At the Cairo Conference of 1921, the British set the parameters for Iraqi political life until the 1958 revolution. Prince Faisal of Hijaz is declared King of Iraq. Eleven years later, on October 3rd 1932 Iraq becomes an independent kingdom with King Feisal at the top.

Faisal dies in 1933. He is succeeded by his twenty-one-year-old son, Ghazi. In 1939 King Ghazi dies in an automobile accident. His infant son, Faisal succeeds and Ghazi's first cousin, Amir Abd al Ilah, is made regent.

In 1953 direct parliamentary elections are held. King Hussein of Jordan and Abd al Ilah propose a union in 1958 to counter the recently formed Egyptian-Syrian union. It is named Arab Union of Jordan and Iraq and has a common prime minister.

The Hashimite monarchy is overthrown on July 14th 1958, in a military coup executed by officers of the Nineteenth Brigade under the leadership of Abd al Karim Qasim and Colonel Abd as Salaam Arif. They kill the king, the crown prince and the prime minister. One day later Iraq is declared a republic, a new government is proclaimed and the Arab Union with Jordan is declared dissolved.

A period of considerable instability followed. In 1963 a group of officers, mainly from the Ba’th Party assasinate Kassem and Abdul Salam Arif becomes the new president. In April 1966, Arif is killed in a helicopter crash and his brother, Major General Abd ar Rahman Arif, is installed in office.

Just two years later Arif is overthrown and Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr becomes the new president. From that time on, the orientation of Iraq slides away from the West and the government improves relations with the Soviet Union. The Ba’th party is at that time more organized than in 1963 and especially two men, Bakr and Saddam Hussein increasingly dominate the party.

On July 16th 1979, President Bakr resigns, and Saddam Hussein officially replaces him as president of the republic.

On September 23rd 1980, Iraqi troops march into Iranian territory, initiating an eight year war. It comes to an end in 1988.

The invasion and occupation of Kuwait is the result of a long-standing territorial dispute, and Iraqi troops overrun the country on 2nd August 1990. The UN security council condemns the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, and demands a complete withdrawal by 15th January 1991. On January 16th, international troops launched operation “Desert Storm” and reverse successfully Kuwait. On March 3rd a cease-fire is announced between allied international forces and Iraq.

The US/British-Iraq War begins on March 20th 2003, following a final demand from US president George W. Bush on March 18th that Saddam Hussein and his sons must leave the country until March 20th 4 a.m.

On June 28th autonomy of Iraq is formally restored as an interim government under the leadership of Iyad Allawi takes power. On January 30 2005, the transitional parliamentary elections took place and on April 6th 2005 Jalal Talabani is elected president of Iraq.

Saddam Hussein, who vanished in April 2003, was captured on December 13th 2003. Condemned by an Iraqi Special Tribunal, he was hanged on December 30th 2006.

The country is struggling to rebuild after three wars and a decade of sanctions and is racked by violence between a growing Iraqi insurgency and occupation forces. The infiltration of foreign fighters and the recent escalation of sectarian fighting lead many observers to speak of a state of civil war.


Sources: Arab.net, Lexicorient, BBC News, Al-Bab


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