General. Abdulqadir Mohammed Jassim Al-Mafraji' (; ) commonly known as Abdulqader Alobaidi was the 31st Defence Minister of Iraq in the Council of Ministers of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki from June 2006 to December 2010. Life and education Alobeidi was born in Baghdad 1947 for a mid class family in Al-Fadil city (مدينة الفضل), which is located in Alrisafa district. His tribe Almafraji is one of the famous Iraqi tribes that resides in southern Karkuk (Alhaweeja district) and Salah Aldeen provinces. This tribe includes the famous Iraqi families schu as Al-Buniya, Al-Jidda, and Al-Aftan. The name Al-Obaidi came from a common claim that states Almafraji tribe was part of Al-Obaidi tribe before it became an independent tribe; in fact, the Al-Obaidi and Almafraji tribes both reside in Alhaweeja district. He is one of the major generals in the Iraqi army during Saddam Husain's ruling time. He finished all his education (primary, mid, and graduated from Alnidal high school) in Baghdad. In 1966 he attended the Iraqi Military Academy (), graduated with honor in 1968 / class 47 (الدورة ٤٧) as a second lieutenant to serve in the Iraqi Armed Forces. In 1973, the Iraqi Ministry of Defense sent him to study in the Soviet Union to earn a Master's of Science degree in Aerodynamics of tanks weapons from Vestrel academy of military science; graduated in 1975. In 1977, he attended the Iraqi Staff College (كلية الأركان العراقية) and graduated in 1979. Military service Alobeidi is considered one of the Iraqi military officers who greatly participated in developing the Iraqi Armored Corps; moreover, he became the general commander of the Iraqi Armored Corps from 1988-1992. Prior to this position, he was the dean of the Iraqi Institute of Armored Sciences (معهد الدروع) from mid 1986 to 1988. That institute was considered one of the best Institutes in the Middle East. He has several publications and studies regarding the Tanks and Ballistics. One of his positions during the Iran-Iraq war (at the earliest time of the war) was a tank battalion commander in the 10th armored brigade ( اللواء المدرع العاشر ), which was one of the elite armored brigades in the Iraqi Armed Forces, especially when that armored brigade achieved a superior victory by completely destroying and captivating the Iranian Golden Division ( 80th armored division ) in Alkhafjia battle (معركة الخفاجية سوزنجارد1982). He then became a brigade commander in one