Saddam Hussein

Very few political leaders of the modern world can stand up to a comparison with Nazi Germany’s Hitler. Saddam Hussein was one who certainly didn’t have to try too hard. Considering the painful beginnings he has had, Saddam Hussein had gone a long way in proving himself as a leader the world will not forget soon. Hussein had his strengths, convictions and the will to win, all of which worked in his selfish favor. However, contained in these very traits were his veiled weaknesses which ultimately led to his unceremonious ending. One may need a comprehensive overview of Saddam Hussein’s personality traits to render an understanding of what thrived underneath all his brutalities. The dark contours of Saddam’s temperament were etched before he was born on April 28, 1937, to his recently widowed mother, who was too distraught to be keen on having him. Spending his early years under the charge on his maternal uncle, Khyrallah, and later his mother and an abusive step-father, Saddam clearly did not have a conventional childhood, a fact that had a far reaching impact on his mental constitution. He grew up with a distorted self-esteem, which crippled his capacity for empathy with others and produced what has been described psychologically as ‘the wounded self’, a condition which, in Saddam’s case, let to strive for compensatory grandiosity, a steely resolve to never subject himself under a superior force (Post 2003, 2). Saddam’s was often referred to as the ‘mad man of the Middle-East’ equating him to a lunatic battling with psychotic disorders. However, according to Jerrold Post, there is no evidence that he had any such ailments. Rather, Saddam was a rational calculator who often miscalculates (Post 2003, 6). He was not an impulsive actor but rather was judicious and patient. All his inhuman actions then become all the more horrifying for they are results of delicate deliberation and planning. Saddam had a natural inclination for traumatizing his surroundings, from which he drew thrill and satisfaction. Saddam’s obsession with violence was the most terrifying side to his multi-faceted personality (Thomas 02). This obsession with violence certainly did not command accolades from his own people, many of whom have suffered untold miseries under his tyranny. Saddam’s personality traits adhere to the makings of what is called malignant narcissism (Post 2003, 6). He strived to exalt his personality by making Iraq an extension of his being. Also, to give him the religious sanctity that was essential to win over Islamic extremists, Saddam ordered Iraq’s genealogists to create a family line that links him to Fatima, the daughter of the prophet Mohammed (Thomas 02). He had elevated himself to the level that level of holiness where many religious minded people wouldn’t dare question his integrity and actions. Saddam had no constraints of conscience whatsoever. No question of morality ever crept into his mind as he went executing his ‘enemies’. Saddam also had an inherent unconstrained aggression, which he uses as an instrument to attain his goals. Force and violence were his only trusted weapons, and he never wavered to employ them. Saddam Hussein was also seen to have a strong paranoid orientation (Post 2003, 7). He always saw himself as surrounded by enemies for no good reason. Completely oblivious of his role in creating his own enemies, Saddam righteously eliminated his targets. This paranoia illustrates itself even in his conduct of foreign affairs, which let him to believe that Israel, The US and Iran have been in league with the purpose of eliminating him. Adding to these traits, Saddam was also burdened with certain vanities, which invariably would drive him to destructive behaviour. Underneath the vicious and terrifying persona, there was a side of him that was vulnerable and extremely egoistic. It is this political personality assemblage such as insatiable ambition for unlimited power, lack of conscience, unconstrained aggression, a paranoid outlook and obsession for violence which made Saddam the man the world loathed. It is also these very traits that sowed the seeds of his failure. Saddam Hussein Very few political leaders of the modern world can stand up to a comparison with Nazi Germany’s Hitler. Saddam Hussein was one who certainly didn’t have to try too hard. Considering the painful beginnings he has had, Saddam Hussein had gone a long way in proving himself as a leader the world will not forget soon. Hussein had his strengths, convictions and the will to win, all of which worked in his selfish favor. However, contained in these very traits were his veiled weaknesses which ultimately led to his unceremonious ending. One may need a comprehensive overview of Saddam Hussein’s personality traits to render an understanding of what thrived underneath all his brutalities. The dark contours of Saddam’s temperament were etched before he was born on April 28, 1937, to his recently widowed mother, who was too distraught to be keen on having him. Spending his early years under the charge on his maternal uncle, Khyrallah, and later his mother and an abusive step-father, Saddam clearly did not have a conventional childhood, a fact that had a far reaching impact on his mental constitution. He grew up with a distorted self-esteem, which crippled his capacity for empathy with others and produced what has been described psychologically as ‘the wounded self’, a condition which, in Saddam’s case, let to strive for compensatory grandiosity, a steely resolve to never subject himself under a superior force (Post 2003, 2). Saddam’s was often referred to as the ‘mad man of the Middle-East’ equating him to a lunatic battling with psychotic disorders. However, according to Jerrold Post, there is no evidence that he had any such ailments. Rather, Saddam was a rational calculator who often miscalculates (Post 2003, 6). He was not an impulsive actor but rather was judicious and patient. All his inhuman actions then become all the more horrifying for they are results of delicate deliberation and planning. Saddam had a natural inclination for traumatizing his surroundings, from which he drew thrill and satisfaction. Saddam’s obsession with violence was the most terrifying side to his multi-faceted personality (Thomas 02). This obsession with violence certainly did not command accolades from his own people, many of whom have suffered untold miseries under his tyranny. Saddam’s personality traits adhere to the makings of what is called malignant narcissism (Post 2003, 6). He strived to exalt his personality by making Iraq an extension of his being. Also, to give him the religious sanctity that was essential to win over Islamic extremists, Saddam ordered Iraq’s genealogists to create a family line that links him to Fatima, the daughter of the prophet Mohammed (Thomas 02). He had elevated himself to the level that level of holiness where many religious minded people wouldn’t dare question his integrity and actions. Saddam had no constraints of conscience whatsoever. No question of morality ever crept into his mind as he went executing his ‘enemies’. Saddam also had an inherent unconstrained aggression, which he uses as an instrument to attain his goals. Force and violence were his only trusted weapons, and he never wavered to employ them. Saddam Hussein was also seen to have a strong paranoid orientation (Post 2003, 7). He always saw himself as surrounded by enemies for no good reason. Completely oblivious of his role in creating his own enemies, Saddam righteously eliminated his targets. This paranoia illustrates itself even in his conduct of foreign affairs, which let him to believe that Israel, The US and Iran have been in league with the purpose of eliminating him. Adding to these traits, Saddam was also burdened with certain vanities, which invariably would drive him to destructive behaviour. Underneath the vicious and terrifying persona, there was a side of him that was vulnerable and extremely egoistic. It is this political personality assemblage such as insatiable ambition for unlimited power, lack of conscience, unconstrained aggression, a paranoid outlook and obsession for violence which made Saddam the man the world loathed. It is also these very traits that sowed the seeds of his failure.