Asvicepresidentunderhiscousin,GeneralAhmedHassanal-Bakr,Saddamtightlycontrolledconflictbetweenthegovernmentandthearmedforcesbycreatingrepressivesecurityforcesandcementinghisownauthorityovertheapparatusofgovernment.
Soonafterbecomingdeputytothepresident,Saddamdemandedandreceivedtherankoffour-stargeneraldespitehislackofmilitarytraining.
SaddamactivelyfosteredthemodernizationoftheIraqieconomyalongwiththecreationofastrongsecurityapparatustopreventcoupswithinthepowerstructureandinsurrectionsapartfromit.EverconcernedwithbroadeninghisbaseofsupportamongthediverseelementsofIraqisocietyandmobilizingmasssupport,hecloselyfollowedtheadministrationofstatewelfareanddevelopmentprograms.
Thebloodyeight-yearwarendedinastalemate.Therewerehundredsofthousandsofcasualties,perhapsupwardsof1.7milliondiedonbothsides.Botheconomies,previouslyhealthyandexpanding,wereleftinruins.
Toraisemoneyforpostwarreconstruction,Saddampushedoil-exportingcountriestoraiseoilpricesbycuttingbackoilproduction.KuwaitrefusedtocutproductionandspearheadedtheoppositioninOPECtothecutsthatSaddamhadrequested.Kuwaitwaspumpinglargeamountsofoil,andthuskeepingpriceslow,whenIraqneededtosellhigh-pricedoilfromitswellstopayoffitshugedebt.
SaddamfurtherallegedthattheKuwaitslantdrilledoiloutofwellsthatIraqconsideredtobewithinitsdisputedborderwithKuwait.GiventhatatthetimeIraqwasnotregardedasapariahstate,SaddamwasabletocomplainabouttheallegedslantdrillingtotheU.S.StateDepartment.Althoughthishadcontinuedforyears,Saddamnowneededoilmoneytostemaloomingeconomiccrisis.Saddamstillhadanexperiencedandwell-equippedarmy,whichheusedtoinfluenceregionalaffairs.HeorderedtroopstotheIraq-Kuwaitborder.
TheUNsanctionsplaceduponIraqwhenitinvadedKuwaitwerenotlifted,blockingIraqioilexports.ThiscausedimmensehardshipinIraqandvirtuallydestroyedtheIraqieconomyandstateinfrastructure.OnlysmugglingacrosstheSyrianborderandhumanitarianaid(theUNOil-for-FoodProgramme)amelioratedthehumanitariancrisis.LimitedamountsofincomefromtheUnitedNationsstartedflowingintoIraqthroughtheUNOil-for-FoodProgramme.
AfteraboutmiddaymyDadsentcarsfromhisprivatecollectionforus.Weweretoldtogetin.Wehadalmostlostcontactwithmyfatherandbrothersbecausethingshadgotoutofhand.Isawwithmyowneyesthe[Iraqi]armywithdrawingandtheterrifiedfacesoftheIraqisoldierswho,unfortunately,wererunningawayandlookingaroundthem.Missileswerefallingonmyleftandmyright-theywerenotmorethanfiftyoronehundredmetersaway.Wemovedinsmallcars.Ihadagunbetweenmyfeetjustincase.AttributedtoRaghadHussein
ThenaccordingtothetestimonyofaformerbodyguardSaddamHusseindismissedalmosthisentirestaff:
Afterthishechangedoutofhisuniformandwithonlytwobodyguardstoguardhim,leftBaghdadinaplainwhiteOldsmobileandmadehiswaytoaspeciallypreparedbunkerinDialahonthenorthernoutskirtsofthecity.
AyadAllawiininterviewstatedthatSaddamstayedintheDialahbunkerforthreeweeksasBaghdadandtherestofIraqwereoccupiedbyUSforces.Initiallyheandhisentourageusedsatellitetelephonestocommunicatewitheachother.Asthisbecamemoreriskytheyresortedtosendingcourierswithwrittenmessages.Oneofthesecourierswasreportedtohavebeenhisownnephew.However,theircoverwasgivenawaywhenoneofthecourierswascapturedandSaddamwasforcedtoevacuatetheDialahbunkerandresortedtochanginglocationeveryfewhours.TherewerenumeroussightingsofhiminBeiji,BaqubaandTikrittothenorthofBaghdadoverthenextfewmonthsasheshuttledbetweensafehousesdisguisedasashepherdinaplaintaxi.Howclosehecametobeingcapturedduringthisperiodmayneverbemadepublic.SometimeinthemiddleofMayhemovedtothecountrysidearoundhishometownofTikrit.
AseriesofaudiotapesclaimingtobefromSaddamwerereleasedatvarioustimes,althoughtheauthenticityofthesetapesremainsuncertain.
Thisstory,however,likelyresultedtoexplainthemissingflags.Thecommanderofthe1stBattalion,22ndInfantryRegimentinTikritandAuja,wherethesonswereburied,hadthecemeteryheavilyguarded.TheflagswereremovedbyUnitedStatesforcestopreventhissonsbeinghonoredasmartyrs.TheseflagsnowresideattheUSNationalInfantryMuseumatFortBenning,Georgia.
WithinhoursColonelJamesHickey(1stBrigade,4thInfantryDivision)togetherwithUSSpecialOperationsForceslaunchedOperationRedDawnandundercoverofdarknessmadeforthevillageofAd-DawrontheoutskirtsofTikrit.TheinformerhadtoldUSforcestheformerpresidentwouldbeinoneoftwogroupsofbuildingsonafarmcodenamedWolverine1andWolverine2.
AlllinksretrievedDecember22,2022.
ThehistoryofthisarticlesinceitwasimportedtoNewWorldEncyclopedia:
Note:Somerestrictionsmayapplytouseofindividualimageswhichareseparatelylicensed.