Why Was Saddam Hussein Considered A Monster

Saddam Hussein, the former dictator of Iraq, is recognized as one of the most brutal and inhumane leaders in history. He reigned for over 20 years, from 1979-2003, and resulted in the death of hundreds of thousands of people. Saddam Hussein is considered a monster for many reasons. First, he was responsible for numerous human rights violations. During his regime, he tortured and executed anyone who dared to speak out against his rules, such as political opponents and protesters. “By early August 1979, hundreds of Hussein’s political foes had been executed” (Saddam Hussein Biography). Hussein became president of Iraq in July 1979, less than a month later he already had hundreds of his political foes executed. Along with executing his political foes, many of Hussein’s victims were innocent civilians who were rounded up and killed or

Another reason why Hussein is considered a monster is because of his role in starting the Gulf War in 1990. Hussein invaded the country, Kuwait, claiming it belonged to Iraq and refused to withdraw his forces even with international pressure. His actions led multiple countries, like the United States, to launch a military operation to drive Hussein’s troops out of Kuwait, known as the Gulf War. The Gulf War was an easily avoidable war that resulted in the deaths of thousands of people, including Hussein’s citizens, and caused widespread destruction. Along with the Gulf War, Hussein was also responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths during the Iran-Iraq War, from 1980-1988. The conflict of the Iran-Iraq war was over territorial disputes and racial differences, chemical weapons were heavily used and resulted in the deaths of an estimated 500,000 people. In addition to these atrocities, Hussein was known for his lavish lifestyle, building numerous palaces and monuments, while much of his population lived in