Saddam Hussein's Rise to Power - Research Paper Example

Summary Saddam Hussein was considered a tyrannical dictator by many around the globe and perhaps it was this perception that may have later on led tothe decision of his execution. Saddam was considered to be a savoir, leader and even a war criminal by various different societies. His execution in 2003 led to mixed emotions around the nation and around the world and many breathed a sigh of relief as they finally were rid of the dictator. Saddam’s execution was probably a wise decision as the man had been a heavy burden on his nation and his fellow citizen. The dictator was responsible for various war crimes, said to have been the reason behind many assassination of various political figures and other crimes. His campaign againt the Kurds in the north of Iraq and the use of chemical weapons against innocent people was something that would be unjustifiable at any stage or at any forum. Not only was his regime responsible for countless deaths and near genocides in the country of Iraq itself but it was also responsible for deaths and environmental disasters in Iran and Kuwait. Saddam Hussein was born in Iraq in a village to the north of Baghdad in 1937 and grew up in very humble surroundings. He led a life of poverty and even illiteracy from which he crawled out of by scratching his way and taking any opportunity that was given to him. At the age of ten he moved in with his uncle in Baghdad who was an army officer and from there he began to indulge in politics (Moore, n.d). Saddam’s political affiliation and his manner of engaging in political activities was not always a great way of doing things. He was only twenty one years old when he was involved in a failed assassination attempt at the then prime minister General Abdel-Karim Qassem and had to leave the country (N.A, Saddams Rise To Power, n.d). From the start the life that was led by this man was considered as that of a man on a criminal path. He was jailed for in 1963 after his party the Ba’ath lost power in the country and then in 1968 he once again led this party to power via a coup. Many hold that Saddam was a messiah for the nation and did many good things. He had nationalized the Iraqi oil industry that lead to wealth coming into the pockets of the Iraqi citizens and caused quite a bit of harm to the international companies that were making profits. He also made education compulsory in order to improve the literacy rate of the nation. This program was made mandatory and a punishment of three year jail time was to be enforced and during this time many learned to read and write. Health was also promoted and this promotion by Saddam earned him and award from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (N.A, Ten reasons for Saddam Husseins execution, 2006). However, the cost that the nation paid and so did other countries for the sake of this one man’s lust for power and control was to outweigh everything else. There are various reports that secret police units were established by the Saddam regime to take out those who were raising their voices against the party and their policies. Saddam also made various charges against members of other institutions and without any form of evidence present he sent five of his own fellow comrades of the Revolutionary Command Council to the gallows after accusing them of planning a coup. There was no allowance given to any other political party other than the Ba’ath to be able to participate in the government and people were not allowed to gather in public unless to support his rule. Saddam in his rule also posed a threat to other countries in the region as he invaded Iran which had recently seen its own government toppled and a fundamentalist Shiite Muslim cleric had taken charge in its place (Rosenberg, n.d). This was seen as a war against the Shiite sect of the Muslim faith as Saddam himself was a Sunni and many of his crimes in his own country were against members of this sect. This was also a chance to take over Iran which is rich in oil and other natural resources. In 1990 Saddam also led an invasion of Kuwait, a country rich in oil and a nation to which the Saddam regime was indebted to. This war led to an eventual retreat on the part of the Iraqi army which on its way back to its motherland burned oil wells and opened many oil pipelines leading to an enormous amount of release of oil. The oil also caused an environmental disaster as the burning oil released toxic material into the atmosphere and the oil leaked into the Gulf. Other crimes that would warrant a man of such convictions a death sentence would be the attacks that he carried out against the Kurds in various regions of the country. In the year 1988 the regime of Saddam Hussein, in order to gain control over the region and perhaps even to erase the Kurds from the area, carried out the Anfal campaign in northern Iraq. In this assault in the area an approximate 200000 troops were used to wipe out villages in the area men were rounded up and shot dead and then buried in mass graves. The elderly, women and children who survived were then sending to camps as a relocation process. Many of the Kurds fled the area in order to save their own lives while it has been estimated by various groups that about 182000 people were killed and call this genocide. (U.S. Department of State, 1997) In the same year there were chemical attacks carried out against the Kurds. The town of Halabje was to face catastrophe as the Iraqi troops under the orders of their leader rained down bombs after bombs on the town. At the head of this operation was Ali Hassan al-Majid who was Saddam Hussein’s cousin and this particular campaign earned him the title of “Chemical Ali”. The bombs that were thrown in the population contained in them a mixture of mustard gas and nerve gas agents that had devastating effects which included blindness, cancer, omitting, convulsions, vomiting and even asphyxiation. As many as 5000 people lost their life in that attack that was also to cost people who survived and their off springs the chances of a normal life (U.S. Department of State, 1999). Saddam Hussein’s execution was justified if one looks at the complete picture and the whole reality as to the depth of his crimes. Perhaps he did not receive a fair trial but then again the man had committed such sins against almost every other person in the nation that a fair trial would not have been possible anywhere. Even at an international level the tyrant did not hold esteem in the eyes of leaders and though many shied away from the punishment that he was ultimately given, none challenged the benefit that it would have on the nation. His execution has led to relief for many people in his own country who hold that his rule had taken the life out of them and that this was for the best. Those who were living in the countries bordering Iraq itself will also breath a sigh of relief seeing the end of the man who had led his army across international borders to fight two wars for the sake of oil and power. Works Cited Moore, J. (n.d). Saddam Husseins Rise to Power. Retrieved January 2, 2011, from PBS News Hour: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/iraq/war/player1.html N.A. (n.d). Saddams Rise To Power. Retrieved January 2, 2011, from Saddam Hussein: http://www.saddamedu.info/Risetopower.php N.A. (2006, December 26). Ten reasons for Saddam Husseins execution. Retrieved January 2, 2011, from Homeland Security US: http://www.homelandsecurityus.net/countries/iraq/ten_reasons_for_saddam_hussein.htm Rosenberg, J. (n.d). Top 5 Crimes of Saddam Hussein. Retrieved January 2, 2011, from About: http://history1900s.about.com/od/saddamhussein/a/husseincrimes.htm U.S. Department of State. (1997, September). Acient Citidal Before Clearing Operation. Iraq. U.S. Department of State. (1999). Saddam Husseins Iraq. Washington: U.S. Department of State. Read More