Iraq is a country ruled by one of the most brutal dictators of our time. Saddam Hussein became the first ruler-a tyrant, who was executed in the XXI century. How did his 24-year of rule affect on the fate of the country?
Iraq could be the cradle of Arab civilization. However, in the middle ages, Baghdad was the center of the Ottoman Empire. It had its geographical location – the territory of Iraq was between the Euphrates and the Tigris, adjacent to the waters of the Persian Gulf. After the Ottoman Empire fell, Iraq came under the British mandate. In 1932, the state finally gained its independence and became a Kingdom. However, the monarchy in Iraq did not last long. In 1958, the military overthrew King Faisal II. The governance passed into the hands of General Abdel Qasem.
At this time, Saddam Hussein was engaged in active political life. A boy from a poor family, he made his way to power. His stepfather had other plans for Saddam-he had to help with the housework. But Hussein wanted to get an education. For such desires, the stepfather abused him to regular beatings. Then Hussein ran away to his uncle in Tikrit. He actively supported the boy’s eagerness to study, and at the same time inspired him with thoughts about the mission of the great leader of the Iraqi people.
By the time General Abdel Qasem headed Iraq, Saddam Hussein was already a member of the national socialist Ba’ath party. It is this party at the time in Syria helped to come to power Hafez Assad. And is there until now. The “Ba’ath” overthrew Qasem and came to power the uncle of Hussein-Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr. Saddam became his right hand. When his uncle lost his influence and abdicated, Saddam Hussein immediately took his place.
The reign of the dictator began with the fact that he eliminated everyone who could compete with him or be his enemy. After that, he engaged in the development of Iraq. We must say, he did it quite successfully. Hussein considered it important to strengthen foreign policy, increase the level of literacy of women and the population as a whole. He developed the private sector, stimulated entrepreneurial activity, invested in the construction of schools and hospitals. We can safely to say that Iraq flourished in the early years of his reign. The oil-rich lands of this country brought profit to the state, and at the same time and respect of the Western countries.
But like any other dictator Saddam Hussein, there was little respect in his country, and he wanted to be honored all over the world. It was born a desire to show someone his strength and power, to win over another state. It was not necessary to choose for a long time, Iran which only survived the Islamic revolution, was at hand. There were also reasons to attack Tehran-long-standing unresolved disputes over the territory. Also, Hussein was afraid that the Shiites could arrange a revolution in Iraq.
In the Iran-Iraq war, Baghdad supported the West and some Arab countries. Saudi Arabia generously gave the loans. The US and European countries allocated money to Iraq and supplied by computers. Later, Saddam Hussein used the computers in his attempts to create nuclear weapons. The West supported Iraq, thereby planning to weaken Islamic Iran and have influence in the region through friendly Tehran. But Washington’s plans did not come true. In eight years of the Iran-Iraq war, nearly a million people were killed, and Iraq plunged into total devastation and poverty. From the once rich country is not gone. And neighbors began to demand the payment of debts. Of course, Iraq had no money. Then Saddam Hussein remembered about Kuwait-a small state in the Middle East, rich in oil. The dictator claimed that Kuwait was historically part of Iraq and immediately sent troops in 1990. He thought that Washington would support him in this time. But he was wrong. The white house took an anti-Iraqi position. Even the Soviet Union opposed Baghdad. But Hussein did not stop. For Kuwait, the occupation was tragic. Houses were robbed, people were forced to change documents, imprisoned, killed. Residents of Kuwait were in constant fear-they could have been picked up at any moment. The US imposed sanctions against Iraq. The UN Security Council has adopted several resolutions. Nothing worked. As a result, multinational forces consisting of the United States, France, Great Britain, Egypt, Syria, and the Gulf monarchies, introduced their forces to the territory of Iraq. The coalition from the air defeated Saddam Hussein’s forces. The occupation is over. Kuwait was liberated.
Meanwhile, numerous sanctions were imposed against Iraq and trade embargoes were imposed. The country has entered a period of abject poverty. No one thought about education and business development. People were queuing for food, food cards were introduced in the country. Against the background of the war and devastation in the country, a Shiite uprising broke out, which the embittered Hussein suppresses with all the cruelty that a person is capable of.
While the country was choking in poverty, Hussein built himself new palaces. The dictatorial manners have not been canceled. Having been defeated in military affairs, he figured out how to immortalize himself in history. Saddam ordered the Quran to be written in his blood. For this, he donated 27 liters of blood. But while he was playing with his greatness, Washington began to raise the question of the danger of his regime. After the events of September 11 in the United States, the White House launched an attack on Iraq. The Americans said that Hussein is associated with terrorist organizations, and inside the country secretly developed chemical weapons. In 2003, the international coalition returned to Iraq. Saddam Hussein left his post and went on the run. He was accidentally found near his hometown. He was hiding in a hole in a farmhouse. Humiliated with his hands up, he surrendered to the military. On this, his age ended.
The trial of Saddam Hussein lasted three years. This process was broadcast to the whole world. He’s been charged with every crime he’s ever committed. It was a massacre in a Shia settlement in 1982, the execution of the Kurdish Barzan tribe in ’83, the use of chemical weapons against the Kurds in’ 88. They were reminded of the occupation of Kuwait, the destruction of the opposition and its opponents. They even talked about the genocide of Shiites and Kurds.
Saddam Hussein understood that everything was over for him and wanted only to die like a real military man – to be shot. But he was denied that right. And sentenced to death by hanging in 2006.
It would seem that Iraq should enter an era of prosperity. But that didn’t happen. It was chaos and a struggle for power. There was no trained democratic leader who could take the place of Saddam Hussein. In Iraq, a civil war broke out between Shiites, Sunnis, the Ba’ath party and the Kurds. Moreover, in 2013, al-Qaeda announced the creation of an “Islamic state” in Iraq. Because of the conflicts, people began to run away from the country. The Iraqis have essentially joined the ranks of refugees. In 2017, a referendum on the independence of Iraqi Kurdistan was held. In 2018, Adel Abdul-Mahdi became Prime Minister of the country. Many experts call him an independent and progressive Shiite politician. The world community has high hopes for him. It has no ties to the US or Iran. Acceptable for both sides. Of course, Iraq is far from well-being. Everything is just ahead – the fight against corruption, the economy, the resumption of electricity and water supply. And, of course, the complete eradication of terrorist groups. But still, on this dark spot of the Middle East begin to show the bright places. And perhaps this is the beginning of a new era for the state of Iraq.