Regional Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Iraq Region

The Regional Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Iraq Region, officially the Regional Command of the Iraqi Regional Branch of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party, was the highest decision-making organ of the Iraqi Regional Branch. Throughout its history, the Regional Command has normally had 19-21 members.^[1] When in power, the Directorate of Security Affairs was responsible for the security of the president and the senior members of the Regional Command.^[2] Currently, the composition of the Regional Command of the Iraqi Regional Branch is unknown because the party remains underground.

The Iraqi Regional Branch was organized on the Marxist–Leninist model, with a small elite, the Regional Command, controlling the party from the top down. As in the Soviet Union, the party leadership became the government.^[3] While the Regional Command was the de facto highest legislative and executive organ of state and party, the Revolutionary Command Council was according to the 1970 Iraqi constitution "the supreme body of the state."^[4] In theory, the Regional Command was to be subordinate to the National Command.^[5]

Structure

Secretary of the Regional Command Fakhri Qadduri (1953–1954) Fuad al-Rikabi (1954–1959) Talib Hussein ash-Shabibi (1959– May 1962) Ali Salih al-Sadi (May 1962 – 25 September 1963) Hamdi Abd al-Majid (25 September 1963 – 11 November 1963) Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr (11 November 1963 – February 1964) Saddam Hussein (February 1964 – 1966) Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr (1966–1979) Saddam Hussein (1979–2003 de facto, 2003–2006 de jure) Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri (2007–)

Deputy Secretary of the Regional Command Unknown (pre-1966) Saddam Hussein (1966–1979) Taha Yassin Ramadan (1979–1991) Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri (1991–2007) Unknown (2007–present)

Members

Members of the 1st–12th Regional Commands

Name	Took office	Left office	Term(s)	Duration
al-Rikabi, FuadFuad al-Rikabi	December 1955	29 November 1959	2	364 days
al-Din Kazim, ShamsShams al-Din Kazim	December 1955	1957	1	31 days
Habib Khayzaran, FaysalFaysal Habib Khayzaran	December 1955	1957	1	31 days
	2 February 1960	May 1962	2	2 years, 88 days
Ali Salih al-Dulaymi, KhalidKhalid Ali Salih al-Dulaymi	1957	July 1960	2	3 years, 182 days
Ibrahim Jumah, MidhatMidhat Ibrahim Jumah	1957	29 November 1959	1	2 years, 332 days
Rikabi, AbdallahAbdallah Rikabi	1957	29 November 1959	1	2 years, 332 days
El-Shibib, TalibTalib El-Shibib	1957	25 September 1963	4	6 years, 267 days
	11 November 1963	February 1964	1	82 days
Mahmud Shantaf, KarimKarim Mahmud Shantaf	1957	29 November 1959	1	2 years, 332 days
	11 November 1963	February 1964	1	82 days
Said Thabit, AyyadAyyad Said Thabit	1957	29 November 1959	1	2 years, 332 days
Salih al-Sadi, AliAli Salih al-Sadi	2 February 1960	11 November 1963	4	3 years, 282 days
Hammadi, Sa'dunSa'dun Hammadi	2 February 1960	25 September 1963	1	3 years, 235 days
	June 1982	September 1991	1	9 years, 92 days
	1994	18 May 2001	1	7 years, 137 days
Jawad, HazimHazim Jawad	2 February 1960	February 1964	5	3 years, 364 days
Ali Salih al-Dulaymi, KhalidKhalid Ali Salih al-Dulaymi	2 February 1960	July 1960	1	150 days
Abd al-Majid, HamdiHamdi Abd al-Majid	May 1962	11 November 1963	2	1 year, 194 days
Fakiki, HaniHani Fakiki	May 1962	11 November 1963	2	1 year, 194 days
Khalkhal, HamidHamid Khalkhal	May 1962	11 November 1963	2	1 year, 194 days
Shaykh Radi, MuhsinMuhsin Shaykh Radi	May 1962	11 November 1963	2	1 year, 194 days
Talib al-Hashimi, AbuAbu Talib al-Hashimi	25 September 1963	11 November 1963	1	47 days
Qassab, AdnanAdnan Qassab	25 September 1963	11 November 1963	1	47 days
Hassan al-Bakr, AhmedAhmed Hassan al-Bakr	11 November 1963	16 July 1979	5	15 years, 247 days
al-Sattar Abd al-Latif, AbdAbd al-Sattar Abd al-Latif	11 November 1963	February 1964	1	82 days
Mihdawi, MuhammadMuhammad Mihdawi	11 November 1963	February 1964	1	82 days
Mahdi Ammash, SalihSalih Mahdi Ammash	11 November 1963	September 1971	3	7 years, 294 days
Wandawi, MundhirMundhir Wandawi	11 November 1963	February 1964	1	82 days
Yahya, TahirTahir Yahya	11 November 1963	February 1964	1	82 days
Abd al-Karim, AliAli Abd al-Karim	11 November 1963	February 1964	1	82 days
Bazzaz, FaiqFaiq Bazzaz	11 November 1963	February 1964	1	82 days
Aziz, TariqTariq Aziz	1 August 1965	9 April 2003	9	37 years, 251 days
al-Sattar Duri, AbdAbd al-Sattar Duri	11 November 1963	February 1964	1	82 days
Shakir Mustafa, FuadFuad Shakir Mustafa	11 November 1963	February 1964	1	82 days
Mahmud Shantaf, KarimKarim Mahmud Shantaf	11 November 1963	1967	1	3 years, 51 days
Sultan, SalimSalim Sultan	11 November 1963	February 1964	1	82 days
Waddai, Hassan HajjHassan Hajj Waddai	11 November 1963	February 1964	1	82 days
Hussein, SaddamSaddam Hussein	February 1964	9 April 2003	8	39 years, 67 days
Taha Azzuz, AhmadAhmad Taha Azzuz	February 1964	October 1965	3	2 years, 242 days
Mahjub, MuhammadMuhammad Mahjub	February 1964	October 1966	3	2 years, 242 days
	January 1974	16 July 1979	1	5 years, 196 days
Sallum al-Samarra'i, AbdullahAbdullah Sallum al-Samarra'i	February 1964	March 1970	3	6 years, 28 days
al-Khaliq al-Samarra'i, AbdAbd al-Khaliq al-Samarra'i	February 1964	1973	3	8 years, 335 days
al-Tikriti, HardanHardan al-Tikriti	February 1964	October 1966	1	2 years, 242 days
al-Shaykhli, Abd al-KarimAbd al-Karim al-Shaykhli	October 1966	September 1971	2	4 years, 335 days
al-Hadithi, MurtadaMurtada al-Hadithi	October 1966	January 1974	2	7 years, 92 days
Ramadan, Taha YassinTaha Yassin Ramadan	October 1966	9 April 2003	8	36 years, 190 days
al-Ali, Salah OmarSalah Omar al-Ali	October 1966	1970	2	3 years, 92 days
Mustafa, IzzatIzzat Mustafa	October 1966	November 1968	1	2 years, 31 days
ad-Douri, Izzat IbrahimIzzat Ibrahim ad-Douri	November 1966	9 April 2003		36 years, 190 days
Najam, Samir 'Abd al-AzizSamir 'Abd al-Aziz Najam	November 1968	September 1971	2	2 years, 335 days
Karim, Abd al-WahhabAbd al-Wahhab Karim	November 1968	September 1969	1	335 days
al-Karim, Tayih 'AbdTayih 'Abd al-Karim	January 1974	June 1982	2	8 years, 151 days
al-Hamdani, Adnan Hasan AbbasAdnan Hasan Abbas al-Hamdani	January 1974	16 July 1979	1	5 years, 196 days
al-Jalil, Ghanim 'AbdGhanim 'Abd al-Jalil	January 1974	16 July 1979	1	5 years, 196 days
Mustafa, IzzatIzzat Mustafa	January 1974	January–March 1977	1	3 years, 59 days
Jasim, Fulayyih HasanFulayyih Hasan Jasim	January 1974	March 1977	1	3 years, 59 days
Fadhil Samarra'i, AbdullahAbdullah Fadhil Samarra'i	January 1974	16 July 1979	1	5 years, 196 days
Hamad, Muhammad AyishMuhammad Ayish Hamad	January 1974	16 July 1979	1	5 years, 196 days
Mashhadi, Muhyi 'Abd al-HusseinMuhyi 'Abd al-Hussein Mashhadi	January 1974	16 July 1979	1	5 years, 196 days
al-Ani, TahirTahir al-Ani	January 1974	September 1982	2	8 years, 151 days
al-Yasin, Abd al-FattahAbd al-Fattah al-Yasin	January 1974	September 1982	2	8 years, 151 days
Hammudi, Ja'far QasimJa'far Qasim Hammudi	January 1974	June 1982	2	8 years, 151 days
al-Azzawi, Hikmat IbrahimHikmat Ibrahim al-Azzawi	January 1974	June 1982	2	8 years, 151 days
Mustafa, BurhanBurhan Mustafa	January 1974	June 1982	2	8 years, 151 days
Khairallah, AdnanAdnan Khairallah	January 1974	4 May 1989	3	15 years, 123 days
Haddad, Na'imNa'im Haddad	January 1974	September 1991	3	17 years, 243 days
Ali, HasanHasan Ali	January 1974	September 1991	3	17 years, 243 days
Shakir, Sa'dunSa'dun Shakir	January 1974	September 1991	3	17 years, 243 days
Mahdi Salih, SahdiSahdi Mahdi Salih	June 1982	1994	2	11 years, 214 days
Amza Zubeidi, MohammadMohammad Amza Zubeidi	June 1982	September 1991	1	9 years, 92 days
Muhammad Abd al-Wahhab, SamirSamir Muhammad Abd al-Wahhab	June 1982	September 1991	1	9 years, 92 days
al-Hasan Rahi Majhul al-Firawn, AbdAbd al-Hasan Rahi Majhul al-Firawn	June 1982	September 1991	1	9 years, 92 days
al-Ghanii Abd al-Ghafur, AbdAbd al-Ghanii Abd al-Ghafur	June 1982	18 May 2001	3	18 years, 351 days
Yasin Rashid, KamilKamil Yasin Rashid	June 1982	18 May 2001	3	18 years, 351 days
Khidr Hadi, MizbanMizban Khidr Hadi	June 1982	9 April 2003	4	20 years, 312 days
Hassan al-Majid, AliAli Hassan al-Majid	June 1982	9 April 2003	4	20 years, 312 days
Nusayyif Jasim, LatifLatif Nusayyif Jasim	June 1982	September 1991	1	9 years, 92 days
	1994	9 April 2003	2	9 years, 98 days
Abd al-Aziz Hussein, KhadarKhadar Abd al-Aziz Hussein	September 1991	1994	1	2 years, 122 days
Abd al-Rahman, AhmadAhmad Abd al-Rahman	September 1991	1994	1	2 years, 122 days
Faysal Shahir, NuriNuri Faysal Shahir	September 1991	1994	1	2 years, 122 days
Matni al-Awwad, MizhirMizhir Matni al-Awwad	September 1991	1994	1	2 years, 122 days
Khalaf, FawziFawzi Khalaf	September 1991	1994	1	2 years, 122 days
Hamzi al-Zubaydi, MuhammadMuhammad Hamzi al-Zubaydi	September 1991	18 May 2001	2	9 years, 259 days
al-Ahmad, MuhammadMuhammad al-Ahmad	September 1991	18 May 2001	2	9 years, 259 days
Zimam Abd al-Razzaq, MuhammadMuhammad Zimam Abd al-Razzaq	September 1991	9 April 2003	3	11 years, 220 days
al-Baqi Abd al-Karim al-Sadun, AbdAbd al-Baqi Abd al-Karim al-Sadun	1994	18 May 2001	1	7 years, 137 days
Ibrahim al-Mashadani, FadilFadil Ibrahim al-Mashadani	1994	18 May 2001	1	7 years, 137 days
Abd al-Aziz al-Najm, SamirSamir Abd al-Aziz al-Najm	1994	9 April 2003	1	7 years, 98 days
Abdullah, AzizAziz Abdullah	1994	9 April 2003	2	7 years, 120 days
Saleh Nuhmah, AzizAziz Saleh Nuhmah	1994	9 April 2003	2	7 years, 120 days
Hussein, QusayQusay Hussein	18 May 2001	9 April 2003	1	1 year, 326 days
Salih Mahdi Ammash, HudaHuda Salih Mahdi Ammash	18 May 2001	9 April 2003	1	1 year, 326 days
Abdullah al-Abudi, YahyaYahya Abdullah al-Abudi	18 May 2001	9 April 2003	1	1 year, 343 days
Abd Saqar, UqlahUqlah Abd Saqar	18 May 2001	9 April 2003	1	1 year, 343 days
Ta'an Kazim, RashidRashid Ta'an Kazim	18 May 2001	9 April 2003	1	1 year, 343 days
Mahmud Gharib, FadhilFadhil Mahmud Gharib	18 May 2001	9 April 2003	1	1 year, 343 days
Khudayr al-Khafaji, MuhsinMuhsin Khudayr al-Khafaji	18 May 2001	9 April 2003	1	1 year, 343 days

References

General
Regional Command membership was taken from this source:

• Ghareeb & Dougherty 2004, pp. 389–392

Specific

1. Sassoon 2012, p. 36.
2. Sassoon 2012, p. 99.
3. Coughlin 2005, pp. 73–74.
4. Coughlin 2005, p. 74.
5. Ghareeb & Dougherty 2004, p. 192.

Bibliography

• Coughlin, Con (2005). Saddam: His Rise and Fall. Harper Perennial. ISBN 0-06-050543-5.
• Ghareeb, Edmund; Dougherty, Beth (2004). Historical dictionary of Iraq. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-4330-1.
• Tripp, Charles (2010). A History of Iraq. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-87823-4.