Saddam Hussein
| Saddam Hussein | |
|---|---|
| صدام حسين | |
Saddam Hussein in 1998
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| 5th President of Iraq | |
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In office 16 July 1979 – 9 April 2003 |
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| Prime Minister |
See list
|
| Preceded by | Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr |
| Succeeded by | Coalition Provisional Authority |
| Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council of Iraq | |
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In office 16 July 1979 – 9 April 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| 57th and 61st Prime Minister of Iraq | |
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In office 29 May 1994 – 9 April 2003 |
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| President | Himself |
| Preceded by | Ahmad Husayn Khudayir as-Samarrai |
| Succeeded by | Mohammad Bahr al-Ulloum (as Acting President of the Governing Council of Iraq) |
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In office 16 July 1979 – 23 March 1991 |
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| President | Himself |
| Preceded by | Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr |
| Succeeded by | Sa'dun Hammadi |
| Secretary of the National Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party | |
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In office January 1992 – 30 December 2006 |
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| Preceded by | Michel Aflaq |
| Succeeded by | Position vacant |
| Regional Secretary of the Regional Command of the Iraqi Regional Branch | |
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In office 16 July 1979 – 30 December 2006 |
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| National Secretary |
Michel Aflaq (until 1989) Himself (from 1989) |
| Preceded by | Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr |
| Succeeded by | Izzat Ibrahim ad-Douri |
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In office February 1964 – October 1966 |
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| Preceded by | Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr |
| Succeeded by | Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr |
| Member of the Regional Command of the Iraqi Regional Branch | |
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In office February 1964 – 9 April 2003 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti 28 April 1937 Al-Awja, Saladin Province, Iraq |
| Died | 30 December 2006 (aged 69) Kadhimiya, Baghdad, Iraq |
| Nationality | Iraqi |
| Political party |
Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party (1957–1966) Baghdad-based Ba'ath Party (1966–2006) |
| Other political affiliations |
National Progressive Front (1974–2003) |
| Spouse(s) |
Sajida Talfah Samira Shahbandar |
| Children |
Uday Hussein Qusay Hussein Raghad Hussein Rana Hussein Hala Hussein |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Iraq |
| Service/branch | Iraqi Armed Forces |
| Rank | Marshal |
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti (Arabic: صدام حسين عبد المجيد التكريتي Ṣaddām Ḥusayn ʿAbd al-Maǧīd al-Tikrītī; c. 1937 – 30 December 2006) was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003. A leading member of the revolutionary Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party, and later, the Baghdad-based Ba'ath Party and its regional organization the Iraqi Ba'ath Party—which espoused Ba'athism, a mix of Arab nationalism and socialism—Saddam played a key role in the 1968 coup (later referred to as the 17 July Revolution) that brought the party to power in Iraq.
As vice president under the ailing General Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr, and at a time when many groups were considered capable of overthrowing the government, Saddam created security forces through which he tightly controlled conflict between the government and the armed forces. In the early 1970s, Saddam nationalized oil and other industries. The state-owned banks were put under his control, leaving the system eventually insolvent mostly due to the Iran–Iraq War, the Gulf War, and UN sanctions. Through the 1970s, Saddam cemented his authority over the apparatuses of government as oil money helped Iraq's economy to grow at a rapid pace. Positions of power in the country were mostly filled with Sunni Arabs, a minority that made up only a fifth of the population.
Saddam formally rose to power in 1979, although he had been the de facto head of Iraq for several years prior. He suppressed several movements, particularly Shi'a and Kurdish movements, seeking to overthrow the government or gain independence, and maintained power during the Iran–Iraq War and the Gulf War. Whereas some in the Arab world lauded Saddam for his opposition to the United States and for attacking Israel—he was widely condemned for the brutality of his dictatorship. The total number of Iraqis killed by the security services of Saddam's government in various purges and genocides is unknown, but the lowest estimate is 250,000.
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Wikipedia