SRIJAN 2002-2003(1st Edition)

131
♦ CONTOURS OF THE MIND/Winds Of Change
The Child:
STR 1 K ER SADDAM
By:
V ikas Saroha,
second Year,
Electronics And Communication Engineering.
It all goes back to his mother's womb, during the mother's pregnancy with Saddam, his father died. Another son died when he
was 12 years old. The mother tried to commit a suicide and have an abortion. An Iraqi Jew family stopped Subha, the mother. So
depressed was she, that she couldn't even bring herself to look at her own newborn son. The newborn was handed over to her brother,
Khairallah Msallat, until the child was three. He returned to his mother only to find a step-father. The step-father's inhuman treatment
along with frequent abuses could have made him what he seems to be.
Adolescence:
Saddam's first acts of infancy can be dated back to 1956. Only 19 yet, he participated in a coup against King Faisal II. Though
the attempt failed, if anything, it made him more determined. His next target was the Republican prime minister of Iraq, Abdul Karim
Kasim. Yet another failure for the baathists. Saddam was hit by a bullet in the leg. He escaped to Syria and subsequently to Egypt.
Saddam with the help of CIA, returned to Iraq in 1963 and played an active role in the downfall of Qasim.
Adult:
The baathists came to power, Saddam earned a law degree from the Cairo University. He married his first cousin ; Sajida Khail.
Saddam served as the head of the Baath part's internal security agency, the Jihaz al Hannen. With the help from Americans Saddam
cleaned Iraq of the pro Qasim communists. This regime couldn't last long and was overthrown in November in the same year,
consequently. Saddam was imprisoned. He was released 5 years later, only after the Baath party returned to power after yet another
coup. This time his maternal uncle, Khairullah's cousin General Ahmad Hasan Al baker led the coup. As Bakar's frail health made him
resign on 16th July 1979, Saddam took over. The fatherless shepherd boy now owned the country with the second largest oil reserves.
The king:
The first strike was against Iran barely after being 14 months in power, in September 1980. It was launched to recover the
State-al-Arab water way. Earlier in 1975 Saddam was made to sign the water way and a group of islands to Iran in lieu of Iran's
resolution to stop cross border support to Kurds. Kurds, under Mustafa Barzani, had gained control of Kurd dominated areas in northern
Iraq. With Iran's support withdrawn, the Kurds were crushed. This was Saddam's reply to the rejection of a deal that he had offered to
the Kurds in 1974. The Kurdish guerilla resistance grew harsh and so did Saddam's attitude. Iran became a bigger threat after the Iranian
revolution. Finally, he decided, to teach Iran a lesson, to settle old scores. The severity of Iranian resistance and hence counter attack
was least expected. It took the Iraqi's off guard. Saddam was in rough waters had it not been for the Americans. In the summer of 1982
Iranian forces advanced upon Basra. U.S. decided to do everything to save Iraq from a possible defeat. Iraq was made a U.S. ally by
flying Donald Rumsfeld to Iraq and establishing diplomatic relations with Iraq for the first time.
The Administrator:
Saddam created a model health care system in Iraq. He once killed his health minister in course of a cabinet meeting for having
purchased fake medicines. Education was made compulsory. Though harshness prevailed here too, staying away from school would
land the absentee in jail! Beyond doubt, he served his motherland. Had it not been for his skill, Iraq would have been rebellion torn
nation. The British left Iraq in 1920, with all kinds of border troubles as existing between India and Pakistan. The rulers have done well
(smipiti)
C
Take care to get what you like or you will be forced to like what you get. ) (2oo2-o3)