December 17, 1999

Iraqi General Ibrahim Abdelsattar has been named the new Chief of Staff. He replaces General Abdel Wahed Shannan al-Rabbat, who was made the governor of Baghdad. General Iyad Ftayeh al-Rawi, the former governor of Baghdad, has moved on to head a new youth sports organization. General Ibrahim Abdelsattar is from Tikrit, the hometown of Saddam and most of the senior Iraqi officials. Abdelsattar began his career in the Army as a tank commander, and commanded a division during the 1990 invasion of Kuwait. He became chief of staff of the Republican Guard in 1992.--Stephen V Cole