Abd al-Rahman al-Bazzaz

Who was Abd al-Rahman al-Bazzaz?

Abd al-Rahman al-Bazzaz was a politician, reformist, and writer. He was a pan-Arab nationalist and served as the Dean of Baghdad Law College and later as Prime Minister of Iraq. Al-Bazzaz main political project was the professionalization of the government on the basis of civilian expertise. That civic agenda came on the expense of the military. Al-Bazzaz was charged by the Ba'athist-dominated government of participation in activities against the government and he was tortured and imprisoned. Al-Bazzaz was finally released because of illness and moved to London for treatment where he died in 1973.