A former general in Iraq's army, he also advised Hussein on other matters, and was sometimes referred to as "Missile Man" in reference to his expertise with weapons delivery systems.[2] He is the husband of Dr. Rihab Taha (a.k.a. "Dr. Germ"), a microbiologist active in research into the production of bioweapons.[3] Iraqi government news sources indicated that he retired from his positions in 2002, at the age of 65.[2]
Rashid was the six of spades in the most-wanted Iraqi playing cards issued by the United States during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.[4] After the invasion commenced, he issued a public statement calling for other Arab nations to decrease oil production, in order "to make the cost of war high for the Americans."[5] American troops raided his Baghdad home on April 14, 2003, in an effort to take him and his wife into custody, but both evaded capture.[3] He surrendered to coalition forces on April 28, 2003,[2] and his wife surrendered on May 10, 2003.[3]
Rashid was quietly released in April 2012,[6] while his wife had been released in December 2005 without charge two days after Iraq's national elections, following over 30 months in confinement.[7]
