Saddam Hussein

Abstract Chapter 1 examines the trajectory of Saddam Hussein’s career from poverty and anonymity to unchallenged power. It highlights the role of his uncle Khairallah Talfah who introduced Hussein to Ahman Hasan al-Bakr, the future leader of the Iraqi Ba’th Party. When the Ba’th seized power in 1968, Hussein played a key role in the nationalization of the oil industry. He then employed skyrocketing revenues to modernize the country, augment its military power, and develop its weapons of mass destruction. He murdered his foes, waged war against Iran, crushed rebellious Kurds (with the use of chemical weapons), and tried to seize Kuwait. Undaunted by the coalition of nations that the United States assembled against him, Hussein spent the decade of the 1990s defying UN weapons inspectors (UNSCOM), evading sanctions, and maintaining ties with terrorist groups. Weakened but unchastened, Hussein still aspired to greatness for Iraq and unrivaled power for himself.