Assassination Attempt on Abd al-Karim Qasim,
Prime Minister of Iraq, Oct. 7, 1959
The majority of the documents below are from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. I obtained them from the National Archives where they have been sitting, declassified, for many years. The National Intelligence Estimate and the National Security Council documents are from the Foreign Relations of the United States series. I do not have the originals, just the transcriptions. The paper "The Iraq Communist Party and the Question of Legalization" is from the CIA CREST computer at the Archives.
Paul Wolf
October 22, 2005
Political Situation In Iraq Memorandum of Discussion at the 420th Meeting of the National Security Council, October 1, 1959
Special National Intelligence Estimate on Possible Developments in Iraq, dated Sept. 24, 1959
Congressman Kasem Meets Qasim, Nov. 27, 1959
Reporting on Qasim Speech, Dec. 7, 1959
Qasim not Believed to be Communist, Aug. 1, 1959
Qasim's Personality, Aug. 31, 1959
Iraq Will Never Join Eastern Bloc, July 1, 1959
Qasim Position on Communists, July 11, 1959
Trend to Dissociate from Communists, July 18, 1959
Assessing Political Situation, July 31, 1959
Prospects for Internal Stability, Sept. 28, 1959
No Communists in Cabinet Expansion, July 17, 1959
Qasim Taking Steps Curb Communists, July 10, 1959
Former Saudi Finance Mininister Warns of Iraqi Army Unrest, Feb. 27, 1959
Unrest and Crackdowns on Communists Mosul Executions, Sept. 25, 1959
Mosul Executions, Sept. 27, 1959
Prosecutions of Communists, Aug. 4, 1959
Arrests of Communists, Aug. 4, 1959
Qasim Eliminating Communist Influence Govt., Aug. 23, 1959
Arrest of 185 Communists, Aug. 29, 1959
Comments on Soviet Strategy, July 9, 1959
US Policy and Views on Qasim U.S. Nonintervention Policy, Oct. 13, 1959
US Encouraging Neutral Position, Dec. 13, 1959
Implies US Policy is not to Oppose Qasim, Oct. 15, 1959
US Arms Sales Intended Demonstrate Qasim Support, Aug. 22, 1959
No One Else in Sight Take Qasims Place, Aug. 28, 1959
US Handling Contacts with Iraqi Nationalists, Oct. 5, 1959
US Regret Over Attempt, Oct. 8, 1959
U.S. Urging Cairo Cease Qasim Attacks, June 17, 1959
U.S. Diplomat Sees Qasim as Possible Counterbalance to Communists, Mar. 17, 1959
US Concern Over UAR Attacks on Qasim, Sept. 6, 1959
Prediction Qasim Demise Would Benefit Communists, Nov. 17, 1959
No Evidence Moscow Pact, April 20, 1959
Evidence Moscow Influence, April 18, 1959
Fearing attacks on Qasim would aid Communists, Aug. 27, 1959
British Policy and Views on Qasim British Position re Qasim, Sept. 29, 1959
British Position re Qasim, Oct. 1, 1959
Mtg with Iraqi Officials and Dentist, Dec. 4, 1959
Iraq Buying British Weapons, Aug. 12, 1959
Views of Neighboring States Syrians Blame Baathists, Oct. 22, 1959
Egypt Comm Take Adv Qasim Demise, Sept. 27, 1959
Damascus Campaign Against Qasim, Sept. 23, 1959
Baghdad Pact Views of Iraq Communism, April 16, 1959
Iranian Concerns over Iraqi Communists, April 29, 1959
Egypt Fears UK Communist Collusion, Oct. 8, 1959
Syrian Demo Against Qasim, Sept. 24, 1959
Turks Concerned Communist Influence, Jan. 9, 1960
Libyan Views on BP, March 31, 1959
UAR optimistic about Qasim resisting communists, June 25, 1959
Egyptian Official on Qasim Communism, Feb. 16, 1959
Iran Believed UAR Soviet Tool, Feb. 10, 1961
Iraq Withdrawing from Baghdad Pact SYG Position on Iraqi Withdrawal, March 26, 1959
Classified Info Ankara not Baghdad, Jan. 6, 1959
Iraq BP Withdrawal, March 24, 1959
Soviet Press on Leaked Docs, Aug. 20, 1961
Legalizing the Communist Party of Iraq License granted to splinter group of Communist Party of Iraq (CPI) in order to cause split in group.
CIA Report on The Iraq Communist Party and the Question of Legalization
Iraqi Government Investigation, and Various Theories Rumor of Palestinian Assassins, Sept. 24, 1959
Report on Attempted Assassination, Oct. 14, 1959
Qasim Attempt Investigating Committee Findings Unknown, Oct. 14, 1959
Investigation of Attempt, Oct. 25, 1959
Embassy Source re Anti Communist Palestinians, Oct. 20, 1959
Palestinian Communists Suspected in Qasim Attempt, Oct. 14, 1959
Newspaper Reports US Planes, Oct. 28, 1959
Related Conspiracies and Loose Ends Allegations of US Involvement in Rashid Ali Plot, Dec. 14, 1959
Rumors of Communist Plot, July 6, 1959
Warning CPI May Assassinate Qasim, July 7, 1959
Hardan's Plan to Overthrow Qasim, July 27, 1959
Message to Iraqi Fugitives in Syria, Oct. 13, 1959
Odd Reference to Provocation, Dec. 5, 1959
Soviets Blame US for Northern Uprising, Mar. 10, 1959
Qasim Bodyguards, June 1, 1959
Still-Classified Documents Classified CIA Memo, Oct. 13, 1959
Access Restricted, Aug. 9, 1959
Access Restricted, Sept. 30, 1959
Access Restricted, Nov. 25, 1959
Access Restricted, June 12, 1960
Access Restricted, Mar. 11, 1959
Access Restricted, Mar. 9, 1959
Access Restricted, Oct. 9, 1959
Access Restricted, Feb. 13, 1959
Access Restricted, Jan. 17, 1959
Access Restricted, Sept. 25, 1959
Notes Personality list of U.S. and Foreign Officials Mentioned in Mid-East Documents, from FRUS, 1958-1960
Editorial Note on Assassination Attempt in Foreign Relations of the United States
Pull Slip, Baghdad General Records, RG 84, 1959-1960
Pull Slip, Bagdhad Classified Records, RG 84, 1959-1960
Copyright Paul Wolf, 2005.
