|
|
Iraq is an Arab country which was created after World War 2. Prior to that time it had been a British Protectorate and prior to World War 1, it had been part of the Turkish Ottomon Empire. In the 1970's, Saddam Hussein, a political activist with peasant origins, was able to seize control of the government. He solidified his control by ruthlessly elimnating those who disagreed with him.
Initially Saddam was instrumental in modernizing the Iraqi society and government. But he soon became preoccupied with military objectives and launched into a mutually destructive war with neighboring Iran. He then alarmed the international community by seizing control of neighboring Kuwait, a small oil-producing country. This action resulted in the 1991 Gulf War where U.S.-led coalition forces acting under a U.N. mandated ousted his forces from Kuwait.
|
|