Who took over Iraq in 1979?

In 1979, Saddam Hussein took over Iraq, becoming the country's president after a power struggle within the Ba'ath Party. He effectively consolidated power following the resignation of Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr, who had been the leader since the Ba'ath Party's rise to power in 1968. Hussein's rule would be characterized by authoritarian governance, widespread human rights abuses, and military conflicts, including the Iran-Iraq War and the Gulf War.