Adib Shishakli 3334850 222174512 2008-06-27T22:41:25Z ImageRemovalBot 4851336 Removing deleted [[:Image:Shishakli 1.jpg|image]] {{Infobox_President | name = Adib Shishakli <br>أديب الشيشكلي | image = | imagesize = | order = [[President of Syria]] (military Rule) | primeminister = | vicepresident = | term_start = [[July 11]] [[1953]] | term_end = [[February 25]] [[1954]] | predecessor = [[Fawzi Selu]] (Military Rule) | successor = [[Hashim al-Atassi]] | office2 = [[List of Prime Ministers of Syria|Prime Minister of Syria]] | term_start2 = [[July 19]] [[1953]] | term_end2 = [[March 1]] [[1954]] | predecessor2 = [[Fawzi Selu]] | successor2 = [[Sabri al-Assali]] | birth_date = [[1909]] | birth_place = [[Hama]], [[Syria]] | death_date = [[September 5]], [[1964]] (aged 55) | death_place = [[Ceres]], [[Brazil]] | spouse = [[Fatina al-Fanari]] | party = [[SSNP]] | religion = [[Islam]] }} '''Adib ibn Hasan Shishakli''' born 1909, in Hamah, Syria, died Sept. 27, 1964 in Ceres, Brazil, assassinated. ([[Arabic language|Arabic]]: أديب بن حسن الشيشكلي) was a [[Syria]]n military leader. President of Syria (1953-54). == Background == Born to [[Kurd]]ish parents in the western town of [[Hama]], [[Syria]], Shishakli served with the [[French Army]] during the mandate era. He studied at the Military Academy of [[Damascus]] (which later was relocated to Homs) and became an early member of the [[Syrian Social Nationalist Party]] (SSNP) of [[Antun Saadeh]], promoting the concept of a [[Greater Syria]]. His brother Salah was also a prominent member of the SSNP. After [[independence]], Shishakli fought in a volunteer [[Arab]] army, known as the [[Army of Deliverance]], against the [[Zionism|Zionist]] militias in the [[1948 Arab-Israeli War]]. == Political/military career == The Arab in that war was a motivating factor for the military [[coup d'êtat]] of [[Husni al-Za'im]] which had taken place soon after in 1949, shattering Syria's weak parliamentary system. Only months after al-Za'im's takeover, the weak ruler was overthrown by a group of officers connected to the SSNP, including Shishakli and [[Col.]] [[Sami al-Hinnawi]], who led the new military junta. Za'im had betrayed the SSNP leader [[Antune Saadah]], giving him to [[Lebanon|Lebanese]] authorities where he was tried and executed for wanting to destroy the modern state of Lebanon. An infuriated Shishakli co-launched the coup of 1949 to revenge [[Saadeh]]'s killing, and reportedly ripped off Za'im's bloodstained shirt and took it to Saadeh's widow, who was still in Syria, telling her: "We have avenged his murder!" Shishakli worked with Sami al-Hinnawi, the new de facto ruler of Syria who refused to assume power on his own and restored Syria's parliamentary system. Hinnawi became chief-of-staff of the Syrian Army and the veteran [[nationalism|nationalist]] [[Hashem al-Atassi]], who had been president in the 1930s, to become prime minister, and then president of Syria. Atassi wanted to create union with [[Hashemite]] [[Iraq]], something which Shishakli greatly opposed, claiming that Hinnawi was the drive behind pro-Hashemite sentiment in Syria. == Seizing power == [[Image:Shishakli 2.gif|thumb|left|President Adib Shishakly]] In December 1949, Shishakli launched another coup, the third in 1949, arresting Hinnawi to break Hashemite influence in Syria, but keeping Atassi at his post. He then ordered the assassination of [[Colonel]] [[Mohammad Nasser (colonel)|Mohammad Nasser]], the Air Force Commander, because he threatened Shishakli's popularity in the [[Military of Syria|Syrian Army]]. All of this greatly weakened the pro-union elements in Syria but they continued to try working for union through the cabinets of Prime Minister [[Nazim al-Kudsi]]. Shishakli conditioned that all governments must include his right-hand-man [[Fawzi Selu]] as minister of defense, to curb Hashemite influence in the Syrian government. When Prime Minister [[Maarouf al-Dawalibi]], a pro-Iraq politician from Aleppo, refused, Shishakli responded on November 28, 1951. He arrested Dawalibi and his entire cabinet, in addition to all pro-Iraq politicians in Syria, including the leaders of the [[People's Party (Syria)|People's Party]], Nazim al-Kudsi and [[Rushdi al-Kikhiya]]. In protest, Atassi resigned from office and moved into the opposition. Pleased to get rid of this stubborn nationalist, who rejected officer intervention in political affairs, Shishakli made his comrade Selu the Chief-of-Staff of the Army, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense, and the Head of State. But in effect, Selu was nothing but a figurehead. Real powers lay in the hands of Adib al-Shishakli. == Shishakli in power == Shishakli then dissolved all political parties and banned many newspapers, in a return to military rule. Among those to suffer persecution under his rule were the [[National Party (Syria)|National Party]] of Damascus, the [[People's Party (Syria)|People's Party]] of Aleppo, the [[Syrian Communist Party|Communist Party]], the [[Baath Party]], and the Syrian [[Muslim Brotherhood]]. He also outlawed all [[newspaper]]s that were not pro-Shishakli, and banished the Baath leaders [[Akram al-Hawrani]], [[Michel Aflaq]], and [[Salah al-Bitar]] to Lebanon, where they then actively worked against his regime. He was a skilled public speaker, however, and relied greatly on the [[radio]] to transmit his speeches to every-day Syrians. In August 1952 he established an official government party, the [[Arab Liberation Movement (Syria)|Arab Liberation Movement]], but it was [[boycott]]ed by powerful representatives of the civilian political society, such as [[Hashim al-Atassi]]. The party was progressive, accepting women among its ranks and calling for a limited degree of [[Arab socialism|socialism]]. Some said that he viewed himself as "an Arab [[Julius Caesar|Caesar]]." In mid-1953 Shishakli staged a [[referendum]] to elect himself [[President of Syria|President]], but he was by now facing mounting dissent. == Foreign relations == As leader of Syria, Shishakli sought good relations with [[Western world|Western]] countries, and maintained Syria's uncompromising stance towards [[Israel]]. Syrian relations with the [[Hashemite]] [[monarchy|monarchies]] of [[Jordan]] and [[Iraq]] were poor during his presidency, but he also looked with distrust at the rapid spread of [[Nasserism]]. Many believe that [[Gamal Abdel Nasser|Nasser]]'s Free Officer Revolution of 1952 in [[Egypt]] had been modeled after Shishakli's own coups of 1949 and 1951. Shishakli's relations were strong, however, with [[King of Saudi Arabia|King]] [[Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia|Abdul-Aziz]] of [[Saudi Arabia]], his son King [[Saud bin Abdul Aziz bin Muhammad al Saud|Saud]], and [[King of Jordan|King]] [[Talal of Jordan|Talal]] of [[Jordan]]. Shishakli greatly liked King Talal, saying that he had no ambitions in Syria, unlike his father King [[Abdullah I of Jordan|Abdullah I]] or his son, King [[Hussein I of Jordan|Hussein]]. Despite this, and in contrast with his pro-Western outlook and Kurdish background, Shishakli recognized the desires of Syria's [[Arab]] majority, and accordingly adopted a policy of [[pan-Arabism]]. He clashed frequently with the independent-minded [[Druze]] minority on the [[Jabal Druze]] mountain, accusing them of wanting to topple his regime using funds from Jordan, and in 1954 resorted to shelling Druze strongholds to put down resistance to his rule. His relations with both Britain and the US ran hot and cold. Britain courted Shishakli during the early period of his rule in the hope that Syria would join plans for a British-led Middle East Defense Organization. The United States offered Shishakli considerable sums of money to settle Palestinian refugees in Syria and turn them into Syrians. Shishakli, although tempted by these offers of Western arms and money, did not take them. The Palestinian situation had soured Syrians on relations with the West. Syria wanted revenge rather than to accept defeat and repair Syria's damaged relations with the West and make peace with Israel.[http://faculty-staff.ou.edu/L/Joshua.M.Landis-1/US%20Policy%20toward%20Palestine%20Refugees%20new.doc] == Downfall == Growing discontent eventually led to another coup, in which Shishakli was overthrown in February 1954. The plotters included members of the [[Syrian Communist Party]], disgruntled Druze officers, [[Baath Party]] members, and possibly had Iraqi backing. He had also arrested a lot of active officers in the Syrian Army, including the rising young [[Adnan al-Malki]], also a prominent Baathist. Leading the anti-Shishakli movement were former President Atassi and the veteran Druze leader [[Sultan al-Atrash]]. The largest anti-Shishakli conference had been held in Atassi's home in [[Homs]]. Shishakli had responded by arresting Atassi and [[Atrash]]'s sons, Adnan and Mansur (both of whom were ranking politicians in Syria). When the [[insurgency]] reached its peak, Shishakli backed down, refusing to drag Syria into [[civil war]]. He fled to Lebanon, but when the Druze leader [[Kamal Jumblat]] threatened to have him killed, he fled to [[Brazil]]. Prior to the [[United Arab Republic|union]] between Syria and Egypt in 1958, Shishakli toyed with the idea of returning to Syria to launch a coup d'état, using funds - ironically - provided by Iraq. The coup was foiled by Syrian intelligence and Shishakli was sentenced to death ''in absentia'', although he never attended its hearings. On [[September 27]], [[1964]], Shishakli was assassinated in Brazil by [[Nawaf Ghazaleh]], a Syrian Druze who sought revenge for the bombardments of Jabal Druze. The assailant was considered a national hero by the Druze. When he died in 2005, thousands of people attended his funeral. == Trivia == In the 1990s, he was depicted on screen for the first time in a TV series, played by the Syrian actor [[Usama al-Roumani]]. == Sources and further reading == * [http://faculty-staff.ou.edu/L/Joshua.M.Landis-1/Joshua_Landis_Druze_and_Shishakli.htm Joshua Landis, "Shishakli and the Druze: Integration and Intransigence," 1998] * [http://faculty-staff.ou.edu/L/Joshua.M.Landis-1/US%20Policy%20toward%20Palestine%20Refugees%20new.doc Joshua Landis, "Early U.S. Policy toward Palestinian Refugees: the Syria Option," 2001] * [[Sami Moubayed]] ''Steel & Silk: Men and Women Who Shaped Syria 1900-2000'' (Cune Press, 2005). {{start box}} {{succession box|title=[[List of Presidents of Syria|President of Syria]]|before=[[Husni al-Za'im]]|after=[[Hashim al-Atassi]]|years=1953–1954}} {{end box}} {{SyrianPresidents}} {{SyrianPrimeMinisters}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Shishakli, Adib}} [[Category:1909 births]] [[Category:1964 deaths]] [[Category:Presidents of Syria]] [[Category:Prime Ministers of Syria]] [[Category:People sentenced to death in absentia]] [[Category:Assassinated Syrian politicians]] [[Category:Syrian military personnel]] [[Category:Kurdish people]] [[Category:Syrian people murdered abroad]] [[ar:أديب الشيشكلي]] [[fr:Adib Chichakli]]