No need to remind you that this description is from my own memory and I was so young to understand the situation correctly.
after the revolution in 1958, two of the leaders of the revolution shared the responsibility of leading Iraq. The first was Abdulkareem Qasim who had a higher position in the army, the second was Abdulsalam Aarif.
They were only few months after the revolution when the conflict started between the two, Qasim (supported by the communist) overcame the rule and put Aarif (supported by Arab nationalist and Baathist) in prison. Qasim started to take the side of the communists which had a strong organization in the south of Iraq. While in the north most of the people were Arab nationalist and against the communist. Another revolution started in 1959 in Mosul against Qasim. But it couldn't stand the large number of communist who were sent to mosul in the name of peace supporters. The revolution ended with a massacre, the communist with Qasim supporters used the Kurds and some villagers from outside Mosul to loot and spoil the city. Something that I didn't find an explanation to , is that, the Kurds and the Christians shared the communist in their crimes (that is the beginning of discrimination between different nationalities and religions), they killed all the rich peoples in the city, all the religious men and looted their houses, the city streets were filled with dead bodies, nobody dared to bury them. In short, the situation was worse than it is now during the American invasion to Iraq.
In 1963, another revolution started against Qasim, and that time, Aarif took control supported by the Baath party, and killed Qasim and became the president of Iraq. The baathist started gradually to overcome the situation, which forced Aarif to make another revolution to regain the control again and to get rid of the Baathies. Few months later, he died in an air-plain accident. His brother Abdulrahman Aarif become the president.
In 1968, Baathies started a revolution and took control over the government, Saddam was one of the leaders of the revolution. Ahmad Hasan Al-Baker become the president, and Saddam the vice president, but actually, he was the one who controlled the government.
In 1979, Al-Baker resigned and Saddam Hussein became the president of Iraq.
The end of the story is well known by all of you, I think!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Thank you for starting this blog. Your descriptions of Mosul and Iraq are most insightful. I appreciate your perspective, as an adult, regarding the political history and traditions of your country. Please continue sharing your story with us. Do not be hindered by those people who may be cruel and write foolish comments. Intelligent people appreciate learning from the older and wiser generation.
Hi Truth Teller,
A very interesting and insightful history lesson. I also ran across another good writeup of the same period in history: here is a link.
It is interesting reading this type of information from a blog like yours, knowing you were there to see some of this history. Most of us reading this (including me) have never had the experience of walking past dead bodies in the street or living through an armed insurrection or coup. Sitting where I am, it is easy to think rationally about the violence in Iraq, but I think that would be much harder to think rationally about it with some of the violence happening on your street. In this context, it is a bit reassuring that you think the 1959 situation was worse than today: Mosul recovered from 1959, and will hopefully recover from the current violent spate too.
I really have my fingers crossed for the coming elections. Iraqis seem to have a sad history of solving political disputes with guns and bombs, but if democracy really does take root in Iraq, perhaps the people there will learn to solve their disputes by marking a ballot with a pencil instead.
Shawn - www.madcanuck.com
Are you planning to vote? Have they offered an absentee voter option? (Here in Los Angeles County we offer our registered voters the option of voting for their choices and mailing it the ballot to the main office, without having to go to Voting Booths, or polling locations) Also, are Iraqi's still enthusiastic about the Iraqi National Soccer Team performance in the Olympics? To me, soccer or futbol makes bonds and bridges between people that nobody can destroy. Have you seen any of the beheading videos? If so, what was your reaction?
Anonymous 3:20
Thank you for your comment. I think you have noticed that I avoid talking in politics, but it is an unavoidale thing. So I will answer your quistions.
you asked, Are you planning to vote?
the answer is "No. and no one of my family" the reason is that, thre is a threat of killing who vote. The americans and the iraqi national quards are unable to protect their selfes. they are prisoners of their camps and their tanks.
Q- Have they offered an absentee voter option?
A- No, the dony either specified the place where the vote will be. no any observable arrangements.
Q- Have you seen any of the beheading videos?
A- No. and I dont want to see one in the future. It is a crime against Islam and humanity.
I have right now no patience enough to get a password or username but write this anyhow.
I am from Sweden and in your age and I also like to play tabletennis so maybe one day in the future...I am quite good. What I would like to know is maybe more about the daily life in Mosul. Do you go to work every morning or do you have to stay at home? Are the shops or the market open? And what about the children?
Can you express your personal view on the American troops?
Post a Comment