Iraqi Army (pre-2003)

Iraqi Army (pre-2003)
Unit name	Iraqi Army (pre-2003)
Dates	1921–2003
Country	Iraq
Allegiance	Ba'ath Party
Branch	Iraqi Armed Forces
Type	Army
Size	Varied; peak estimates 400,000–500,000
Garrison	Baghdad
Notable commanders	Saddam Hussein, Tariq Aziz, Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri

Iraqi Army (pre-2003) was the principal land force of Iraq from the post-mandate era through the 2003 invasion. It evolved through monarchy, republican, and Ba'ath Party regimes, engaging in regional wars such as the Anglo-Iraqi War, Kurdish rebellions, the Iran–Iraq War, and the Gulf War. The force’s organization, doctrine, and equipment reflected shifting alliances with United Kingdom, Soviet Union, France, and United States suppliers and advisors.

History and Formation

The origins trace to units formed under the British Army during the Mesopotamian campaign and the post‑WWI settlement, with early leaders linked to the Iraqi Monarchy and figures such as King Faisal I. Post-1941 Iraqi coup d'état transformations followed interventions by British forces in the Anglo-Iraqi War, and later coups including the 14 July Revolution brought officers associated with Abdul Karim Qassim and Arif brothers into power. The 1968 Ba'ath Party coup and the rise of Saddam Hussein reshaped the army under politicized command, influencing doctrine during the Yom Kippur War era and aligning procurement with the Soviet Union and France. Mobilization for the Iran–Iraq War and the 1990 annexation of Kuwait precipitated expansion, sanctions, and subsequent degradation after the Gulf War against coalition forces led by Operation Desert Storm.

Organization and Structure

Pre-2003 force structure comprised corps, divisions, brigades, and regiments organized according to Soviet-style tables influenced by French and British models. Top command sat with the Iraqi General Staff and the Republican Guard—a separate elite formation associated with Saddam Hussein and commanded by figures like Saddam's son Uday Hussein in political influence. Field formations included armored divisions with T-72 and T-62 tanks, mechanized infantry brigades with BMP-1 and BTR vehicles, and special units such as commando brigades trained in urban and mountain warfare relevant to operations in Kurdistan region and along the Iran–Iraq border. Provincial military commands integrated with security apparatuses in Baghdad, Basra, Mosul, Kirkuk, and Najaf.

Personnel and Training

Recruitment drew from diverse communities including Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen, and Assyrians, affecting cohesion in ethnically mixed regions like Kurdistan and Nineveh Governorate. Officer corps was shaped by institutions such as the Iraqi Military Academy and foreign training exchanges with the Soviet Armed Forces, French Army, and sporadic United States military contacts during earlier decades. Political indoctrination by Ba'ath Party cadres and internal loyalty tests influenced promotions; purges after attempted coups involved security services like the Mukhabarat and figures associated with Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri. Desertion and morale issues rose after heavy losses in the Iran–Iraq War and during the Gulf War, exacerbated by international sanctions against Iraq.

Equipment and Armament

Armament reflected a mix of British legacy weapons and large imports from the Soviet Union, France, and China. Main battle tanks included T-72, T-62, and older Centurion variants; armored personnel carriers featured BMP-1, BTR-60, and M113 types. Artillery inventories contained D-30 howitzers, BM-21 Grad rocket systems, and captured or procured anti-aircraft assets like the S-75 Dvina and SA-6 Gainful. Small arms included AK-47, SKS, FN FAL, and indigenous modifications. Air defense, logistical vehicles, and chemical weapons programs intersected with organizations such as the Iraqi Chemical Corps and led to international scrutiny via United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) and United Nations weapons inspection regimes.

Operations and Conflicts

The army fought in colonial-era actions during the Anglo-Iraqi War (1941) and internal conflicts such as the Kurdish–Iraqi conflict including the Al-Anfal campaign. In 1980–1988 the force engaged in the protracted Iran–Iraq War with major battles at Khorramshahr, Basra, and along the Shatt al-Arab; commanders like Saddam Hussein and generals associated with Iraq-Iran War leadership orchestrated human waves, trench warfare, and missile exchanges involving Scud variants. The 1990 invasion of Kuwait precipitated confrontation with the United States Central Command, coalition forces led by General Norman Schwarzkopf, and the defeat in Operation Desert Storm. Post‑1991 uprisings saw the army suppress rebellions in Basra and Kurdish uprisings with support from Republican Guard and internal security units. Border skirmishes, counterinsurgency, and no‑fly zone enforcement by United Kingdom Royal Air Force and United States Air Force further tested capability.

Political Role and Internal Security

Under Ba'athist rule the army functioned as both national defense and regime security instrument; intertwining with Ba'ath Party structures, the Mukhabarat, and paramilitary forces such as the Popular Army and Fedayeen Saddam. Senior military appointments were politicized by Saddam Hussein, Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, and party loyalists to mitigate coup risk, while the Republican Guard guarded regime centers like Baghdad and critical oil infrastructure in Basra. The army’s involvement in internal repression included operations during the Anfal campaign and suppression of Shi'a uprisings after the Gulf War; these actions drew responses from United Nations Security Council resolutions and international human rights organizations.

Disbandment and Legacy

Following the 2003 invasion, the Coalition Provisional Authority issued CPA Order Number 2 disbanding the armed forces, a decision affecting veterans, institutional memory, and later security sector reconstruction involving the Iraqi Interim Government and Multi-National Force – Iraq. Equipment caches and personnel became sources for insurgent groups including affiliates of Al-Qaeda in Iraq and later Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The legacy persists in debates over state-building, lessons studied by NATO and United States Department of Defense planners, and the continuity of some units and veterans within the post‑2004 Iraqi Security Forces.

Category:Military history of Iraq Category:Defunct armies