Al-Bakr, Ahmed Hassan (1914-1982)

Iraqi soldier and politician, prime minister of Iraq in 1963 and 1964, and prime minister and president 1968-79. A member of the socialist Ba'ath Party, during his term of office as head of government and head of state, as well as chair of the Revolutionary Command Council (RCC), Al-Bakr wielded absolute power. However, he gradually ceded control to Saddam Hussein, who replaced him as president in 1979.

Al-Bakr's regime modernized industry in Iraq and developed irrigation schemes to aid agriculture. Conflict also arose during his presidency with the Kurds in the north of the country.

Al-Bakr was educated at the Military Academy, Baghdad, and took part in the coup that ousted the Iraqi monarchy in 1958.