Taha Yassin Ramadan

Taha Yassin Ramadan al-Jazrawi (; 20 February 1938 – 20 March 2007) was an Iraqi military officer and politician who served as the vice president of Iraq from March 1991 to the fall of Saddam Hussein in April 2003 and the commander of the Popular Army.

He is often referred to as "the difficult man" and "the man of major missions." Known for his serious demeanor and deep knowledge of Iraqi-Soviet relations, he has played a significant role in Iraq's leadership.

Early life

Ramadan was born sometime between 1936 and 1938 to a peasant family in Mosul. His family categorically denied Kurdish origin and his son explained that Western news agencies had made an error due to the fact that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had two vice presidents: one representing Kurds, Taha Muhi al-Din Ma’rouf and the other vice president representing Arabs. He grew up in Mosul until he obtained his high school diploma. Ramadan graduated from the Military College and initially retired from service in 1959.

Formative career

He returned to the military following the events of February 8, 1963, but retired again in 1964 and spent two years under house arrest. Subsequently, he was elected as a member of the regional leadership of the Iraqi Ba'ath Party.

After the 17 July Revolution of 1968, he was reinstated in the army and became a member of the Revolutionary Command Council in November 1969. In early 1970, he presided over a special court that tried "enemies of the revolution." By March 1970, he was appointed Minister of Industry, a role he held until becoming Minister of Housing in 1976.

Ramadan also served as the commander of the Iraqi Popular Army, a militia aligned with the Ba'ath Party. In early 1974, he was re-elected to the Ba'ath Party's regional leadership and acted as Minister of Planning from November 1974 to May 1976. By 1977, he was elected to the National Command of the Ba'ath Party.

Ramadan provided insight into the People’s Army, a key component of Iraq’s defense strategy. He explained that while the People’s Army, with around 600,000 trained members, was a reserve force, it was not a regular military unit. Its primary role was to support the regular army and maintain the home front. Ramadan stated that the People's Army was a militia with a unique training regime and was integrated into the national defense under the leadership of the regular army. The personnel of the People’s Army participated in front-line duties based on military leadership's guidance.

Regarding the potential for peace, Ramadan reiterated Iraq's readiness for negotiations based on international norms, historical borders, and non-interference in internal affairs. However, he maintained that the Iranian conditions for ending the war were unacceptable, as they amounted to a breach of Iraq’s sovereignty.

Deputy Prime Minister

On July 16, 1979, following Saddam Hussein's rise to the presidency, Ramadan was appointed First Deputy Prime Minister. This position enabled him to oversee the activities of various ministries and state institutions, as well as undertake visits to Western European countries and the former Soviet Union.

Iran–Iraq War

thumb|Taha Yassin Ramadan with [[Zine El Abidine Ben Ali|Ben Ali of Tunisia, 1988]]

thumb|Turkish Prime Minister [[Turgut Özal with Ramadan in Baghdad, 1984]]

thumb|Ramadan receiving the Brazilian Deputy Foreign Minister Paulo Tarso Flecha de Lima, 1988

During the interview, Ramadan was asked about the broader Arab context of the Iran-Iraq war. He stated that in the early years of the war, some Arab parties used the conflict as a cover for their own issues, claiming that Iraq’s involvement was a distraction from the real battle – the defense of Palestine. Ramadan emphasized that Iraq’s defense of its sovereignty, especially in Basra and the Shatt al-Arab region, was critical, as those territories were central to Iraq's survival. He pointed out that the reluctance of some Arab countries to fully support Iraq in its struggle against Iran was part of a broader Arab disunity that was weakening the region.

He expressed disappointment with certain Arab states that failed to take decisive or supportive stances, criticizing their inability to act when Iraq was under direct threat. Ramadan lamented the "silent spectator" role many Arab countries took during the war, reflecting what he described as a painful and fragmented Arab political landscape. According to Ramadan, had the Arab countries shown more unity and determination, the war might not have prolonged as it did. He led efforts to improve relations with Russia, India, Iran, Indonesia and neighboring countries, positioning Iraq as a more active player on the global stage. He reasoned this would not only serve as an alternative to a war that was certain to damage Iraq's infrastructure, but that it would also reduce the suffering of the Iraqi and American peoples. Ramadan's offer included the possibility that a group of US officials would face off with a group of Iraqi officials of same or similar rank (President v. President, Vice President v. Vice President, etc.). Ramadan proposed that the duel be held in a neutral land, with each party using the same weapons, and with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan presiding as the supervisor. On behalf of Bush, White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer declined the offer.

Later years

Ramadan endured multiple assassination attempts, surviving two in 1997 and another in 1999, highlighting the volatile nature of Iraqi politics and the threats he faced from both internal and external adversaries.

He was one of the defendants in the Iraq Special Tribunal's Al-Dujail trial. On 5 November 2006, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. On 26 December 2006, the appeals court sent the case file back to the Tribunal, saying the sentence was too lenient and demanding a death sentence.

Execution

On 12 February 2007, he was sentenced to death by hanging. His sentence was carried out on the fourth anniversary of US invasion of Iraq, before dawn on 20 March 2007.