Draft:Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr
| Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr |
| Other Names | Hassan al-Bakr |
| Personal Details | |
| Birth Place | Tikrit, Iraq |
| Death Place | Baghdad, Iraq |
| Death Date | 4 October |
| Religion | Islam |
Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr was an Iraqi politician and military officer who served as the President of Iraq from 1968 to 1979. He was one of the senior leaders of the Iraqi Ba'ath Party, and the 1968 coup, carried out with the support of the Ba'ath Party, brought him to power. His rule marked the beginning of the Ba'ath Party's authoritarian regime in Iraq, which lasted until 2003.
Biography
Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr was born in 1914 in the city of Tikrit, Iraq. After completing his education, he joined the Iraqi Army in 1936 and gradually advanced through the military ranks. Beginning in 1953, alongside his military duties, he also entered the political arena.
Political and Military Activities
Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr was among the senior Iraqi military officers who played a significant role in the 1958 coup by seizing control of Iraqi airbases, leading to the overthrow of the monarchy of King Faisal. This coup ended the monarchical system in Iraq. He also participated in the 1963 coup against Abdul Karim Qasim. During the government of Abdul Salam Arif, he served for a time as Prime Minister of Iraq, and under the leadership of Abdul Rahman Arif, he attained the position of Vice President. In 1968, Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr, with the backing of the Iraqi Ba'ath Party, staged another coup, this time seizing power for himself. This coup initiated a bloody and authoritarian regime that, over nearly 35 years, embroiled Iraq in internal repression, regional wars, and widespread humanitarian crises. After assuming power, al-Bakr established a climate of intense oppression in Iraq, brutally suppressing any form of political opposition. In 1971, relations between Iraq and the United States deteriorated, a situation exacerbated by the signing of a 15-year friendship treaty between Iraq and the former Soviet Union in 1972. In the first half of the 1970s, Iraqi Kurds fighting against al-Bakr's government were armed by the Imperial regime of Iran. This issue brought Iran and Iraq to the brink of war. Ultimately, these tensions were largely reduced with the signing of the 1975 Algiers Agreement.
Resignation and the Role of Saddam Hussein
From the beginning of Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr's presidency, his deputy, Saddam Hussein, effectively held the reins of power and gradually prepared himself to assume absolute authority. In 1979, coinciding with the anniversary ceremony of the 1958 coup, Saddam Hussein, through an organized conspiracy, forced Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr to resign. According to this plot, Barzan al-Tikriti, Saddam Hussein's half-brother, pressured the then-President of Iraq by taking Haytham, al-Bakr's son, hostage. Al-Bakr was compelled to announce in a televised speech, reading from a dictated text, Saddam Hussein as the new President and to step down from power.
Death
After his resignation, Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr was completely removed from the Iraqi political scene and spent the final months of his life in total isolation. All his communications with the outside world were severed. During this period, he expressed a desire for recognition of the Islamic Revolution in Iran and coexistence with Iran's new leaders, but this stance faced opposition from Saddam's faction within the Ba'ath Party leadership. Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr finally died in isolation on October 4, 1982, at the age of 68.
See Also
References
- The Fate of a Dictator: The Coup that Brought Saddam Hussein to Power, Defa Press News Agency website, Date published: 17 July 2013, Date accessed: 21 February 2026.