Hussein or Husain, Saddam 1937-
Iraqi dictator

Born in Tikrit, near Baghdad, into a peasant family, and educated in Baghdad, he joined the Arab Ba'ath Socialist Party in 1957. In 1959 he escaped to Syria and Egypt after being sentenced to death for the attempted assassination of the head of state, General Kassem. He returned to Iraq in 1963 after the downfall of Kassem, but in 1964 he was imprisoned for plotting to overthrow the new regime. After his release (1966) he took a leading part in the 1968 revolution which ousted the civilian government and established a Revolutionary Command Council (RCC), of which he became Vice-President. Initially behind the scenes, and then more overtly, he strengthened his position, and in 1979 became RCC Chairman and state President. Ruthless in the pursuit of his objectives, he fought a bitter war against his neighbour, Iran (1980-88), to gain control of the Strait of Hormuz, and dealt harshly with Kurdish rebels seeking a degree of autonomy. In December 1989 an attempt on his life led to the summary execution of 19 senior army officers. In July 1990 his army invaded Kuwait, bringing about UN sanctions against Iraq and later the Gulf War in which he was opposed by a UN-backed Allied Force, involving US, European and Arab troops. Hussein's troops surrendered in February 1991 following Operation Desert Storm, commanded by General Norman Schwarzkopf. Hussein was immediately confronted with a civil war as his army retreated through southern Iraq, but managed to contain the uprising there. In accordance with the terms of the peace treaty agreed at the end of the Gulf War, a special UN delegation were sent to oversee the destruction and removal of all non-conventional weapons stocks. Initially Iraq refused to disclose all its nuclear sites, but when a resumed air offensive was threatened by the allies the Iraqis supplied the necessary information. Hussein later defied UN ceasefire resolutions and made further raids on Iran in 1993. In 1995 his two sons-in law, their wives and children defected to Jordan and were granted political asylum there. Later that year Hussein held a national referendum and was confirmed as President for seven more years. 1996 saw him renew his involvement in the Kurdistan civil war.

Bibliography: E Karsh and I Rautsi, Saddam Hussein (1991)