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Everything You Wanted To Know About Saddam Hussein |
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Saddam Hussein
Photo: CNN
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A bully, a ruthless tyrant, and a serious threat to global security.
All of the above have been used to describe America's current public enemy
number one, Saddam Hussein. But the Iraqi president is hardly
one-dimensional, and hardly a mindless brute.
Born in 1937, Saddam Hussein grew up poor in the Iraqi village of al-Ouja,
where to survive he routinely stole eggs, chickens and other food. After his
father abandoned his family, young Saddam was beaten by his stepfather.
At age 10, he left home with his uncle for the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.
There he learned to read and eventually drifted into a life of political
action.
At 19, Hussein was actively supporting the cause of Arab unity and joined the
socialist Ba'ath party, which advocated violence to achieve its aims. "When
we are cruel to others," wrote one of the party's founders, "we know our
cruelty is in order to bring them back to their true selves, of which they
are ignorant."
In 1959, Hussein made his mark on the Iraqi political scene when, at the
tender age of 22, he attempted to assassinate the country's prime minister.
The attack was foiled and Hussein was shot in the leg in the process. He was
forced into exile and lived for several years in Syria and Egypt.
Hussein returned to Iraq in 1963 and a short time later wed his cousin,
Sajida. The two remain married, but Hussein is believed to have numerous
mistresses.
In 1968, Hussein helped lead a revolt that brought the Ba'ath party to power.
Thanks to his role in leading in the rebellion, he landed a plum job in the
new government as head of the secret police and commander of the military.
Over the next decade, Hussein consolidated power while overseeing the arrest,
torture and execution of thousands of his countrymen. He also led the Iraqi
Republican Guard in violently putting down rebellions by ethnic Kurds in
northern Iraq.
Also during this time, Hussein instituted a mandatory literacy program. Those
who failed to take part risked being sentenced to three years in jail. As a
result, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis learned to read. In addition, Hussein
oversaw the creation a public health system, which was recognized by the
United Nations as one of the best in the developing world.
In 1979, Hussein took over as president and immediately executed 18 of his
rivals within the Ba'ath party. He then embarked on a repressive reign in
which human rights were severely curtailed and freedom of expression was
nearly eliminated altogether.
After his swift and overwhelming defeat in the 1991 Gulf War, U.S. leaders
wrongly assumed the Iraqi people would rise up and overthrow Hussein. But
despite 11 years of economic sanctions and numerous coup attempts, his grip
on power has never waned. Assassination attempts have failed, and today, to
avoid detection, Hussein is said to use several body doubles.
These days, Hussein lives in opulence and complete seclusion. His personal
wealth is estimated at $5 billion in a country where the average worker is
lucky to earn a few hundred dollars a month. He has blanketed the country
with over 20 presidential palaces, which he almost never leaves for fear of
assassination. He is reportedly an avid swimmer who hits the pool once or
twice daily to stay in shape.
He also loves to eat well. He has large shipments of fresh food flown in
twice weekly from abroad, which are sent to his nuclear scientists and
security experts for examination before being prepared. He reportedly insists
that meals are prepared for him in every one of his palaces every day,
regardless of where he is staying.
In an open letter to the American people dated one week after September 11,
2001, Hussein said that the attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade
Center were retribution for the death and destruction America has unleashed
against foreigners, including the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Gulf
War and economic sanctions against the Iraqi people.
Despite this, Hussein fancies himself a connoisseur of culture and enjoys
American films including "Enemy of the State" and "The Godfather." On his
satellite-equipped televisions, he reportedly watches CNN, the BBC and al
Jazeera almost constantly. He is a longtime admirer of Winston Churchill.
Finally, and perhaps most bizarrely, Saddam Hussein is an author. He
"anonymously" published two novels entitled "Zabibah and the King" and "The
Fortified Castle" under the pen name "He Who Wrote It." Prior to publication,
he circulated the manuscripts of each to esteemed Iraqi writers seeking their
feedback. All were highly complimentary of their president's prose.
By Ethan Zindler
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