Charles J. Shields, Rachel A. Koestler-Grack - Saddam Hussein

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Charles J. Shields, Rachel A. Koestler-Grack - Saddam Hussein

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Saddam Hussein, President of Iraq, was known to his people by
many names—the Anointed One, Glorious Leader, Direct
Descendant of the Prophet, Chairman of the Revolutionary
Council, field marshal of the armies, doctor of Iraq’s laws, and greatuncle
to all of Iraq’s peoples. In public, Saddam wore a general’s
uniform decorated with medals and gold epaulets, even though he
never served in Iraq’s armed forces. In his private life, he
enjoyed living in his many homes and palaces, each with its
own swimming pool—a sign of wealth and success in a desert
country like Iraq. In fact, Saddam’s palace on an island in the
Tigris River near Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, was adorned
with gold doorknobs.
Fresh food was flown in for him twice a week. He ate
lobster, shrimp, and fish. He made sure to get plenty of fruit,
vegetables, and dairy products, too. His food was prepared for
him by European chefs, after it had been x-rayed and tested for
poison. Sadly, these luxuries were enjoyed in spite of a United
Nations study in 1999 reported that thousands of Iraqi children
were dying of malnutrition.
Saddam liked American literature, especially works by Ernest
Hemingway like The Old Man and the Sea. He is even an author
himself, and he found the time in recent years to write two
romances—Zabibah and the King and The Fortified Castle. His
19-volume official biography was once required reading for
Iraqi government officials.

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Charles J. Shields, Rachel A. Koestler-Grack - Saddam Hussein

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