Iraq Timeline Part IV: "Rise of the Ba'ath Party"

1958 AD
Egyptian President Nasser threatens to topple the pro-Western government of Beirut. The Iraqi King, Faisal II, who is also allied with Western powers, orders his troops into Jordan causing General Abd al-Karim Qasim, who dislikes the idea of sending Iraqis to war against other Arabs, to turn against the monarchy. The overwhelmed King quickly surrenders in exchange for safe passage for himself and his family. But, in the front court yard of his own palace, the young king is mowed down by machine gun bullets, along with fifteen to twenty others. Abdul-Karim Qasim seizes power.

1963 AD
Abdul-Karim Qasim is assassinated and his corpse is displayed on Iraq''s television airwaves by his assassins. General Abd al-Salam Arif takes his place. Though the Ba''athists helped stage the coup, political differences eventually led Arif to view the party as a threat to his power, causing him to purge the Ba''athists from his administration and fire rockets into the headquarters of Ba''ath leadership. When Abd al-Salam Arif dies, his brother, Abd al-Rahman Arif, takes his place. 1968 AD Ba''athists seize power. Abd al-Rahman Arif is escorted to the airport and is exiled to London. Al-Bakr assumes the mantle of presidency, while Saddam Hussein takes a place at his side as the Vice-President.