"Top diplomat under Saddam Hussein's regime dies" by Sam Schaffer

Tariq Aziz, the former top diplomat under Saddam Hussein's dictatorial regime, died of a heart attack last Friday- according to Iraqi officials. Before the overthrow of Hussein's government, Aziz was the foremost public face of the country, often defending Saddam's policy to the rest of the world. After they were conquered during the Iraq War, he was tried and sentenced to life in prison in the city of Nasiriya. He was taken to the hospital a few weeks ago, when his health began to deteriorate in prison. He was 79 when he died.

Aziz was fluent in English, and had been a close friend and supporter of Hussein's Ba'athist party before it was banned in the 50s. In the deck of cards handed out to US troops that identified wanted members of Hussein's government following the 2003 invasion, he was the eight of spades. He was a high-ranking member of Ba'athist Iraq and an important diplomat.