Saddam Hussein, was Iraq’s president from 1979 to 2003🗓.
He is widely regarded as one of the 20th century’s most brutal dictators👿.
His decisions and policies had a major influence☝ on Iraq, as well as its neighbouring countries and the Arab-western world relations.
Early Life
Saddam was born in 1937.
He joined the Ba’ath Party in his youth which followed Ba’athism, a mix of Arab nationalism✊ and socialism.
Saddam played a key role in the 1968 coup🤺 that brought the party to power.
He later moved up the ranks in the govt. and became the 💪de facto head of Iraq.
Saddam formally rose to power by becoming the country’s President in 1979.
He suppressed several uprisings against his rule.
In 1988, he ordered👉 the use of chemical🧪 weapons on the Kurds in Halabja killing about 5,000 of them.
A Demi-God status
Saddam made himself the object of an extensive personality cult😇 among Iraqis by installing his statues all over the country.
Mosques, airports, and even entire cities were named after him😳.
War with Iran
In 1980, Saddam dragged Iraq into a disastrous war with neighbouring Iran which ended in a stalemate🤷♂ eight years later.
More than 2 lakh Iraqis died in the conflict.
A Big Misadventure
Saddam had an eye on neighbouring Kuwait’s vast oil🛢 resources and ordered Iraqi army to invade it in Aug. 1990.
But this occupation quickly triggered a severe backlash and led to the Persian Gulf War🛫 in Jan. 1991.
It ended six weeks later when the U.S led allied military coalition drove Iraq’s armies out⏩ of Kuwait.
Beginning of the End
After the 9/11 attacks✈ of 2001, the U.S. accused Iraqi leadership of possessing weapons of mass destruction☠ and having ties to the terrorist group Al-Qaeda.
Ignoring👎 the U.N appeal of not taking unilateral action, the U.S along with the U.K launched an attack in March 2003 to topple Saddam from power.
They succeeded in doing that with ease but Saddam managed to flee⤴.
He was eventually captured😩 and put on trial on charges of crimes against humanity.
He was sentenced to death and was hanged on 30th Dec. 2006.