Tariq Aziz

Tariq Aziz, also Tareq Aziz (Arabic طارق عزيز) (b. 1936) was the Foreign Minister (1979–1991) and Deputy Prime Minister (1979–2003) of Iraq, and a close advisor of President Saddam Hussein for decades. Their association began in the 1950s, when both were Ba'ath party activists, while the party was still officially banned.

Related Topics:
1936 - 1979 - 1991 - 2003 - Iraq - Saddam Hussein - 1950s - Ba'ath party

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Since Saddam was both Prime Minister and President of Iraq, Aziz often played the role of Iraq's de facto head of government. Because of security concerns Saddam rarely left Iraq, and Aziz in turn would often represent Iraq at high-level diplomatic summits. In December 2002, Aziz called the arms inspection a "hoax" and war "inevitable". What the U.S. wanted, he averred, was not "regime change" in Iraq but rather "region change". He tersely summed up the Bush Administration reasons for war against Iraq: "oil and Israel'".

Related Topics:
Prime Minister - President - De facto - Head of government - Bush Administration

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