Afif, and Brigadier Ahmad Hasan al-Bakr. By November General Abd al-Rahman Arif was forced into exile and of 1963, the Ba’ath Party would be maneuvered out of General Ahmad Hassan al-Bakr and the Ba’ath Party the coalition. assumed control of the Iraqi government. This coup constituted the final Ba’ath consolidation of power in The medal was manufactured by Huguenin (Le Locle, and led to the eventual rise of to Switzerland). There is also an Iraqi-made variety of the power. Manufactured by Huguenin (Le Locle, medal. The pendant is circular, 40-ram in diameter, and Switzerland). The pendant is a circular gilt medal, made of a bronze-gilt metal. The obverse background enameled . In the center of the obverse is a yellow- is enameled blue, in the center the enameled of Iraq enameled eight-pointed star with a gilt and black- (1958-91 type) with the inscription AL-JAMHURIYAH enameled wreath and the date "1968" below. Within the AL- IR’AQIAtI or "The Iraqi Republic" above and, below, wreath, a gilt triangle with a yellow-enameled sunburst 14RAMADAN. Behind, a rising sun design. The reverse design with the Iraqi state emblem in enamel. Below, is basically plain, with the legend in very high relief 8 the inscription NUT/17 TAMUZ or "Medal / 17 SHIBAT 1963 [C.E.] or "8 February 1963" at the bottom July." The reverse is blank except for a small maker’s edge. At the very bottom, the maker’s mark: tIUGUENIN mark toward the bottom: HUGUENIN / SWISS MADE. SWISS MADE. The ribbon is 32mm wide with a 16mm- The ribbon is 36mm wide, , with 4ram black edge wide white central stripe flanked by an 8mm red stripe stripes. (viewer’s left) and an 8ram black stripe (viewer’s right).

Figure 11: Nut al-Taawin, First Class.

8. Nut al-Taawin (Medal of Cooperation 1st Class) (Figure 11).

Established in 1969 and manufactured by Hugenin (Le Locle, Switzerland), it seems likely that this medal was Figure 10: Nut Thurath 17 Tamuz. originally intended mainly for award to Syrian nationals. The July 1968 revolution ushered in a period of 7. Nut Thurath 17 Tamuz (Medal for the July 17, 1968 significant renewal of the Iraqi-Syrian friendship. Revolution) (Figure 10). However, several Iraqi medal bars (including this Saddam Hussein bar) have been observed that included this medal. Established by Law No. 45 of 1968 and awarded to However all Iraqi bars observed by the author include commemorate the revolution of 17 July 1968 in which only the First Class grade.

Vol. 56, No. 5 17 The pendant is a massive circular 48-mm bronze medal the matter. Many in Iraq believed that the Shah of Iran with an eight-pointed star surf., ounded by a laurel wreath. actively supported the Kurdish rebellion in an effort to Within the star, the Iraqi ea.gle with the enameled Iraqi destabilize the Ba’athist government. Despite active coat-of-arms on its breast; behind its head the Hararn efforts at settlement, by October 1968, Iraq faced a full- al-Sharif("Dome of the Rock") in Al-Quds (Jerusalem). scale civil war with the Kurdish population. The Kurds demanded autonomy and appealed for United Nations The pendant is suspended from its ribbon by an integral arbitration. On March 11, 1970, a settlement was finally horizontal loop. The reverse has a pebbled finish and achieved with the Kurds (thanks in part to the personal bears the Arabic inscription NUTAL-T’AAWIN or "Medal intervention of Saddam Hussein) and a formal peace of Cooperation" at the bottom. The maker’s mark is at agreement and system for shared authority and the top, HUGUENIN / SWISS MADE. administration was concluded.

The ribbon is 34ram wide, with a 16mm red center stripe The Nut al-Salam was established by Law No. 3 of 1971 flanked by 9mm green edge stripes. and manufactured by Huguenin (Le Locle, Switzerland). o First Class - lightly gilded and with the wreath and The pendant is a 35-mm circular medal with a wreath, outline of the star enameled green. composed of a shaft of wheat on the left and laurel leaves o Second Class - plain bronze with only the coat-of- on the right, around the outer edge and swords at the arms enameled. lower border. In the center, with a scene of the Iraqi countryside behind and a cog-wheel above, a Kurd and The medal on Saddam’s medal bar is the First Class an Iraqi shake hands. Above all, on a banner, the Arabic version. legend 11 AATHAR 1970 or "11 March 1970."

The pendant is suspended from the ribbon by an integral suspension bar. The reverse is plain except for the small maker’s mark toward the bottom, HUGUENIN / SWISS MADE. The ribbon is 36 mm wide, composed of a 16ram yellow center-stripe flanked on either side by a 4 mm green stripe and a 6 mm white stripe.

The Peace Medal comes in three grades: 1st Class, gilt; 2nd Class, silver; and 3rd Class, bronze. It is believed that the degree of the medal is based upon rank--gold for general officers, silver for field grade officers, and bronze for company grade officers and other deserving persons. Saddam’s medal is the First Class grade.

Unlike campaign medals, Iraqi campaign or service medals were only awarded to those persons whom commanders felt were deserving of recognition.

10. Iraqi Army Golden Jubilee Medal (Figure 13).

Established in 1971 and manufactured by Huguenin (Le Locle, Switzerland), this medal was issued to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Iraqi army.

Figure 12: Nut al-Salam, 1st Class. The pendant is a large, 43mm diameter, circular medallion. In the center, a soldier blowing a bugle and 9. Nut al-Salam (Medal for Peace) (Figure 12). holding an upright olive branch; behind him, another soldier and a number of . Surrounded by an Conflicts with the Kurds broke out again in the summer inscription from the Qur’an above WA AIDO LAHUM of 1965 and moved Iraqi-Kurdish relations closer to a MA ISTATITUMMIN QIQA or "Prepare for them as much state of war. Cross-border attacks into Iran complicated as you can" and below AL-YOUBIL AL-THAHABI LIL

18 JOMSA JAISHAL-IRAQI or "Golden Jubilee of the Iraqi Army", on either side the dates 1921 and 1971. The top of the pendant is composed of a triangle with the Iraqi national emblem in the center. The reverse is plain with HUGUENIN / SWISS MADE at the bottom in small letters.

Figure 14: Medal for the 1973 War with Israel

a large number of troops and considerable supplies to the Syrian front. Since did not consult with any of her allies when the cease-fire was put into effect, Iraqi Figure 13: Iraqi Army Golden Jubilee Medal forces were withdrawn and relations with Egypt cooled.

The ribbon is the same for all classes and is 35mm wide. The pendant consists of a 43mm diameter disk with a The center of the ribbon is a 27mm gold stripe woven large triangle superimposed over the center. The with gold threads. The center stripe is flanked on either suspension bar is attached to the pendant by a ring at the side with a 4mm-wide green edge stripe. top of this triangle. The obverse of the pendant is enameled to give the overall impression that the circular The Jubilee Medal comes in three grades: 1st Class, gold; disk behind the triangle is in the pattern of the pre- 1991 2nd Class, silver; and 3rd Class, bronze. It is believed Iraqi . In the center, the gilt triangle is edged that the degree of the medal is based upon rank--gold green, with the white-enameled Arabic legend 6 for general officers, silver for field grade officers, and TESttRIN or "6 October." Below, on a gilt plaque, the bronze for company grade officers and other deserving date 1973. The 35mm-wide ribbon is composed of a persons. Saddam’s medal is the First Class grade. 13ram-wide yellow center stripe flanked by 1 lmm-wide red edge stripes. Unlike United States campaign medals, Iraqi campaign or service medals were only awarded to those persons As can be seen from the photographs accompanying this whom commanders felt were deserving of recognition. article, Iraqi awards are striking in their appearance and quite well made (and in the author’s opinion currently 11. Medal for the 1973 War with Israel (Figure 14). undervalued and underrated). Given the limited number of awards it would be possible to compile a complete With the outbreak of the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, Iraq sent collection of Iraqi awards for a reasonable investment.

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