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Field marshal (Iraq)

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Highest military rank of the Iraqi Army
Field Marshal
مهيب الركن
Marshal of the Republic of Iraq insignia
Marshal of the Kingdom of Iraq insignia
Country Iraq
Service branch Iraqi Ground Forces
AbbreviationFM
RankFive star
Abolished1 May 2003
Next higher rankNone
Next lower rankColonel general
Equivalent ranks

Field marshal (Arabic: مهيب, romanized: Muhib) was a five–star officer rank and the highest attainable rank in the Iraqi Armed Forces. Field marshal ranks immediately above colonel general, but is now generally considered to be obsolete. The rank was typically conferred ex officio upon the head of state of Iraq (typically either upon the King of Iraq or upon the President of Iraq). The last known person to be conferred this rank was former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.

Nomenclature

The rank used to be called 'Mushir' (Arabic: مشير) which was in line with the militaries of other Arab countries however it was changed to 'Muhib' following the 17 July Revolution.

Typically, the term 'al-rukn' (Arabic: الركن) would follow 'Muhib', this literally translates to 'staff' as an officer would've underwent further military education and would be awarded a red stripe at the base of their shoulderboards upon graduation from a staff college. However, due to most of the recipients obtaining this rank ex officio, this practice is technically redundant.

List of marshals

Rank Day of Promotion Image Name Date of Death Notes

Field Marshal of the Royal Iraqi Army 		23 August 1921 Faisal I 8 September 1933

Marshal of the Royal Iraqi Air Force 		8 September 1933 Ghazi of Iraq 4 April 1939

Field Marshal of the Royal Iraqi Army 		4 April 1939 Abd al-Ilah 14 July 1958

Field Marshal of the Royal Iraqi Army 		2 May 1953 Faisal II 14 July 1958

Staff Marshal of the Iraqi Army 		8 February 1963 Abdul Salam Arif 13 April 1966

Staff Marshal of the Iraqi Army 		Late 1968 Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr 4 October 1982

Marshal of the Iraqi Army 		16 July 1979 Saddam Hussein 30 December 2006
  • Ex officio
  • President of Iraq from 16 July 1979 to 9 April 2003
  • Saddam is noted to be the only Marshal to never have any formal military service nor military education

References

  1. "رؤساء العراق في العهد الجمهوري". aawsat.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  2. "Iraqi Ground Forces (1980-2003) - International Encyclopedia of uniforms and insignia". www.uniforminsignia.net. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  3. Allawi, Ali A. (2014). Faisal I of Iraq. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-12732-4.
  4. "The Hashemite Royal Family". 2019-04-06. Archived from the original on 2019-04-06. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  5. "IRAQ: Gathering of the Kings - TIME". 2011-10-19. Archived from the original on 2011-10-19. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  6. "60 years on, Iraqis reflect on the coup that killed King Faisal II". Arab News. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  7. "Presidents Of Iraq Since 1958". WorldAtlas. 2019-04-03. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  8. ابو عبدالرحمن الكردي. تاريخ الوزارات العراقية في العهد الجمهوري 1961 1963 الجزء 5 6 (in Arabic).
  9. Tucker, Spencer C. (2010-10-08). The Encyclopedia of Middle East Wars: The United States in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq Conflicts [5 volumes]: The United States in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq Conflicts. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-85109-948-1.
  10. Coughlin, Con (2005). Saddam: his rise and fall (1st Harper Perennial ed., fully updated and rev ed.). New York, NY: Harper Perennial. ISBN 978-0-06-050543-1.
  11. Phillips, James. "Saddam Hussein and the Crisis in the Persian Gulf". The Heritage Foundation. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
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