Saddam’s First Meeting After Taking Office: Executes 66 Officials, Launching a 24-Year Reign

Was Saddam a Tyrant or a Competent Leader?

Years after the former Iraqi President Saddam was hanged, many people still have a one-sided view of him.

Many label him a tyrant, a terrorist, yet others see him as a competent leader for Iraq.

However, humans are inherently complex, and Saddam was perhaps more complex than most.

1. A National Leader of Humble Origins

Saddam’s political career was somewhat influenced by his family background.

Born in 1937, he was raised by his uncle after his father had died before his birth.

His uncle and grandfather were both key figures in Iraq’s resistance against foreign aggression. Indeed, Iraq had been in a state of turmoil in modern times, targeted by both the Ottoman Turks and the British, each seeking to carve out a piece of the country for themselves.

In this light, Saddam’s rule might be seen as a period when Iraq’s sovereignty was at its strongest. Ironically, this is somewhat of a dark joke.