein regime and the dissolution of the whole armed forces, the United States sought to rebuild them anew, and so the country received substantial assistance from

10200-591: Was the 28th AEG out of Thumrait AB. The missiles successfully struck multiple Iraqi targets, including six of President Saddam Hussein's palaces, several Republican Guard barracks, and the Ministries of Defense and Military Industry. The following evening, two more B-52 crews launched 16 more CALCMs. Over a two-night period, aircrews from the 2nd and 5th Bomb Wings launched a total of 90 CALCMs. The B-1 Lancer bomber made its combat debut by striking at Republican Guard targets. From Thumrait AB, Sultanate Oman. The 28th AEG with

10302-724: Was the largest strike against Iraq since the early 1990s Persian Gulf War, until the commencement of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. In October 2021, General Zinni gave an upbeat bomb damage assessment of the operation. 97 sites were targeted in the operation with 415 cruise missiles and 600 bombs, including 11 weapons production or storage facilities, 18 security facilities for weapons, 9 military installations, 20 government CCC facilities, 32 surface-to-air missile batteries, 6 airfields, and 1 oil refinery. According to U.S. Defense Department assessments, on 20 December, 10 of these targets were destroyed, 18 severely damaged, 18 moderately damaged, 18 lightly damaged, and 23 not yet assessed. According to

10404-652: Was thousands of civilians dead and wounded. The international Red Cross reported 40 civilians killed and 80 injured in Baghdad. In reaction to the attack, three of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (Russia, France, and the People's Republic of China) called for the lifting of the eight-year oil embargo on Iraq, the reorganizing or disbanding of the United Nations Special Commission , and

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