Ahmed Hassan al Bakr

Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr was the fourth president of Iraq, from 17 July 1968 to 16 July 1979. He was a leading member of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party and later the Baghdad-based Ba'ath Party, which espoused a mix of Arab nationalism and socialism. Al-Bakr first rose to prominence after the 14 July Revolution, which overthrew the monarchy. He improved Iraq's relations with the Soviet Union and initiated several economic and social reforms, such as the nationalization of oil, the expansion of education and health care, and the promotion of women's rights. He also pursued an aggressive foreign policy, supporting the Palestinian cause, opposing Iran and Israel, and intervening in the Lebanese Civil War. He faced several challenges during his rule, such as the Kurdish rebellion, the Ba'athist coup of 1973, and the Islamic Dawa Party's assassination attempt in 1980. He delegated most of his powers to his deputy Saddam Hussein, who eventually forced him to resign in 1979. He died of cancer in 1982.