Iraq under Saddam Husayn and the Ba'th Party

This work is, essentially, an assessment of Saddam's regime in Iraq, one of the cruellest and most violent regimes of modern times, and the Ba'th Party policies and ideological principles, recognised by Saddam as the theoretical basis for his practices. These policies and practices have had catastrophic consequences for Iraq, "home of ancient civilisations", jeopardising its sovereignty and future and permitting the west and the west-sponsored states in the region to gain favourable concessions at the expense of Iraq's interests. This thesis is divided into nine chapters: The first deals with the Ba'th Party, its founding, ideology, set-backs and seizure of power. The second deals with the founding of the Ba'th Party in Iraq, its political development throughout the Monarchy regime, Qasim's regime and the period during which the Ba'thists came to power on 8 February 1963. The third deals with Saddam's early life and his political activities throughout 'rif's regime. The fourth deals with the circumstances in which the Ba'th Party returned to power. The fifth deals with the presidency of Ahmad Hasan al-Bakr and examines Saddam's role and the nature of the Ba'thist authority during that period. The sixth deals with Saddam's presidency and his assumption of all responsibility for the state and the Party. The seventh and eighth deal with the first and second Gulf wars, the occupation of Kuwait and the results these two destructive wars, embarked upon at the whim of one man, have imposed upon the Iraqi army and people. The ninth comprises a summary of the thesis, in which Saddam's strange and unstable personality will be analysed and a possible solution will be suggested for the future of Iraq - a community different in composition and circumstances from any other countr