Joel Wing

Water Min warned of driest year since 1933 Said Tigris and Euphrates rivers only at 27% of level in 2024 57% decrease in water storage Blamed low rainfall and reduced water from neighboring countries english.news.cn/20250725/115d0…

#Iraq Study Group came to naught Bush went for Surge instead because it was his war and he wanted to make policy not outside group Report snapshot of how confused US policy was in 06 Politicians didn't understand strategy musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/2025/07/review…

Book highlights how dysfunctional US was at time Right hand didn't know what left hand was doing Study Group talked with #Iraq & US leadership & military commanders and still didn't understand what was going on musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/2025/07/review…

Bush said US would stand down in #Iraq when Iraqis stood up which was a withdrawal plan not one to win war President didn't understand that musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/2025/07/review…

US military wanted to withdraw from #Iraq since day invasion ended in 03 Politicians in DC didn't understand that Bush always talked about victory but didn't know policy was to withdraw musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/2025/07/review…

#Iraq Study Group called for US to build up Iraqi forces so US could withdraw Also said political benchmarks should be set like local election law on militias amending constitution to achieve reconciliation Wasn't new but current strategy musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/2025/07/review…

#Iraq Call for diplomacy weakest part of report Syria & Iran did not want US in Iraq Little to negotiate as both wanted US out of Iraq not to help them stay Turkey was just as difficult in stance towards Kurds musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/2025/07/review…

#Iraq Study Group believed stronger effort from US could get neighboring countries to help it Bush could promise new push on Israel-Palestine peace deal as carrot to get region behind effort in Iraq musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/2025/07/review…

Study Group advocated for diplomacy to get #Iraq's neighbors to help stabilize country Iran supporting militias Syria supported insurgency Saudis allowed funding for insurgents Turkey fighting PKK & trying to limit Iraqi Kurds musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/2025/07/review…

#Iraq US military said they were clearing areas of armed groups holding them so they didn't return and then building up services Problem was attacks and deaths kept on going upwards musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/2025/07/review…

Book split into 2 parts 1st describes situation in #Iraq in 2006 Govt & econ were dysfunctional Service inadequate & dealt out based upon sect No rule of law Courts under threat Violence splintered between different groups with different agendas musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/2025/07/review…

By 2006 US establishment finally realized things not going right in #Iraq Violence going up US & Iraq had no answers Led to several strategy reviews in US including Iraq Study Group Rather than coming up with new approach just advocated for status quo musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/2025/07/review…

Musings On #Iraq Review James Baker III and Hamilton, Lee, The Iraq Study Group Report, The Way Forward – A New Approach, Vintage Books, 2006 musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/2025/07/review…

#Iraq Jul 25 2023 KRG Finance Min Janab said KRG’s income not enough to pay its govt workers Blamed new budget for taking away 50% of region’s domestic income KRG wasn’t delivering money to Baghdad as part of budget deal Was due to KRG’s failed oil policy musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/p/pm-sudani-20…

#Iraq Jul 25 2023 Defense Comm said large displacement from villages and rural areas due to water shortages musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/p/pm-sudani-20…

#Iraq Jul 25 2022 Coordination Framework nominated State of Law’s Mohammed al-Sudani to be prime minister Was nominated PM in 2019 and rejected musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/p/pm-sudani-20…

#Iraq Jul 25 2021 Son of activist kidnapped Jul 23 found dead in Basra His mother campaigned against young people joining Hashd She got death threats and had been targeted before musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/p/pm-kazemi-20…

#Iraq Jul 25 2021 Villages in Hamrin along Diyala-Salahaddin border emptying due to IS attacks musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/p/iraqi-insurg…