* Abd al-Karim Qasim | Iraq | by Tamer Youssef | Pencil Sketch on Recycled Bristol Paper | Photo | November 2009 | Tamer Youssef's Caricature World * Abd al-Karim Qasim (1914 – 1963), was a nationalist Iraqi Army officer who seized power in a 1958 coup d'état, wherein the Iraqi monarchy was eliminated. He ruled the country as Prime Minister of Iraq until his downfall and death in 1963. His name can be transliterated from the Arabic in a number of ways, eg. Abdel Karim Kassem, Abdul Karim Kassem, Abdulkarim Kasem, Abdel-Karim Qaasim, `Abdul Karim Qasem, Qassem. During his rule, he was popularly known as al-za‘im or "The Leader". copyrights belongs to the artist.