Britain's First Invasion of Iraq  Britain's First Invasion of
Iraq  by Anthony Bruce  Britain's first intervention in what is
now Iraq occurred at the beginning of the First World War. At
the outset, Britain's objectives were limited to protecting its
oil supplies. They were soon extended to include the capture of
Baghdad, capital of the Ottoman Empire's province of
Mesopotamia, and the territory beyond.  As Ottoman Turkey
entered the war in October 1914, an expeditionary force
dispatched from British India advanced from its forward base at
the mouth of the Shatt-al-Arab, Iraq's opening onto the Persian
Gulf. The oil installations at Abadan were taken on November 7
th , 1914. The city of Basra, 20 miles inland on the Euphrates,
was occupied on November 22 nd , after the defeat of more
determined opposition.  Because Turkish resistance was weaker
than expected, the British began to think about expanding their
grip on Mesopotamia. The first offensive operations of 1915 were
successful, driving the Turks from Ah