Gotabaya Rajapaksa vs Nuri al-Said

As Defense Secretary under President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Gotabaya Rajapaksa oversaw the military campaign against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The war ended in 2009 with the defeat of the LTTE, but was marked by allegations of civilian casualties and human rights abuses.

Rajapaksa won the presidential election with a landslide victory, securing 52.25% of the vote. His campaign focused on national security and economic development, appealing to Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism.

Under Rajapaksa's presidency, Sri Lanka faced its worst economic crisis since independence, with shortages of food, fuel, and medicine. The government defaulted on its foreign debt for the first time in history, leading to widespread protests.

Following massive protests and the occupation of the presidential palace, Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives and then Singapore. He resigned as president via email, ending his presidency in disgrace.

As Prime Minister, Nuri al-Said signed the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty of 1930, which granted Iraq independence but allowed Britain to maintain military bases and influence. The treaty was highly controversial and seen as a continuation of British control.

Nuri al-Said committed Iraq to the Baghdad Pact, a Western-backed anti-Soviet alliance also including Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, and the UK. This aligned Iraq firmly with the West and provoked opposition from Arab nationalists and the Soviet Union.

During the 14 July Revolution, Nuri al-Said attempted to flee Baghdad but was captured and killed by a mob. His death ended the Hashemite monarchy and his own long tenure as prime minister, leading to the establishment of the Republic of Iraq.