978-1-4222-3442-6

50

I RAQ

Britain, and Israel. But the actions of these American allies—at the height of the Cold War—worried U.S. leaders, who feared that per- mitting the seizure of the canal would drive the Arab states to the side of the communist U.S.S.R. The United States used its influence to force the British, French, and Israelis to withdraw. Though the Egyptian army had been defeated on the battlefield, Nasser became a hero in the Arab world. His defiance of the West inspired the Arab nationalists. In Iraq, the Free Officers admired Nasser and wanted their own country to follow the same indepen- dent, anti-Western course. Demonstrations against the monarchy were held in the major cities of Iraq throughout 1956. Y EARS OF R EVOLUTION AND U NREST More Iraqi military officers joined the Free Officers after the 1956 Suez crisis. By 1958 the Free Officers had agreed that they would overthrow the monarchy. They secretly formed a Supreme Committee, with one of their officers, General Abd al-Karim Qasim, as chairman. Although King Faisal II had come of age in May 1953, the regent Abdulillah continued to exercise great influence in the government, as did Nuri al-Said. In 1958 two of the largest Arab states, Egypt and Syria, announced they would form a political organization, the United Arab Republic. This merger would increase their influence over their neighbors. In response, the Hashemite rulers of Jordan and Iraq formed their own organization, the Arab Union, in February 1958. When unrest developed in Lebanon during July 1958, Nuri al-Said decided to send Iraqi troops into Jordan to support the pro-West Hashemite government there. On July 13, Iraqi troops stationed in eastern Iraq were ordered to Jordan. On the way, as the army passed through Baghdad, General Abd al-Karim Qasim ordered the soldiers to seize all important buildings in Baghdad,