Hussein Regime

Ba'thist Coup
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Biography

Mesopotamia. Sumer. Babylonia. These names evoke, especially in history lovers, the glories of the ancient world. In the “Fertile Crescent” between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, now known as Iraq, a rich and complex culture flourished. For several centuries, however, this area suffered multiple invading forces and foreign occupation. In 1918, the British assumed the rule of Iraq and were given a mandate at the Treaty of San Remo on April 25, 1920. By November of that year, a provisional Arab government was installed, and a formal proclamation of the Kingdom of Iraq was issued on August 23, 1921. In his book, “The Book of World Horoscopes,” Nick Campion provides a chart for the beginning of the proclamation ceremony at 6:00 AM BGT in Baghdad.

Iraq gained independence from the UK when its parliament ratified a treaty with the British on November 16, 1930. This treaty was presented to the League of Nations on January 22, 1931 and the British Mandate was terminated on October 4, 1932, another date that could arguably be used for the beginning of modern-day Iraq. Campion gives a time of 10:30 AM GMT on October 30,1932 in Baghdad for the chart of Iraq’s Independence.

On July 14, 1958, a military coup was reported by BBC radio, and French reports (which Campion quotes for 7:00 AM local time in Baghdad, corresponding to 4:00 AM GMT) announced, “Ici la Republique d’Irak.” The monarch was overthrown in a rebellion led by general Karim Kassem, and the king, the crown prince, and the prime minister were killed. On February 8, 1963, Kassem was himself overthrown by a group of officers mainly from the Ba’th Party, and Abdul Salam Arif became the new president, succeeded at his death in 1966 by his brother. On July 17, 1968, Arif was overthrown by Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr, who became the new president until Saddam Hussein assumed power in a coup on July 16, 1979. On September 22, 1980, Iraq invaded Iran; a ceasefire was declared on August 20, 1988, and Iraq was rebuilt, using resources provided by the U.S. and Western European countries. On August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait, and the United Nations demanded withdrawal by January 15, 1991, followed by imposition of heavy sanctions. On January 17, 1991 at 2:38 AM BAT in Baghdad, the first air strike was launched in what was called “Operation Desert Storm,” and a cease-fire declared on March 3 of that year. Since that time, the UN has demanded complete disarmament while continuing its sanctions against Iraq. In late 2002, at the instigation of the United States, the United Nations resumed inspections, and on March 20, 2003, the U.S., without UN approval, launched the first air strike against Iraq.

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For More Information on the Web:

• http://home.achilles.net/~sal/iraq_history.html

• http://www.angelfire.com/nt/Gilgamesh/history.html

• http://www.al-bab.com/arab/countries/iraq/history.htm

• http://www.desert-storm.com/War/chronology.html

• http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/gulf/cron/

What Do You Think?

After the fact, analyses always look brilliant, but let’s put our techniques and skills to the test by putting on record our predictions for the nature and timing of the Iraq end game.

1. How will the war end? Surrender, siege, Hussein captured, a decisive battle or a slow, costly urban warfare?
2. Will there be a decisive date or will it have a rolling end like the rolling beginning?
3. If there isn’t a decisive battle on what day will the coalition declare victory?

We’ve posted the chart of the Iraq, Bush, Blair and Hussein. We’re not even certain of Hussein’s date of birth, but it should show up in the other three charts.

View Others' Answers

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04/08/2003