Iraqi General Staff

Iraqi General Staff
Unit name	Iraqi General Staff
Dates	1921–present
Country	Iraq
Branch	Iraqi Armed Forces
Type	Staff
Role	Strategic planning, joint command
Garrison	Baghdad
Notable commanders	Saddam Hussein, Abdul Qadir al-Obeidi, Babaker Zebari

Iraqi General Staff The Iraqi General Staff is the senior joint military staff responsible for strategic planning, operational command, and force coordination for the Iraqi Armed Forces, including the Iraqi Army, Iraqi Air Force, and Iraqi Navy. Established in the aftermath of the Kingdom of Iraq era and reshaped through the Iraqi Republic periods, the staff has been central in conflicts from the Anglo-Iraqi War and the Iraq–Iran War to the Gulf War (1990–1991), the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and the Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017). It interfaces with political institutions such as the Presidency of Iraq, the Iraqi Council of Ministers, and security bodies including the Ministry of Defence (Iraq).

History

The institution traces roots to the formation of the Royal Iraqi Army in the 1920s and evolved through interactions with the British Army, the influence of the Ottoman Empire legacy, and regional dynamics involving Turkey, Iran, and Syria. During the rule of Saddam Hussein the General Staff expanded alongside the Republican Guard and Special Republican Guard and played leading roles in the Al-Anfal campaign and clashes in the Kurdistan Region. After the 2003 invasion of Iraq the General Staff was reconstituted amid efforts by the Coalition Provisional Authority and training by personnel from the United States Department of Defense, United Kingdom Ministry of Defence, and military missions from France and Italy. The post-2003 era saw the staff coordinate with multinational efforts such as Operation Iraqi Freedom and later with regional actors during counter‑insurgency against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in operations alongside the Peshmerga and Popular Mobilization Forces.

Organization and Structure

The staff is organized into directorates modeled on contemporary joint staff systems, with sections for operations, intelligence, logistics, and personnel that interact with formations across the Iraqi Army, Iraqi Air Force, Iraqi Navy, and paramilitary elements. Its headquarters in Baghdad links to regional commands in provinces such as Anbar Governorate, Nineveh Governorate, Diyala Governorate, and Basra Governorate. The structure incorporates liaison offices with the Ministry of Interior (Iraq), the National Security Council (Iraq), and international partners like the NATO Training Mission-Iraq and the U.S. Central Command.

Roles and Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include joint operational planning, strategic intelligence assessment, force readiness, and coordination of combined arms campaigns engaging armored divisions, mechanized infantry, artillery regiments, and air assets. The staff directs logistics chains involving depots near Al Muthanna, maintenance overseen with assistance from the Defense Logistics Agency model, and airlift coordination through bases like Al Asad Airbase and Baghdad International Airport. It also manages military education links with institutions such as the Iraqi War College and international defense academies including the US Army War College and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

Commanders and Leadership

Leadership has included senior officers whose careers intersected with figures such as Saddam Hussein, Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, and post-2003 officials like Abdul Qadir al-Obeidi and Babaker Zebari. Chiefs of staff have coordinated with heads of state including the President of Iraq, Prime Minister of Iraq, and ministers such as the Minister of Defence (Iraq). The office maintains links with military attachés from countries including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, Iran, and Turkey.

Operations and Engagements

The staff planned and executed large campaigns in the Iraq–Iran War including major battles such as the Battle of Basra (1987) and coordinated defenses in the Gulf War (1990–1991) during operations like Operation Desert Storm. In the 2003 conflict it was a central node in the collapse of conventional forces facing multinational forces and later reoriented to counterinsurgency during the Iraq insurgency (2003–2011). It led joint operations against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant such as the Battle of Mosul (2016–2017), working with partners including the Kurdistan Regional Government, the International Coalition Against ISIS, and the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq.

Training and Doctrine

Doctrine development has been influenced by experiences in conflicts including the Yom Kippur War lessons, Cold War doctrines from the Soviet Union, and Western counterinsurgency manuals from the United States Department of Defense. Training programs are conducted at academies like the Iraqi Military Academy, with international courses provided by the NATO Defence College, the Foreign Military Sales framework, and bilateral exchanges with the Egyptian Armed Forces and Jordanian Armed Forces. Emphasis in recent years has shifted to counter‑terrorism, urban warfare, combined arms integration, and civil‑military coordination with agencies such as the International Committee of the Red Cross during stabilization missions.

Equipment and Support Units

The General Staff oversees procurement and allocation of equipment sourced historically from suppliers including the Soviet Union, France, United Kingdom, and later the United States. Major equipment types include T-72 and Type 59 armor, M1 Abrams programs discussion, utility and attack helicopters like the Mil Mi-17 and Bell AH-1 Cobra, and fixed-wing platforms in the Iraqi Air Force inventory. Support units include logistics battalions, medical corps tied to Al Kindi Hospital (Baghdad), engineering regiments that worked on fortifications and mine-clearing with partners like the United Nations Mine Action Service, and signals units coordinating with satellite providers and communications firms such as Thales Group and Raytheon.

Category:Military of Iraq