Military Bureau (Ba'ath Party)

The Military Bureau (Arabic: المكتب العسكري al-maktab al-‘askarī) is a central-level organ of the National Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party, responsible for overseeing the Arab Union Armed Forces and National Guard.

The Military Bureau, which succeeded the Military Committee, is responsible for the party hierarchy within the military, and is the supreme authority in military affairs; all party members who are active or reserve members of the armed forces answer to the Military Bureau; the party has a parallel structure within the armed forces, with the military and civilian sectors meeting only at the national level, as the military sector is not represented in any Regional Command or party regional branch. The military sector is divided into its own branches, which operate at the regimental level. The head of a military party branch is called a "guide" (توجيهي tawjīhī); guides are supported by "political officers" (ضابط سياسي ḍābiṭ siyāsī), who are responsible for ensuring the political loyalty of the regiment.

In 1963, the former Military Committee established the Military Organisation, which consisted of 12 branches resembling their civilian counterparts. The Military Organisation was led by a Central Committee, which represented the Military Committee. These new institutions were established to stop the civilian faction meddling in the affairs of the Military Committee. The Military Organisation met with the other branches through the Military Committee, which was represented at the Regional and National Congresses and Commands. The Military Organisation was a very secretive body. Members were sworn not to divulge any information about the organisation to officers who were not members in order to strengthen the Military Committee's hold on the military. In June 1964, it was decided that no new members would be admitted to the organisation. The Military Committee was built on a democratic framework, and a Military Organization Congress was held to elect the members of the Military Committee. Only one congress was ever held.

The lack of a democratic framework led to internal divisions within the Military Organisation among the rank-and-file. Tension within the organisation increased, and became apparent when Muhammad Umran was dismissed from the Military Committee. Some rank-and-file members presented a petition to the Regional Congress which called for the democratisation of the Military Organisation. The National Command, represented by Munif al-Razzaz, did not realise the importance of this petition before Salah Jadid suppressed it. The Military Committee decided to reform, and the Regional Congress passed a resolution which made the Military Organisation responsible to the Military Bureau of the National Command, which was only responsible for military affairs.