Page 66 - History of War - Issue 10-14

BRIEFING

The Iraqi monarchy 1922-1958 and Shia anger against a Sunni-dominated with the disastrous attack on Eygpt by Britain,
Differences between the Sunnis and Shias government percieved to be acting firmly in France and Israel in the 1956 Suez Crisis,
are believed to have originally begun in 66 CE the British interest. Led by Arab nationalist crippled Faisal’s rule, but the final straw came
when the Sunni-dominated Umayyad Caliphate General Bakr Sidqi, the revolt was against the when the King opposed a plan to establish
failed in its attempts to turn Iraq into a unified authoritarianism of the regime and severely the United Arab Republic of Egypt and Syria.
political community. Sympathy for ISIS’s goals weakened the constitution. This would open He was assassinated in July 1958 during the
has its deepest roots here in this division, but the door to the future disabling of the Iraqi elite 14 July Revolution after losing control of both
sectarian notions were revived after the fall and weaken the state. This era also signalled the people and the military. The interference
of the Ottoman Empire. The resulting power the end of the Assyrian voice in Iraq as the of Western powers had now been effectively
vacuum led to Western powers, especially the small minority was reduced further after a diminished in the country and the Iraq Republic
French and British, establishing rule over areas 1933 massacre by Iraqi and Kurdish forces was born. This event would go to show that
of the Middle East, including Iraq. King Faisal that killed 3,000 men, women and children. Western intrusion was far from popular and
I, who had previously been ousted from rule in The Assyrians, aside from being a Christian although Britain justified reasons for its
Syria, began the House of Hashemite line in community that nursed a centuries-old feud involvement, an anti-Western feeling was
Iraq. Naturally a ruler installed by the British with the neighbouring Kurds, had served the rapidly assembling and the extremist seeds
wasn’t overly popular and seven military coups British in suppressing Arab revolts. had been sown.
were attempted during his reign. Faisal died Despite the various coups cracking its
in 1933 and was replaced by his son Ghazi foundations, the monarchy staggered on under Birth of a republic 1958-1979
bin Faisal – a Nazi sympathiser with a love of King Faisal II (1953-1958). It encountered The 14 July Revolution in 1958 marked the end
fast cars. He proved to be just as unpopular trouble again in 1955 after the Baghdad of the monarchy and the beginning of the Iraq
– a fact illustrated in the 1936 coup d’état. Pact, designed to form a pro-Western military Republic. The new prime minister was Abdul-
This was the first of its kind in the modern agreement between Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Karim Qasim, while Muhammad Najib Ar-Ruba’I
Arab world and represented the Kurdish and the United Kingdom, faltered. This, coupled assumed the presidency. Both were Sunni

In July 1958, Colonel Aref and General Abdul
Karim Qasim overthrew the ruling monarchy in
a coup d’etat, and took control of the new Iraqi

King Faisal the I was the King
of Iraq between 1921-1933

Evacuees from Baghdad arriving at Esenboga
Airport, Ankara, Turkey, 25 July 1958

1955 1958 1963 1968 1978
1955 Baghdad Pact Dissolution of the PresidentQasimis Ba’ath party takes Islamic Revolution in
signed between monarchy after overthrown in the powerinIraqunder Iran puts the country
Britain and Iraq King Faisal II is Ramadan Revolution the leadership under the leadership
becomes a failed assassinated in the 14 after class strife and of Ahmad Hasan of Shia cleric Ayatollah
attemptatamilitary July Revolution. Iraq religious violence al-Bakr. Saddam Ruhollah Khomeini.
agreement between becomes a republic and reaches a brutal Hussein becomes Tensions rise with
the two nations. British influence wanes. boiling point. vice-president. neighbouring Iraq. Amirreza

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