The pending crisis between the United States and Iraq is one with much debate and controversy. It has spawned one of the most powerful anti-war movements in history on America's soil and worldwide because they believe that we should give inspections a chance and war would not accomplish anything. Furthermore, it has also stimulated some patriotic Americans into bizarre acts of boycotting goods from countries (i.e. French wine) that do not support the US in its fight for democracy, obliteration of terrorism, and the demolition of weapons of mass destruction in a country controlled by a tyrant that tortures, gases, and publicly executes without a trial not just his outside enemies, but his own people in which he governs in Iraq. In order for one to fully comprehend this event, one must look back at the Persian Gulf War plus its aftermath and Saddam Hussein himself in order to see why we must go to war with Iraq. .
Saddam Hussein was born 1937 in Al-jawa, a village in north-central Iraq (). He was raised by his widowed mother and other relatives. After moving to Baghdad in 1955, he joined the Baath Party, which opposed Iraq's government at that time (). In 1968, the party came to power through a coup with the help from the assassination of the existing king in 1958 (). Hussein took over as President in 1979 and already had considerable influence, which grew as he eliminated his rivals through executions and assassinations (). He trusts very few people; therefore, his inner circle consists of family members or extended relatives while others are paid for their loyalty with cash and cars (). Some say he has a sixth sense of detecting traitors before the traitors themselves know that they will betray Saddam (). The 6-foot 2-inch-tall Hussein surrounds himself with tight security; therefore, he only sleeps four to five hours a night, and he never sleeps in one of his 20 palaces. He constantly moves about, staying in secret houses and tents.
