Fall 2003_162

Instructor: Buthaina al Othman

Biography of Saddam Hussain

Group A: Part (2)

Read the following part of the biography, take notes, outline, and then write your summary.

4. In 1959, he participated in the exploited assassination attempts against Iraqi president Abdulkarim Qassim. Police searched for Saddam, not only for this action , but also for killing one of his relatives from his father’s side , for competing with his uncle over a political position! However, some members of the movement arranged for his escape to Syria and then to Cairo, Egypt where he joined Law School of Cairo. At that point, he was very active and used to invite students to meetings focused on Arab political issues, trying to influence and engage a large number of Iraqi and other Arab students with the principles of “Baath” which became a party with a clear ideology at that time. Due to these activities, Saddam, eventually, managed to graduate, in 1963, and obtained a degree in Law , but with great difficulties.

5. In 1968, he participated in the bloody revolution in Iraq, which allowed “Baath Party” to take over power and rule the country until now. In 1973, Saddam became Deputy Leader of Iraqi "Baath Party", and later , in 1979 he became Leader of the Party and President of the Republic of Iraq , adding to the world’s current history another brutal dictator.

6. It was noticed that Saddam, has never talked about his father, specially to media people, trying to avoid the subject whenever it was raised or mentioned. He used to claim that his father died before he was born. Furthermore, Saddam has shown many pictures of his mother, uncle and some relatives, but nothing of his father, yet. In addition, Saddam has been using his mother's family name, Al-Tikriti, instead of his last name, Al Majeed. Saddam owns seven presidential palaces, which he uses alternatively and secretely for security reasons, trying to escape assassination attempts or any kind of rebbelious attacks against him by Iraqi people. This is concrete evidence, showing that he is resented by Iraqi citizens because of his oppressive and aggressive policy.Saddam has been changing his sleeping place every night, for many years, and only members of his Republican Guards are aware of and have direct access to him. the Republican Guards are Saddam's Private Militias who are from his hometown, Tikrit. they are adopted by Saddam at a very young age, and well trained to be loyal to him, only.Saddam's food is coocked by one of them and tasted by another one of them before it is served, everyday.

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