Abdul Rahman Arif

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Abdul Rahman Arif (Arabic عبد الرحمان عارف `Abd al-Raḥmān `Ārif) (born 1916 or 1918) was president of Iraq from April 16, 1966 to July 16, 1968.

He was a career soldier, and supported the military coup that brought his brother, Abdul Salam Arif to power in 1963. His brother appointed him head of the army following the coup, and when the younger Arif died in a helicopter crash, Abdul Rahman al-Bazzaz became acting president; but three days later the military decided that Abdul Salam should be succeeded by his older brother instead.

Following the death of his brother, Arif was appointed president(military dictator) by the Revolutionary Command Council. He continued his brother's politics, but with a more nationalistic profile.

His presidency was a turbulent one, and on July 16, 1968, while the president was sleeping, his own assistants along with members of the Ba'ath Party and Ahmad Hassan al-Bakr overthrew him in a coup.

It was accomplished when the defense minister, Hardan Al-Tikriti phoned the president informing him that he was no longer president. Arif was exiled to Turkey.

He returned to Iraq in 1979, when Saddam Hussein came to power, and has since largely stayed out of the public and political spotlight. He was allowed to leave the country once to undertake the Hajj. Along with Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer, he is one of the two living former Presidents.

Preceded by Abd ar-Rahman al-Bazzaz	President of Iraq April 16, 1966 – July 17, 1968	Succeeded by Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr
Preceded by Naji Talib	Prime Minister of Iraq 1967	Succeeded by Tahir Yahya