Arab Socialist Union (Iraq)

The Arab Socialist Union (ASU) in Iraq was a political party founded in 1964, modeled after Gamal Abdel Nasser's Arab Socialist Union in Egypt. It was intended to be a broad-based, national unity organization that transcended sectarian and ethnic divisions in Iraq and promoted Arab socialist principles. The party officially aimed to achieve Arab unity, socialism, and social justice.

The Iraqi ASU was established after the Ba'ath Party briefly held power in 1963 and was subsequently overthrown. The government of President Abdul Salam Arif and later his brother Abdul Rahman Arif, sought to create a new political framework that would unify the country and counter the Ba'athists' influence.

However, the Iraqi ASU remained largely a top-down organization, lacking the genuine popular support enjoyed by its Egyptian counterpart. It was often criticized for being dominated by military figures and for failing to effectively incorporate diverse elements of Iraqi society.

Following the Ba'ath Party's return to power in 1968, the Arab Socialist Union (Iraq) was gradually marginalized and eventually dissolved. The Ba'athists established their own political structure, effectively replacing the ASU. While some former members of the ASU were co-opted into the Ba'athist regime, the party itself ceased to exist as an independent entity.