Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr

Iraqi president (1914-1982)

Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr was the President of Iraq from 17 July 1968 to 16 July 1979. He was born in Tikrit, Ottoman Iraq on 1 July 1914. He was a member of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party, and later, the Baghdad-based Ba'ath Party. During his rule Iraq had high economic growth due to high international oil prices. Al Bakr slowing lost power to his cousin Saddam Hussein.

Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr
أحمد حسن البكر
Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr
1st Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council
In office
17 July 1968 – 16 July 1979
DeputySaddam Hussein
Preceded byPost established
Succeeded bySaddam Hussein
President of Iraq
In office
17 July 1968 – 16 July 1979
Vice PresidentSaddam Hussein
Preceded byAbdul Rahman Arif
Succeeded bySaddam Hussein
Regional Secretary of the Regional Command of the Iraqi Regional Branch
In office
October 1966 – 16 July 1979
National SecretaryMichel Aflaq
Preceded bySaddam Hussein
Succeeded bySaddam Hussein
In office
11 November 1963 – February 1964
Preceded byHamdi Abd al-Majid
Succeeded bySaddam Hussein
25th Prime Minister of Iraq
In office
31 July 1968 – 16 July 1979
PresidentHimself
Preceded byAbd ar-Razzaq an-Naif
Succeeded bySaddam Hussein
In office
8 February 1963 – 18 November 1963
PresidentAbdul Salam Arif
Preceded byAbd al-Karim Qasim
Succeeded byTahir Yahya
49th Minister of Defence
In office
11 November 1974 – 15 October 1977
Prime MinisterHimself
Preceded byHammad Shihab (died in office)
Abdullah al-Khadduri (acting from July 1973)
Succeeded byAdnan Khairallah
Member of the Regional Command of the Iraqi Regional Branch
In office
11 November 1963 – 16 July 1979
Personal details
Born(1914-07-01)1 July 1914
Tikrit, Ottoman Empire
Died4 October 1982(1982-10-04) (aged 68)
Baghdad, Iraq
NationalityIraqi
Political partyArab Socialist Ba'ath (1940s–1966)
Baghdad-based Ba'ath (1966–1982) (NPF)
Military service
Allegiance Iraq
Branch/serviceIraqi Army
RankGeneral
Battles/warsAnglo–Iraqi War
Ramadan Revolution
17 July Revolution