In 2006 Saddam Hussein was hung

Saddam Hussein became President of Iraq on the 16^th of July 1979 and remained in power for more than 30 years. His oppressive regime and attempted invasion of Kuwait caused conflict with the international community on several occasions. His frequent and vicious attacks on his own people made him hated by many in Iraq

On the 16^th of March 1988 Saddam Hussein ordered a chemical attack in Halabja, Northern Iraq, killing between 3,200 and 5,000 people and injuring up to 10,000. This is the first documented occasion of Saddam using chemical warfare. Originally it was believed that the attack came from Iran, but later it became evident that Saddam and his deputy Ali Hassan al-Majid (chemical Ali) had used the weapon on their own people in an attempt to quell Iranian forces and sympathisers.  Most of the injured were taken to Iranian capital Tehran, where they were treated for mustard gas exposure and about three quarters of the victims were women and children (Chemical Ali was among six Iraqi officers that were tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity that led to the deaths of more than 100,000 people).

In 2003 Erroneous intelligence claimed that Saddam was making Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD’s) and both the United Kingdom’s and United States leaders claimed that he would be able to launch a strike on western targets within minutes. While the majority of the international community wanted to continue with checks and diplomacy the U.K. and U.S. wanted to take a less diplomatic approach giving Saddam 48 hours to leave Iraq.

On the 20^th of March 2003 the ‘first phase’ of the Iraq invasion by allied forces began. The United States led the operation with Scud missile attacks launched against the capital city of Bagdad on this day in 2003. Saddam prevented UN inspectors entering Iraq during 2002 but he had since started loosening restrictions allowing their return. Erroneous intelligence claimed that Saddam was making Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD’s) and both the United Kingdom’s and United States leaders claimed that he would be able to launch a strike on western targets within minutes. While the majority of the international community wanted to continue with checks and diplomacy the U.K. and U.S. wanted to take a less diplomatic approach giving Saddam 48 hours to leave Iraq.  When the deadline was up on this day the ‘First Phase’ began. This consisted of the bombing of military sites and deployment of troops that toppled Saddam’s regime and he went into hiding. On May 1^st 2003 US President George W. Bush announced to the world the end of major combat in Iraq and so began ‘Phase 2’. Power of Iraq was officially handed over to the new Iraqi regime on the 28^th of June 2004 and troops remained in Iraq to ‘win the hearts and minds of its people’. Saddam was discovered hiding in a hole and sentenced to death by an Iraqi court, he was hung on the 30^th of December 2006. Phase Two proved to be the most difficult and costly phase of the war with many thousands dead on both sides and Iraqi deaths reportedly reaching 500,000 since it began.