Saddam Hussein
Birth: April 28, 1937 al-Awja near Tikrit, Iraq
Early Influences:
* His father dies while mother was pregnant with him.
* His older brother also dies during this same pregnancy.
* His mother tries to commit suicide before he was born.
* He is given to an uncle to raise until about the age of three.
* He goes back to his mother and step-father at about the age of three.
* He is mistreated by his parents and flees back to his Uncle who lives in Bagdad in 1945.
* In 1957, he joins the Baath Party.
* In 1958, the monarchy is overthrown.
Education:
* He studies law at the Cairo Law School in 1962. In 1971, Hussein receives his Law Degree from the University of Bagdad.
Major Activities:
* Assassinates a communist leader for the Baath Party in 1958 and spends six months in jail.
* In 1959, he attempts to assassinate the head of the Iraqi government. He is wounded and flees to Syria and then Egypt.
* The Baath Party overthrows the government in 1963 and Saddam returns to Bagdad.
* Saddam is arrested when the Baath Party loses control in in November 1963.
* He is arrested on October 14, 1964 and placed in prison. Although, he is given a position in the Baath Leadership.
* Hussein escapes from prison in 1967.
* The Baath Party seizes power again in 1968 with the organizational help of Saddam Hussein.
* From 1968-1977, Hussein rises through the ranks of the Baath Party. He begins as a central figure but gathers more power during this time.
* In 1977, he assumes control of the government with the present Baath Party leader Bakr's health ailing.
* On July 16, 1979 Bakr formally steps down and Hussein begins to take formal control.
* The next few weeks are a period of purging and consolidation on Hussein's part.
* In 1980, Shi'ites of Iranian origin are deported to Iran by the thousands.
* Hussein involves his country in the Iran-Iraq War from 1980-1988.
* To quell the Kurds he uses weapons of mass destruction during this time.
* In 1990, he invades the country of Kuwait.
* In 1991, the Persian Gulf War occurs with the Iraqi's forced to flee Kuwait in a six week campaign.
* From the Persina Gulf War's end to 2002, Saddam Hussein continues to violate the agreements of the wars end.
* In 2003, the United States launches another offensive specifically aimed at regime change.