Saddam Hussein (major World Leaders) Apr 2026

Fearing the spread of the Islamic Revolution, Saddam launched a bloody eight-year war against Iran. The conflict resulted in over a million deaths and saw the Iraqi regime use chemical weapons against both Iranian soldiers and its own Kurdish citizens (notably in the Halabja massacre).

Saddam Hussein remains a deeply polarizing figure. While some in the Arab world once saw him as a symbol of defiance against Western interference, his primary legacy is one of devastation. His reign left Iraq fractured by sectarianism, haunted by mass graves, and struggling to find stability in the vacuum left by his departure. Saddam Hussein (Major World Leaders)

Saddam’s foreign policy was defined by territorial ambition and a desire for regional hegemony. Fearing the spread of the Islamic Revolution, Saddam

The turning point came with the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, justified by allegations—later proven largely false—that Saddam possessed weapons of mass destruction and had ties to Al-Qaeda. His regime collapsed quickly; he was captured in a "spider hole" near Tikrit in December 2003. After a trial by an Iraqi tribunal for crimes against humanity, he was executed in 2006. While some in the Arab world once saw