][weasel words] In 1959 the new leader of the Iraqi republic, Brigadier General Abd al-Karim Qasim commissioned a monument that would be a celebration of Iraq's declaration of independence.

He developed an idea with Jawad Saleem, who was well known for works that integrated Iraq's ancient history with contemporary themes and techniques.

The Brigadier General wanted it to be a symbol of a new nation state, however, Jawad Saleem chose to design a monument symbolizing the people's strife against tyranny and paid homage to Iraq's deep art history by including Abbasid and Babylonian wall-reliefs, producing a sculpture that was both "strikingly modern" yet also referenced tradition.

[7] It depicts historic Iraqi events up to the 14 July Revolution led by Abdul Karim Qasim; a key date which marks the beginning of Republican rule in Iraq.

[8] The monument is intended to be read as a verse of Arabic poetry - from right to left - beginning with events that preceded the revolution - and concluding with harmony following independence.