President Saddam Hussein's Message to Islamic Summit.
12-11-2000.
Doha, Nov 12.
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate
"Nay, We hurl the Truth against Falsehood, and it knocks out its brain, and behold, Falsehood does perish."
(The Holy Quran, XXI, 18)
Brother Members of the Islamic Conference,
Brother Muslims,
Peace be upon you, and Allah's Mercy and Blessings!
When the honor of responsibility among our loyal, free, striving and honest people, the people of principles and high peaks, rested upon us, we used to believe at one time that stating self-evident truths or even citing detailed quotations to express an opinion were unnecessary when addressing high level people. But we were shocked to discover that that belief was erroneous. The discovery came as a result of previous experiences, including our experiences in summit conferences under titles different from or similar to this summit conference. Therefore, we find that the necessity imposed by the nature of the circumstance and the description of the situation dictates that we explain in some detail what our peoples regard as truisms. We will base the needed explanations on the fundamentals of our Faith as Muslims, without burdening the judicious among you who have attained the highest awareness and culture. Our excuse in this is that we have found through practical experience that what our peoples regard as truisms explained by their faith in the True Muslim Religion and its sublime and constant values, and what is regarded in their minds as decisive in accordance with the principles of the Great Faith, are not regarded so by some of the rulers. This is still a worry in the heart, mind and conscience of many a ruler.
When our peoples used to measure responsibility and its requirements against the examples set by the great models of the Ummah who took charge of government from the early period of the Islamic Message to later stages of time during its subsequent great march, they imagined, until a period before our present period, that the higher the title of responsibility was, the firmer, purer and deeper rooted faith was in the hearts. Perhaps, our peoples based that conception on what they knew and what they read about the deeds and faith of Omar b. Al-Khattab, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, Ali b. Abi Talib, Uthman b.
Affan (may Allah be pleased with them all!) and others who assumed responsibility after them and performed acts of justice and guidance, combated falsehood and supported right without fearing reproach, while standing by the precepts of the Great Faith, and without yielding to any haughty, stubborn and reckless tyrant.
We, brothers, are from Iraq-- your country, the country of all Arabs and Muslims. We are from Iraq, which shouldered the honor and responsibility for the Armies of Victory to the countries of the East and wherever the Holy Quran reached to strengthen the believers and consolidate faith in the hearts of those who needed it and in the hearts of all human beings who needed and still need it. Allah has honored the significance of the Holy Quran by making it His Great Sacred Word to guide mankind to the right path under its light.
We, brothers, are from your Baghdad-- Baghdad of all Arabs and Muslims. We are from Baghdad which was and still is the beacon of science and the receptacle which dispenses religion in accordance with its viable rule of application. It was also the receptacle which dispensed the rules of government throughout the countries of the Muslims for a long time. It served as model for faith and radiated it east and west for centuries and centuries until Allah decreed what He decreed in His wisdom or until Man desired things to be different from what they were. Therefore, we cannot but cling to those sublime meanings, not only as an expression of what we know of the place of the Arab nation amidst its Islamic Ummah, being the heart which beats with meanings of faith in the breast of every ardent Muslim, but also in remembrance of responsibility and in fealty to that role of Baghdad and what rests upon those who lead Baghdad honorably. We will exert ourselves to achieve what we believe will bring us nearer to the true pulse of the ardent Muslim Street, and raise us to a level that will win for us the satisfaction of Allah and the history of our great Ummah.
Therefore, we see that jihad is an "Individual Duty" prescribed to us as it is prescribed to every faithful and ardent Muslim to liberate, from the accursed and defiled Jews, usurped Palestine from the River to the Sea, together with its Crown, al-Quds, the third of the central sanctuaries of Muslims, besides Mecca and the Shrine of Allah's Messenger, Mohammed b. Abdullah (Allah's blessing and peace be upon him).
It is the right of every faithful Muslim not only to call into question the eligibility for responsibility, under any title, of anyone who does not believe in this, but also, to call into question even the meaning, the level and the depth of his faith in Islam. It is undeniable that the responsibility for this, in the first place, falls on the Arabs before it falls on others. The Arabs bear twofold responsibility for any weakness, abandonment or hesitation among their lines. Fourteen centuries ago, Allah honored them by choosing the Apostle of Mercy from amongst them and entrusted them with the honor of the Banner of Islam and its swords, and made them the essential bearers of the Call to humanity at large.
We say this and put ourselves and our offspring in the forefront of the faithful people of great Iraq to bear the honor of responsibility on the road of the complete liberation of Palestine and its Crown, al-Quds, as from now. We had set this responsibility on ourselves even before now. In 1973, we played our responsible role on the Syrian and Egyptian fronts facing the Zionist entity. We fought out of duty not out of favoring or doing favor to anyone. We did it in accordance with what Allah desired and the chances made available for our fight. At that time, even before that time, Iraq, side by side with its sisterly states, did what it did according to its capability and its circumstance, which were part of the capabilities and circumstances of the Arabs then. When in 1973, we responded to the call of duty and honor and went, with great faith, to the land of Syria and the land of Egypt, we did not say that the land of Iraq was not under occupation or that the liberation of what was occupied of the land of Egypt and Syria was the responsibility of the Egyptians and the Syrians alone. And when, before that, we mobilized our army in defence of sisterly Jordan, we did not say that it was the responsibility of the Jordanians alone. We did that and we are still doing it or rather, we do it now with more faith and more capability with which Allah has honored the people of Iraq. We did it and we will do what will rest upon us of the honor of responsibility to liberate Palestine as part of our duty according to our belief. We know that the land of Syria would not have been occupied, and the land of Egypt too at that time, had they not believed then in what we believe in and talk to you about now.
Therefore, we say: No true believer is exempted from jihad according to its religious description, and no true ardent Arab, within his nation and his Ummah, is exempted from his role in liberating Palestine and its Crown, al-Quds. We, or rather some of us, are able to do this if we will it, after believing in Allah and trusting in Him, glorified be His Name.
Brothers,
If each of the rulers of the Ummah, including ourselves, be true to himself and ask what his people want down deep in what they think of and believe in as an expression of their religious responsibility, he will answer, without hesitation or beating around the bush, that his people want to liberate Palestine and the Crown of Faith on its head, the sacred Quds, and that they believe in jihad as the only road leading to liberation.
As ruler of my country, I deeply meditated the question put by my conscience and answered by my reason: What do the people of Iraq want? Even before this and together with this, I myself: Which measure will respond to the principles I have always believed in and have a natural disposition for? My answer was and still is and will remain as long as I live: The liberation of Palestine, through sacred jihad, from the River to the Sea, together with the Crown on its head, the sacred Quds. The voice of the people of Iraq and its free, faithful and striving leadership, has been taking this meaning and this direction, thundering loudly, filling earth with enthusiasm, expressing it through male and female volunteers whose number, up to the date of this message, reached 4,229,671 male volunteers and 1,744,655 female volunteers.
My brothers and I in the leadership saw, as did those of you who cared to see, and we heard with those who heard the voice of the Faithful Ummah, the voice of right, on the television screens. We saw how the heroes of Palestine, including its faithful youth and even its children and women, face with nothing but stones the aircraft, missiles and tanks of the evildoers. Are we going to do what they are doing? Are we going to give them the support which satisfies Allah to promote our self-esteem and the self-esteem of all believers?
The sons of our Islamic Ummah are still waiting for a decisive answer and for a stand, far away from any stand that will do wrong to the Ummah, if it comes feeble or ineffective, a stand that will put an end to aggression and liberate the land of Palestine and its sanctuaries, a stand supported by a voice thundering in the ears of evildoers and the aggressors:
Sin be upon him who bears its burden!
And Allah is the Greatest!
Brothers,
In order to familiarize you with one aspect of the background to the position Iraq is assuming in modern times, it will not be out of place to remind brother Muslims that Iraq has had no truce agreement with the Zionist entity, in accordance with what the international bodies wanted in the year 1948, and was agreed on by those who agreed on it. It was on this basis that the Zionist entity relied when it attacked the Tammuz Nuclear Reactor in the year 1981. It is only natural to say that Iraq has taken part in all attempts at liberation carried out by the Arab against the Zionist entity.
Some may say: what facilitates it for Iraq to take this stand is the fact that it is not contiguous to the Zionist entity. If a situation like this does not make it necessary for the rulers to chain their peoples with ties that are rejected by the Arab masses and the Muslim masses, then what is the excuse, or what are the necessities on which rely rulers from the edge of the Arabian Gulf or from the Arab Maghrib or other countries whose peoples are Muslims and which are far away from the Zionist entity? What is the benefit accrued to their peoples from normalizing relations with the defiled Jews? What is the necessity which made the rulers concerned resort to this save submission to the US desire and obedience to its commands at the expense of everything that is sublime in meanings, principles and faithful feelings? Is it not the minimum of what every true believer should do to dismiss any sort of relation with this accursed entity, and do the same with any State that supports the Zionist entity at the expense of Palestine and its people, and at the expense of the feelings of the Arab and Muslim masses?
Brother Muslims,
I have said my say and stated the position of my country, for which my brothers and I in the leadership are constitutionally responsible. In this, I have not expressed my own and the leadership's position only, but also the position of the heroic, faithful and striving people of Iraq together with its valiant armed forces. If anyone of you finds that putting the call for jihad into an honest and an accurate practice is impossible in the field of mobilizing armies, Iraq puts it before you that it is ready to take its own part and the part of anyone who cannot take his part in the liberation of Palestine through fighting. Those who are concerned will only have to render a true, sincere and jihadic help in the preparation of the requirements that will render this decision actual and competent through the will of the Iraqis, after trusting in God, and the will of the faithful Arabs and Muslims who may join them in liberating Palestine: each according to his capabilities and resources, according to their religiously determined proportions.
Will you do this?
I know that some of you are torn by the desire and the determination of their peoples on jihad, to fight the enemies of Islam and humanity, the criminal Zionists and their ally, the administration of evil in the "Black House", or in what creeps out from holes in the West which are full of poisonous scorpions which have been stinging Muslims throughout a history which extends for over a thousand years.
We know that some of you are torn between the desire of their peoples and the desire of the US and Zionism. But it is high time that we side with Allah without hesitation and without looking for any mantle but His mantle, glorified be His Name, and be in the forefront of those who represent the will of the faithful, but aggrieved, people who stand by right.
Let us all be on the path of dignity, and all will see and experience how your peoples will carry you in their hearts and will turn their chests into shields to protect you before they carry you on their shoulders and on their heads. Otherwise, many will find that those who though that the U.S was their ally were mistaken for it will abandon them and leave them face to face with their peoples to meet their fate, after their souls have deviated from the path which gives satisfaction to Allah and to His Messenger: "And soon will the unjust assailants know what vicissitudes their affairs will take." (The Holy Quran, XXVI. 227) "And fear the Day when you shall be brought back to Allah. Then shall every soul be paid what it earned, and none shall be dealt with unjustly." (The Holy Quran, II. 281)
And to the Arabs who are concerned with the situation and to those who have a direct geographical contiguity with the land of Palestine and to the Arabs and other Muslims who are serious in their stand and readiness to confront the Zionist entity with a firm stand of right, we say that the last Arab Summit did not arrive at what specifies the roles clearly because of the divergence in stands or because of the lack of desire to take a clear stand that may define the stages on the road to jihad. They have marked the limitations of their stand, a stand which does not provide the serious protection to the people of Palestine.
Even after their Final Declaration, the Zionist enemy went on slaughtering the youth and the children of Palestine, insulting the women and profaning sanctuaries after captivating them. No one can guarantee the limits to which the Zionist entity may extend, and what surprises it hides befitting the path of crime it is following, whether inside Palestine or in the neighboring Arab lands and countries. It goes without saying that one front is capable of surprising others in the stands it takes, and it can throw states and other fronts of different opinions and stands into confusion if it wants to. To arrive at a unified stand, or stands, to meet the minimum requirements of what goes on in the hearts of the peoples of many states, it requires a profound dialogue and serious coordination to study what is needed to face what is actual and tangible, or to study what is feasible in the light of possibilities and expectations. Overlooking this fact gives the enemy the better opportunity to use surprise for its own benefit-- at least for a while at the starting point.
Therefore, we call for a serious dialogue between the Arabs concerned and the Muslims who will join them, and call for getting ready to prepare what is needed for the confrontation, whether on the basis of what we want, or on the basis of confronting what the enemy wants and plans, or is planning, to do. Otherwise, those who show any hesitation will bear its burden before Allah and the people.
It is or duty to say our say as the Ummaid commander and poet, Nasr b. Sayyar said in his message to Marwan, the last of the Ummaid kings:
I see through the ashes a gleam of ember,
It is about to flare and blaze;
I say in wonder: would that I knew,
Whether the Ummaids are awake or in slumber!?
May Allah uphold our intentions!
Brothers,
We can interact through constructive dialogue so that each of us supports the other on the path of right, virtue and honorable jihad which will consolidate the believers and shame the unbelievers.
When you set your minds on liberation, we will say our say up to the minutest details in all the fields of jihad: military, political, cultural, informational, economic and financial. We have set the role of each of our countries, the role of each of the rulers and men of high posts in these countries and what we believe to be the necessary role of our peoples and armies. Let every step we take be part of and leading towards the objective of liberation. It may help you and clarify the image to you and also ease the burden of listening for a longer time to this message, to refer to our Message to the Kings and Heads of States and Governments in the Arab Summit Conference held in Cairo, October 21-22, 2000.
Allah is the Greatest!
Long live Palestine, free and lofty, from the River to the Sea!
Allah is the Greatest!
May Allah, Glorified be His Name, shame those who live in the "BlackHouse" in Washington, the allies of Zionism and the enemies of the Arabs and Muslims!
Allah is the Greatest!
Long live our glorious Ummah!
Mercy and the Highest Heaven for the martyrs of our Ummah!
Allah is the Greatest!
Allah is the Greatest!
Let the debased be despised!
Baghdad, the unforgettable city of Arabian Nights, the city where towering imperial mansions glowed in light and fire, where the Khalifs ruled, this glorious city was almost forgotten on the political front on account of political insignificance for centuries together.
The political significance of Baghdad had gone to a dormant state until recently in late 20th century, when the sky of the city was once again covered with light and fire; this time, it was not the torches on the mansions, but the missiles dropping from the air, turning big mansions into mounts of rubble. And that was all due to one man confronting half of the world, the modern Khalif – Saddam Hussein.
Birth and Childhood
The man, who in literal terms holds the strings of not only Iraq, but the entire Middle East at a broad glance, was born in a very common milieu. Like many other military rulers, Saddam Hussein took birth in a peasant family, on April 28, 1937, in a small village Auja near Tikrit, in Iraq. His father died at a very early age without living any fortune. This apparently made his life, particularly the growing years, full of hardship for him. Even at the time of his birth, the financial condition of family was critical, that worsened after the death of his father. It was all upon the widowed mother to raise this child, and not just raise but to give him proper education. With great difficulties his mother managed to raise him, often taking help from the close relatives.
Poor family background and loss of father in his infancy had banished all hopes for good education at a bigger center for Hussein. However, he completed his primary education in Tikrit, his hometown. After that he decided to move to Baghdad, the nerve center of Arab politics, for further education. When he made the move, he never knew he was making himself open to a vulnerable future.
Joining ‘Baath’
Young Hussein, full of vigor and fueled with a burning desire to make a mark on the world, entered a college at Baghdad in 1955. That was the time when the air in the Arab land was hot on the political front, primarily because of the Baath Socialist Party, which was moving with an intention to create a big political change. Saddam, with his revolutionary bent of mind and vigor got attracted to the ideology of the Baath, which was basically an Arab national movement. Seeing some scope for playing an active role in politics, he jumped into the turbulent flow of Baath Party in 1957, just at the age of 20.
Boys of his age were mostly involved in playing games to refresh their minds, and Saddam on the other hand had to play mind games to be active in politics. That was the period when he began to gather skills that are vital to sustain political interest. And it was not all the way mind games, because his party was well known for carrying out violent moves.
Looking to his personal traits and ability, he gained a significant place in the party and by 1959, he was handed a crucial task. Iraq in those days was ruled by Prime Minister Abdul Karim Qasim and the Baath party was in opposition. The party members, including Saddam were keen to turnaround the political power by pushing the Prime Minister Qasim away and clearing their way to the power. And they were ready to go to any extent. Ultimately Saddam took up the assignment that was risky beyond doubt, to the extent that failure meant no escape from death. In spite of the obvious risk, Saddam headed the task of assassination of Qasim, to clear the biggest block on the way of Baath to assume political control over Iraq. Great care was taken to hit the bull’s eye but the mission failed. And that was not all because Saddam was arrested and sent to jail, with a death sentence waiting to be executed in just a few days. The life of a rebel, not just an accused but charged, executed and sentenced, had come to an obvious end.
Escape to Egypt
Saddam’s political journey led him to a dead end street, or to a death as an end of street. But when the death, the ultimate end, is confirmed, suddenly people with rebellious nature summon more strength and determination than they usually have because of the primal instinct to survive. Saddam made up his mind to make an attempt to escape; he firmly believed that when there was nothing to lose and everything to gain, why not to give it a try. He made an attempt to escape from the jail, and managed to escape with few wounds. Not a bad bargain for a big fortune called ‘life’. His life had became still on the dead end, but he blasted the wall just to find a brighter future than ever before, on the other side.
With wounds on his body Saddam escaped to Syria and soon moved to Cairo in Egypt. He joined a school in 1962 and completed his secondary school education. Soon he entered the college of Law in Cairo with a vision to study law. He studied for two years but could not finish his studies.
Back in Iraq
In 1963 he returned to Iraq to play his part in the revolutionary activities against the regime. He was elected as the leader of the Baath Party by the end of 1963.
The then Prime Minister saw the gradual growth of revolutionary force led by Baath
and made swift moves to save both his life and power. An arrest order was issued against major revolutionaries and Saddam headed the wanted list.
Heavy charges were levied upon Saddam, particularly for playing an active role in attempts to topple the ruling party. Ultimately he was arrested in October 1964. He was pushed behind the bars. Being in jail did not put an end to his accomplishments and political growth. He passed his first year examinations of the College of Law while in jail. He was elected as a member of the Baath Party’s Pan-Arab National Leadership in 1965, and also as the Deputy Secretary General of his party leadership in Iraq in September 1966.
Once again the iron bars proved to be more ductile and the walls of the prison small enough to contend Saddam. He made another successful escape from the prison, as if the concrete walls were permeable to him.
Coup d’etat - I
Escaping from the prison, he engaged himself to gather strength, particularly arms and dedicated people who could help him to continue his mission. While he and his party members were working to overthrow the government, they also got an unexpected but very vital support – approval of the Iraq Army. Four key officers of the army agreed upon giving support for the coup on the condition that the head of military intelligence, Colonel an – Nayif and another officer, Colonel ad-Daud should be made the Prime Minister and the defense minister, respectively. Al-Bakr the leader of Baath and Saddam Hussein, who was very close to Al-Bakr agreed for the bargain and a day was chosen.
Early on a beautiful morning of July 17, 1968, while President Arif was still in his palace, unaware of the undercurrents, was taken by a shock. Baath members, led by Al-Bakr attacked the palace. Colonel Ghaydon, one of the four supportive military officers himself opened the gates of palace for Al-Bakr and Saddam. President Arif, still asleep was awakened and informed that the army had revolted.
The President had lost the game even before he could play it. Saddam and Al-Bakr were not interested in a bloody encounter, at least as long as others did not force them to. They asked President Arif to surrender, which he did without any resistance. The President was asked to leave Iraq immediately, so he left Baghdad for London. This was the first of the couple of very decisive incidents in Saddam’s life that almost decided that this man had a significant role to play in Iraq’s politics.
A Star in Baghdad’s Political Sky
The Baathists and the military officers together formed the Revolutionary Command Council, which was declared the supreme authority of the country. Al-Bakr was elected as the President of the nation, and he invited Colonel an-Nayif to form a cabinet. Al-Bakr was a man of action, a leader born out of revolutions, he was not very much interested in administrative details, which was the reason that Saddam was gaining momentum as a political leader. The new President’s health was also deteriorating hence he began to rely more and more upon the young and competent Saddam – to streamline the functions of the government.
Coup d’etat – II
Although the Baathists and the military rebels had formed an ally, to overturn President Arif’s government, they had nothing else in common than a desire to assume the political power. On the contrary, they had fundamental differences in their basic values and style of working. Saddam was not pleased with an-Nayif and his group particularly on the issue of socialism and foreign policy. Soon the struggle for control over the regime became fairly visible between the Baathists and the al-Nayif - an-Daud group.
An-Nayif was invited for a luncheon meeting, and to resolve some issues at the Presidential Palace. The meal session was finished without much discussion. Even before the taste of the food would have gone from his mouth, al-Nayif was taken by a shock. Saddam Hussein entered the room backed by a group of armed officers. He told an-Nayif bluntly that he was under arrest.
Once again the intentions of Baathists were as clear as the crystal, that they did not want to shed even a drop of blood as long as they were not pulled into a bloody encounter. Saddam told an-Nayif that his life would be spared if he left the nation. An-Nayif was content with that and left for Morocco as the ambassador of Iraq.
The Baath Party had not a clear way to total control over the regime. A combing operation headed by Saddam was carried to remove any Nayif – sympathizer from the cabinet and the civil services. Al-Bakr, in addition to being the President, also assumed the Premiership, and Saddam became the key person.
Saddam on the Political Journey
With the Baathists coming in power, Saddam naturally rose to a very powerful position, as a very active member of the party. Although he did not hold the position, he acted almost as the vice-chairman of the party. Ultimately he was officially elected as the vice-chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council (RCC) in late 1969. Meanwhile, he finished his third and fourth year of study and became a graduate from the College of Law.
The RCC was formed by the Baathists, who were primarily socialists. Soon after having the power, they decided to address the domestic problems.
Saddam was the vice–chairman of the council, the young blood vigor in him to carry out the herculean task of resolving domestic problems, political issues and issues across the border.
A major issue Saddam was concerned with, dealt with the Kurdish area of Iraq. There were great disturbances in the Kurdish area, even before the RCC regime took over. After al-Bakr assumed Premiership, that part of the republic made several attempts to snatch the power away from the RCC. Saddam had to keep an eye on the Kurds on account of the fights between the Iraq army and the Kurds who were given military aids by Iran.
Saddam arranged a meeting with the Kurdish leaders in 1970 with an agenda to resolve the Kurdish issue, to bring the internal struggle to an end.
During the negotiations, he proposed absolute autonomy on the part of the country, state of self-rule. However the agreement did not came into practice.
On the domestic front, revolutionary reforms became essential to streamline the economic conditions of Iraq. Saddam was well aware of the invaluable resource that was lying under their land – the oil, the black gold. He could not find any other resource that would match oil, capable to improve the economy. In those days, Western oil companies had the monopoly over Iraq’s oil resources and they supplied oil at very low cost to the Western world. Saddam figured out a way and played a significant role in nationalizing the entire oil sector of the country in 1973.
He held the strings of the nations topmost revenue generating sector. With an absolute control over oil and its exports, he brought a hike in the oil prices, particularly the oil, supplied to the West. Eventually this step led to an improved economy, development program of new schools, universities, hospitals and production units.
Road to Presidency
Saddam Hussein had emerged as a very powerful political leader in Iraq’s politics, particularly after the two coups in ’60s and due to his key-position in RCC in ’70s. As a younger member he was inclined to make reformative mutations in structures. He played a very decisive role in a chronic issue that concerned Iraq for decades. Confrontation with Iran on the issue of demarcation of borders and the Iranian support to the Kurds was disturbing Iraq. He negotiated a settlement with Iran in 1975 and bargained the Iraq’s border for withdrawing Iran’s support to the Kurds.
While he was gaining a political momentum, Saddam was also getting higher on the military rank, he was declared a General in 1976. In 1977, he was elected as the Assistant Secretary General of the National Par-Arab Leadership of the Baath Party, and two years later, he was elected the Secretary General of the Regional Leadership of the Baath Party in Iraq.
All these years al-Bakr, the President of Iraq and the chairman of RCC was gradually withdrawing from politics on account of health problems. Ultimately in July 1979, Al-Bakr resigned from the post of the chairman of RCC and the Presidentship. It was very obvious that Saddam Hussein was to fill that void.
On July 16, 1979, Saddam Hussein became the Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council and the President of the Republic of Iraq. A new luminary was on the zenith of the Arab political sky. Saddam Hussein became the military President of the Republic of Iraq.
Saddam : The President
The Presidential Palace was not at all a bed of roses, may be few roses with lots of thorns. When Saddam became the President, problems from all fronts were staring in to his face. One of the major issues was Syria’s merger with Iraq, which was being debated then; the other was Iraq-Iran border and of course the Kurdish rebels. But Saddam preferred to think in outcome frames rather than problem frames. So to cope with internal issues, he established a powerful secret police force of young and robust officers.
To worsen the conditions for him, a revolt broke in Iran in 1979 and the government was overthrown by Islamic fundamentalist forces led by Ayatollah Khymeni. Saddam abandoned the agreement he had made with Iran in 1975 and maneuvered Iraqi troops to Iran. He launched an invasion of Iran’s oil fields in the later part of 1980.
Iraq-Iran War
It was indeed a surprise that inspite of the Iraq-Iran confrontation, and in spite of their guns pointing at each other, a war had not yet broken between the nations. But Saddam decided to bring an end to the issue, a fight to Iran, once for all and forever the issue would be settled. Ayatollah Khymeni coming into power in Iran strengthened his decision to resolve the issue, not with the words but with the guns.
Ultimately, in September 1980, Saddam’s forces invaded Iran’s oil fields. But he had to slow down on account of interruption to the export of oil as the side effect of war on the Iraq’s economy. By 1982, he was optimistic about the end of war. However the war continued, there seemed no way out. He was worried about the financial imbalance that was a reaction of war. In order to balance the deteriorating economy, he reached out to other Arab countries for financial support and strengthened his economy.
Once more he was equipped with all that the war would cost him. He targeted Iranian oil fields and gave a fierce fight. Neither of the party was ready for cease-fire. The battle continued for eight consecutive years. Iranians were very optimistic to bring down Saddam, however when it became apparent that the war would not bring any positive result and would continue to ruin the two nations, Iran agreed for a cease-fire in 1988.
That war resulted in lacs of casualties and a debt of over $75 billion on Iraq. It is said that Saddam pressured Kuwait to let go of its share of Iraq’s debt, with his military supremacy.
The Seizure of Kuwait
Kuwait is a small nation, comparatively a tiny piece of land but rich in petro-resources and shares its boundaries with Iraq. Moreover, it is a nation with a highly developed economy but a primordial military arrangement. On a beautiful night, in the August of 1990, the Emir of Kuwait, the king and his people had gone to sleep in complete ignorance of the horror that awaited next day. Saddam’s troops penetrated into the absolutely unprotected boundaries of Kuwait and annexed the nation. Not just the people of Kuwait, but the entire world for that matter was taken by a shock.
Saddam was very clear of what he was doing.
There was no geographical but only a political border between Iraq and Kuwait.
And that too, according to Saddam was the eventuality of European diplomacy that ruled over the colonies and had separated the Arab nations to keep the Arabs away from uniting as a single force. He believed that the British and French colonies in the Arab world were divided to maintain their rule : If at all the small colonies were united then the Arabs would be in a very dominating state because of the oil resource. Saddam wanted to merge Kuwait in Iraq and capture the rich oil-resources, which would surely result in an improvement of economic health of Iraq.
The entire world and particularly the Arab countries were taken by shock due to Saddam’s attack on Kuwait. They saw Saddam as a threat to their regimes. That gave a birth to the Persian Gulf War, the war that was captured and highlighted by media extensively and which also gave a rebirth to the television as a media by telecasting the war – Live.
President George Bush of United States of America urged Saddam Hussein to withdraw his troops from Kuwait. Saddam refused to move back, which triggered America and allies to attack Iraqi forces. The US led forces based themselves at Saudi Arabia and a huge military force to fight against Saddam’s troops was built-up. That was one of the fiercest battles the world had ever seen. The war began on January 16, 1991 and lasted for about six weeks. The Persian Gulf War, that lasted just for six weeks was equally, or perhaps more devastating than Iraq–Iran war that lasted for eight years. The sky was often covered with Scud Missiles and the Patriots, the anti missiles.
Thousands of Iraqis lost their lives, the economy once again toppled and the fingers from all directions were pointed to Saddam, blaming him for the destruction. Saddam was however not convinced with the idea that American and European forces poke their nose in the Arab issue. He believed that what he had done was an absolutely ethical act, after all the entire history was full of seizures. He had taken military action on Kuwait, which he thought was principally correct, and the US forces also indulged into military actions against him, which according to him was not an ethical act.
Persian Gulf War
Saddam’s orders to capture Kuwait were executed by his troops on August 2, 1990. On the very next day, the UN Secretary Council gave a message to Saddam Hussein to withdraw his troops that he rejected. On August 6, the council declared a ban on trade with Iraq, with an intention to pressurize Saddam. Saudi Arabia, another Arab nation rich in oil resource found itself as a prospective prey of Saddam, which triggered America and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces to lend in Saudi to save it from any potential attack by Saddam’s troops. That was not all, even other Arab nations, including Egypt joined the coalition force against Iraq.
Saddam had become a threat to most other Arab countries with a huge military force, backed by the deadliest weapons any man can conceive of. Gradually he was building the strength of his force in Kuwait by pouring in more and more soldiers. In two months, 3,00,000 Iraqi soldiers were in Kuwait and posted at all strategic points to enter Kuwait. The United Nations (UN) sent messages to Saddam on regular intervals but this man was not ready to mind any to the urges that would need him to take steps backwards. A military operation was ordered against Saddam and Iraq – the Operation Desert Shield.
Seeing the futility of withdrawal messages, the UN Council authorized use of force against Iraq until the occupying Iraqi forces vacate Kuwait, giving Iraq a time limit up to January 15, 1991. Finding no movements of Iraqi troops, the coalition forces were strengthened by adding number of soldiers. Over 7,00,000 skilled and trained soldiers were waiting for the orders to attack Saddam’s troops, with over 5,40,000 soldiers only from the USA and rest from UK, France, Egypt, Saudi and other nations.
In spite of the forces, virtually the entire world against him, Saddam refused to move back even an inch. Finally the war bugles were heard on January 16, 1991, when the entire sky of Baghdad was filled by the US led military aircrafts. Saddam was well aware of the consequences he might have to face, but then he had no option. On one hand there was a nation that had a deformed economical structure, especially due to the Iraq-Iran war. And on other hand was a chance to capture Kuwait, assert control over its oil resources and reengineer the economy. But the later option demanded another war.
Nothing of real significance could ever be achieved without taking risks. Believing in that, Saddam had selected a risky route but he was sure that if he succeeded, Iraq would be the largest oil-supplying nation in the world – a big fortune for an equally big risk. But this time, he was not confronting the unskilled Kurdish or for that matter, technologically backward Iranians. There was the worlds most advanced and best war technology against Saddam. The consequence of war was devastating for Iraq.
Initial attacks held by the American air troops destroyed Iraq’s air defence and brought about an ‘aerial paralysis’ to the Iraq’s defense body. Next, on the allied force target were major government buildings, weapon plants, bridges and communication network, on which Saddam relied largely. Saddam Hussein’s Iraq was being destroyed from the aerial route under the Operation Desert Storm.
To maintain his personal safety, Saddam had to shift himself and his communication network in underground bunkers, which were the safest of all structures. While he was still trying to soothe his mind shocked by the air destruction, another avenue of destruction awaited him. A massive allied troop’s ground attack was launched from Saudi Arabia, which literally tore the defense line of Iraq, entering as deep as over 120 miles into Iraq’s border. The job to resist the America led troops was getting an uphill task, with the hill getting steeper with each passing day. Ultimately the soldiers from Iraq, occupying Kuwait began to give up and dropped all resistance. Iraq had lost the war – the war launched almost against the entire world’s war technology. Finally on February 28, 1991, President George Bush of America declared cease-fire. The war ended, but peace never turned up.
Saddam Facing the Aftermath
Uprisings against the ruling government, which has led into a devastating war is a natural consequence. Saddam was no exception to such uprisings. However he managed to suppress the rebels and the activists by force. But significant questions hanged over his head to be addressed soon after the war. Who was to be held responsible for the casualties. Who held the responsibility of the destruction ? Thousands of eyes starred at Saddam in hope for an answer. Some people even accused him for having abnormal political hunger, portraying him as a politician who could go to any extent to maintain his power.
A mighty task to re-organize the government military, communication network and even the trade in nation was to be faced by Saddam.
Gulf war from Saddam’s eye
Messages condemning Saddam Hussein were relayed from every corner of the world, holding him responsible for the war and eventual destruction. But, a group of analysts made assessment of the reasons of war and declared that given Saddam’s circumstances, given his model of the world, given the references he had and experiences he had, anyone would have committed the same act. Saddam had genuine reasons for the Kuwait seizure, which were overlooked by the world.
One of the prime factors that triggered his act to capture Kuwait was certainly the oil resources of Kuwait, which were potential resource to rejuvenate Iraq’s economical structure.
Attacking another nation to improve Iraq’s economy could be an inhuman act, but it could only be understood if looked from Saddam’s perspective. The seizure of Kuwait was more of a typical Arab tribal raid rather than a nefarious plot to control the oil resources of Middle East. Such raids, Saddam believed, were a common occurrence for centuries in the Arab world. And what irritated him more was the interference by French and British governments. He believed that they had no right to do so.
Both the Britishers and French themselves carry an ugly past, as far as seizures were concerned. These two nations had established their colonies in each part of the world, and even the Arabs were not spared. He believed that had it not been the Britishers and the French setting up colonies in the Middle East, dividing Arabs in small, tiny, practically non-potent for military purposes, there would never have been a separate Kuwait. Kuwait, as he saw was mere a political gimmick of the Western world. After all there were no geographical boundaries between Iraq and Kuwait, except the political ones, which according to Saddam was due to a dirty act of the west to decentralize the power and of course to capture the oil resources. Being an Arab, he carried the warrior as a clear archetypal image. And a seizure, he said, was just an act of a potential power to merge a non-potential colony with it. And the entire history is nothing but a tale of seizures.
There were yet other factors that prompted him to seize Kuwait. As it is well known that Iraq had borrowed a loan from Kuwait, especially to balance the financial chaos that resulted from the Iraq-Iran war. However, there are no authentic evidences, it is said that Kuwait’s Emir had exhibited an intolerable and unrespectful behavior towards Saddam. He uttered words that would have provoked anyone, and here there was one of the most potent leader – Saddam Hussein. Other than few statements which for political reasons have not be exposed, it is said that Emir offered to cancel the debt if Saddam sent Iraqi war widows to Kuwait’s harems. Now this was enough to provoke a man, who by his very nature is a warrior leader.
Saddam Blasting Jerusalem
Saddam Hussein’s life is a story of wars. And the Persian Gulf War has been the most significant of all. While answering the US led forces, Saddam made a lavish use of Russian-made Scud missiles, the surface to surface missiles. He shot few missiles in Israel, especially in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The world condemned him more, because Israel was neutral in the war. Iraq’s rivalry, and not just a rivalry but deadly enmity with Israel has been known to the world from the day Israel came into existence, but in the Gulf War of 1991, Israel was neutral. In spite of that, Saddam fired missiles on Israel but he had very rational reasons for that.
Israel, according to most Arabs, and Saddam is no exception to it, is a practical bomb thrown by America on the Arab world. He had clear reasons for letting out pent-up anger over Israel. And his reasons were very logical. His reasoning said that Israel was a sign of western dominance. Just after the World War II, when a big part of Jewish population was killed, Israel came into existence as a piece of dirty politics. Jews, before the war were scattered all around the world, in Germany, and other parts of Europe, but America and allies imposed a country on Arabs to settle the Jews. But to re-establish Jewish community, snatching a part of the land from Arabs, which had belonged to Arabs for centuries was not a fair deal in eyes of Saddam. He like most other Arabs was unhappy with Israel being imposed upon them. And when ultimately the war broke out, he could not resist in his enraged state launching Scuds on Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Post War Years
Even after a decade has passed since the Gulf War, Saddam continues to rule Iraq. The UN Security Council proposed a plan, which was famous as ‘Oil for Food’ to Saddam. As a part of the program, the UN proposed to buy Iraq’s oil resources and the money that Iraq gets in return was to be used to provide basic needs for common Iraqi people. Saddam initially resisted the ‘Oil for Food’ program but in late 1990s. Saddam agreed to accept the ‘Oil for Food’ program, which helped the Iraqi community to re-establish their lives. The war had been like a big stone in the pond, making the water muddy, but the last decade has settled the mud for Baghdad and Saddam Hussein’s Iraq is now once again escalating.
Saddam Hussein : The Political Leader
Saddam can certainly be called a political leader but not a politician. It is said that if a politician says ‘Yes’, he means may be, if he says ‘may be’, he means no and if he says no he is not a politician. And that is not the case with Saddam. If he uttered yes, he meant it and unlike many typical politicians, he never said yes if he meant no. Although his thoughts may not be approved by majority of people, he does not mind it, and he has also never exhibited the typically politician’s style for gathering approval from the world.
Saddam is more a warrior leader than conventional politicians, who are merely man of words. Saddam believed in action, and action for him could mean anything from being a rebel, leading a revolution, a bloodless coup, to a battle fought with the contemporary arms. Saddam falls into the category of a typical Arab leader – aggressive and assertive. His dynamism overshadows the use of dynamites he has made.
Holding the nation together is a primary job of the political leader of a nation, and Saddam accomplished it with perfection for over two decades. His ways however have been not much acceptable to the Western world, but then it was his personal style, and normal to his Arab upbringing – to fight with sword when the word gets futile. What lifted him up on the political front were not dirty political games, but clear intentions to snatch the power from the incompetent and ineffective regime, and with force if the situation demanded so.
The national leadership of the Republic of Iraq for Saddam had been a gradual growth from a rebel, to a revolutionary, to the key-person of President Al-Bakr and then to the Supremo of Iraq. As a political leader, he had good relations with few other military rulers of Arab nations, but not with all of them. Saddam Hussein, in spite of any number of wars associated with his name, has been the most powerful man of the Middle East in the 20th century.
Saddam Hussein’s Personal Life
A national leadership is a gain for a bargain of personal life. Saddam had no family life of a common man and that was obvious. When he escaped from the prison after being sentenced to death, and settled in Egypt, he never knew he would ever be able to initiate a new chapter of life. He met Miss Tofa and married her. His wife gave birth to five children in the course of time. Two of them were boys and three girls. Some people also claim that, Saddam is supposed to have at least one mistress.
The Luminary of the Middle East
In the later half of 20th century, Iraq has emerged as the most powerful nation of Middle East and Saddam has emerged as a decisive character in the Middle East. He is still in the limelight, with full vigor, he has still got fuel in him, with no sign of extinguishing his luminous political career in near future. People have said, life is a daring adventure or nothing, Saddam has lived these words.
SADDAM HUSSEIN
"Words are very powerful, they can get things done for us, but then a word and a gun makes it much easier."
This is an intrinsic belief, the base of all actions of the most powerful man of Middle East, the man who alone is getting to the nerves of the entire Western world – Saddam Hussein. He is a man who is sitting over the pile of world’s deadliest weapons, a man, who, if opens his reservoir of chemical and nuclear weapons, can literally peel off the layers of skin of enemy troops, can turn his rivals into ashes in microseconds.
A son of a poor peasant, Saddam attempted assassination of the Prime Minister of Iraq and was charged and sentenced to death at the age of 20. Escaping from the prison, he became a rebellious leader, and consequently the military President of the Republic of Iraq.
This is the tale of a man who has sustained two deadly wars, one of them lasted for nearly a decade with Iran, and the other against almost half of the world – the Persian Gulf War.
"Life is a daring adventure, or nothing," these words were uttered for some other context, but Saddam Hussein befits them.
April 28, 1937
Born in Tikrit, Iraq.
1956
Joined the Arab Baath Socialist Party.
1959
Attempted assassination of Iraqi Prime Minister Qasim.
Arrested for six-months.
1960
Sentenced to death.
Escaped to Syria and later to Egypt.
1962-63
Studied law in Cairo, but left it incomplete.
1963
Elected member of Baath Party in Iraq.
1964
Arrested for charges of rebelling against the regime.
September 1966
Elected Deputy Secretary General of Baath Party Leadership in Iraq, while in prison.
1967
Escaped from Prison.
July 1968
Coup against Iraq’s President and overthrew the regime.
1969
Elected the Vice-chairman of the Revolution Command Council.
1972
Nationalized oil companies.
1977
Elected Assistant Secretary General of National Pan-Arab Leadership of Baath Party.
July 16, 1979
Elected as the Chairman of RCC and as the President of Iraq.
1980
Attacked the oil-reserves of Iran, and initiated the Iran-Iraq war.
1988
Cease-fire between Iran and Iraq.
August 2, 1990
Seized Kuwait.
January 16, 1991
America led air troops began bombing Baghdad.
February 1991
The Persian Gulf War ended by declaration of cease-fire by US President George Bush.
1996
Accepted the ‘Oil for Food’ program, proposed by the UN Security Council.
December 13, 2003
captured by American army from a bunker near Tikrit.
December 30, 2006
Executed exactly after three years and 17 days of his capture.
