Word: baathists
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...bringing to a head a feud within the Syrian government. In what amounted to yet another upheaval in Syria, Lieut. General Hafiz Assad, the Defense Minister, posted troops around government ministries and television studios in a show of strength against Chief of State Dr. Noureddine al Atassi and Baathist Party Boss Salah Jaid. If Assad makes his power play stick, one result could well be an end to Syria's quarrels with the rival Baath party in Iraq, and its isolation in the Arab world, which could lead to a more active role against Israel...
Iraq's Baathist junta of retired Major General Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr has become increasingly nervous and repressive since it came to power last July. It began with a "policy of openness," pledged to stamp out corruption, release political prisoners and welcome exiles home. But the junta had too narrow a power base to tolerate such liberal measures. Last Dec. 3, when the Israelis shelled and bombed Iraqi forces in Jordan, the Al-Bakr regime was quick to blame its growing internal troubles on Israeli spies...
...leading victim of that purge was ex-Premier Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr, a retired major general and a Baathist from the movement's romantic early days. Though Al-Bakr retired to his Baghdad home, he constantly plotted against the Arefs. One abortive but memorable 1964 attempt involved six Baathist air force MIG pilots, who planned to shoot down the presidential transport as it lifted from a runway. When worsening conditions in the country this year gave Al-Bakr a better chance to regain power, he started meeting at his house with 13 retired officer-politicians. In April, the group...
Unity for Now. Since the new junta consists of non-Baathist rightists and centrists as well as Al-Bakr and his friends, an inner power struggle may develop. Showing unity for the moment at least, the new rulers went through the standard motions of damning the previous regime and delivering vague promises of "national unity" and coming democracy. Aref and his backers, they said with customary hyperbole, were "opportunists, thieves, ignorant, illiterate Zionist spies...
Baothist Brinksmen. Most Syrians are fed up with the Baathists and tired of the endless propaganda barrages. Both at home and abroad, the trio of ruling Baathist generals, led by Salah Jadid, find themselves with more foes than just the Israelis. In Lebanon, exiled Syrian politicians, including former Premier Amin Hafez-whom the Baathists overthrew last year-meet regularly to plot a return to power. Jadid has lately been at odds with the civilians through whom he rules. Chief of State Noureddin Attassi, who is believed to favor a somewhat more conciliatory policy toward Israel, recently walked angrily...