2. Saddam Hussein President of Iraq from 1979-2003 Sunni Muslim
Founder of the Iraqi Baath Party

3. Life Under Saddam Hussein
Hussein ruled like a brutal dictator
Tested chemical weapons on his own people
Executions and torture common

4. Saddam’s Baath Party Most joined out of convenience
Sunni Muslims only allowed as members
Political rivals were murdered
Controlled all media outlets/information
Members received high paying/status jobs
Most joined out of convenience

5. Dictator Rule
Pictures of Hussein were posted all over Iraq as propaganda

6. Infrastructure Under Saddam
Schools
Secular education
Literacy high for an Arab nation
Healthcare
Iraq had a basic healthcare system in place
Mostly in major cities
Roadways
Hussein constructed extensive roadway system
In the 1970s-80s Hussein greatly improved Iraq
Iraq wasn’t perfect but was orderly

7. Economy Under Hussein Until 1990s Iraqi economy grew
Expansion outside of just oil
UN sanctions hurt Iraq’s economy
Invasion of Kuwait
Human rights issues

8. Ethnic Relations Under Hussein
Nationality
Arab 75%-80%
Kurds 15%-20%
Religion
Muslim
Shi’a 60%-65%
Sunni 32%-37%
Arabs hate Kurds
Sunni hates Sh’ia
Hussein oppressed Shi’as and Kirds
Tested chemical weapons on the Kurds
Killed any political opponents, Sh’ia

9. Hussein’s View of America
Originally got along with America
1970s-1980s
Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990
America goes to war with Iraq
Relations sour

10. Hussein in the 1990s UN Sanctions hurt Iraq’s economy
No oil trade
400,000 children died of malnutrition
Starvation and poverty were common

11. Hussein and 9/11 Saddam Hussein NOT involved in 9/11 attacks
Was happy about attacks
2 reasons for invasion
Hussein had weapons of mass destruction
Hussein provided safe harbor for terrorists

12. Invade Or Not To Invade? Reasons to Invade Reasons Not to Invade
Take out Hussein
Control Weapons of Mass Destruction
Free the Iraqi people from his reign
Reasons Not to Invade
Hussein not related to 9/11 attacks
Al Qaeda based in Afghanistan

13. Operation Iraqi Freedom
Began March 20, 2003
Baghdad fell May 1, 2003
American troops still occupy Iraq