ṢADDĀM ḤUSAYN’S ROUTE TO THE TOP IN IRAQ, 1976 – 1980

One of the landmarks in the history of modern Iraq is the coup or revolution of 17–30 July 1968. The unfulfilled promises to establish a democratic and humane political system angered many Iraqis. A group of bathist officers led by Brigadier Aḥmad Ḥasan al-Bakr (who had been prime minister of Iraq in the years 1963–1964) decided to topple the regime. They returned to power by accomplishing two coups, one on 17 July and the other on 30 July 1968. In both instances, they prevailed by stratagem rather than through force. The victorious Socialist Party of Arab Resurrection (Ḥizb al-bath al-arabī al-ishtirākī), commonly known as the Bath Party, created a Revolutionary Command Council under the chairmanship of Aḥmad Ḥasan al-Bakr. The RCC assumed unlimited power in the country and Ṣaddām Ḥusayn at-Tikrītī became its Vice Chairman.