A question that one might come across here and there, that requires a lucid answer, is whether Saddam Hussein presented a real threat to the United States’ Homeland Security, as the safety valve against the Radicals? Was taking him out of the world power equation the right decision by the Americans?
In 1977 Saddam Hussein was the Vice President for Ahmad Hassan Al-Bakr (The Iraqi President 1968-1979), however he was getting more attention than even the president himself. Some people even believe that he was the man running the show behind the scenes. In 1979 the Iraqi President addressed the nation in a speech on Iraqi Television. In his speech he announced that he was stepping down from the presidency and that Saddam Hussein would be his successor. This was the beginning of change in the region. Iran, at this time, was already annoying its rich and weak Arab neighbours in the Gulf region. Saddam took a few steps that did not take Iran too much time to realize that this man would be the concrete barrier in the way of their plans to control the richest region in the world.
The war started between Iraq and Iran in 1980 and lasted for eight years and cost both countries billions of dollars and about one million casualties. During the war between the two countries, the Americans were watching the events closely and at some point they realized that Saddam is someone that should not be underestimated. In 1990, the Iraqi Army invaded Kuwait after almost two years of disputes about the borders and oil wells between the two countries. The Kuwait Prince fled the country and went to Saudi Arabia asking for help and the Saudi Arabian King knew they could not stand in Saddam’s way so he in turn asked for American help. The Americans found the most precious chance to destroy a fast growing power in the Middle East that could be their enemy in the coming years and hence fast action was needed. The Americans along with their allies sent their troops to the region and gave Saddam warnings to withdraw his army from Kuwait, a warning which they knew that he wouldn’t comply with. The war started and the allies directed heavy strikes that destroyed both the Iraqi Army and the Iraqi Infrastructure. Iraq then had to submit to the allies and sign what was called the Safwan Tent Agreement in 1991.
Since 1991 and the Safwan agreement until 2003 the Americans were trying to weaken Saddam as much as they could and the International Sanctions were one of their ways. Saddam during these years was like the wounded lion that looks weak but no one in the forest dares to get close to him. The whole region’s countries were watching closely and the Americans were running the show. During these years no terrorist attacks or terrorist groups were recorded in the region. Saddam Hussein’s secret intelligence service knew every suspect and used to target them around the country. A suspected member of these groups would be detained and tortured until confirming to vacate his radical religious beliefs.
We can see with no doubts how Saddam was, however indirectly, a useful tool to protect the United States from the radical groups without having the Americans making any effort to achieve it. In 2003 the American President George W. Bush lead the operation “Iraqi Freedom”, toppling the Iraqi Regime and Saddam was captured and taken as a prisoner.Saddam Hussein was taken to trial, a trial that was run by the Americans behind the scenes, and he was executed later in 2006.
The operation “Iraqi Freedom” and the execution of Saddam Hussein opened the doors of hell. Radical groups, organizations and individuals started to show up from anywhere around the world. These individuals and groups started targeting the western countries claiming revenge for invading their countries. Suicide attacks are almost everywhere targeting anyone and mostly innocent civilians to create chaos, for the radicals want to show their power and ability to reach anywhere on their target list.
Anyone who would like to see the difference should simply check the Middle East before and after the invasion on Iraq and simultaneously check the number of threats on the United States before and after 2003. The current events of ISIS and the issue of Iran’s nuclear power and their influence on Iraq are good examples of the chaos in the region.
The Americans destroyed their only and free safety valve in the region.
1 Comment
There is no need to regret such an asshole who had close to 200k people killed in six months in a genocidal campaign. No more than there is one to fear Assad’s overthrow which, hopefully, will happen in the near future. The World is not binary. It’s not either X or Y. Previous Saddam’s supporters are now pushing towards more terrorist attacks against the Shia community and form no obstacle against it, for instance. One can consider the Iraq invasion the biggest crime of this century as Noam (Chomsky) put it – at least so far – and simultaneously be happy about the end of this criminal against humanity.