Hardan Al-Tikriti - Fall From Power and Assassination

Fall From Power and Assassination

Because Hardan recognized what Saddam Hussein’s intentions had been, he started to set up a strategy of his own. In 1969 Hardan tried to show his power and authority by convincing Bakr to send Saddam into exile for having questioned his power and motives in front of the council. Saddam was sent away on a plane just as several other exiled Iraqis in the past had been but he was to return just one week later with vengeance in his heart. After having returned to Iraq, Saddam set out to destroy Hardan right away. First he had his Deputy Premier Position taken away by merging the title into the president’s position. Saddam did this by simply convincing Bakr that Hardan was after his presidential seat. Listening to what Saddam suggested, Bakr started to implement a plan that would strip Hardan of actual controlling power. Hardan al-Tikriti was soon given the position as Vice President but this meant nothing because he no longer had the power to control cabinet meetings. Finally on 15 October 1970 Hardan was dismissed from all positions he carried because he was accused of disregarding efforts of the Ba’thist Party to help the Arabs. These posts included the Minister of Defence and Deputy Premier of Iraq. He was also dismissed from the Revolutionary Command Council. The charge against him meant that he wasn’t helping the Ba’th live up to their oath to help protect the Palestinians. Hardan was later sent into exile and like all others he was put on a plane and flown out of the state. He was sent to Madrid initially. He returned weeks later to Iraq to try to clear his record. Unfortunately he was unsuccessful and was turned around right away and sent to Algeria to be the Iraqi Ambassador. He wasn’t accepted there so he later left. After a period of exile in London, Hardan was appointed as Iraqi Ambassador to Sweden. However, Hardan disliked being away from the Iraqi political scene and he travelled to Kuwait from where he attempted to organize a coup against Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr and Saddam Hussein. On 30 March 1971, Hardan was assassinated on the orders of Saddam Hussein in Kuwait.