America slightly responsible for Hussein's Iraqi regime
Nate Jones
Issue date: 3/23/04 Section: Editorial
In the last editorial, I hinted at the irony of our own government being involved in Saddam Hussein's rise to power.
Now some of you may scoff at the following information, but realize it is all true. I am presenting the facts.
In the 1950s, the Iraqi government was ruled by a British puppet government. In the first half of the decade, the tide turned and Gen. Abdul Karim Kassem gained power, turning the monarchy into a republic and putting a new face on the dictatorship of that time.
Despite Kassem's repressive regime, the United States was rather accepting of Iraq's government. This, of course, was until Kassem threatened the corporate politics of Western oil.
First, he formed the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, which challenged U.S. ownership of Arab oil.
Then, he created a national oil company that exploited Iraq's oil so the United States wouldn't have a chance to do so themselves. And, he threatened to invade Kuwait, which was a major oil interest to both the United States and the United Kingdom.
Iraq was acting against the American oil capitalists and was potentially becoming communist by supporting our Cold War enemy, Russia, through purchase of their arms. This did not sit well with our government at the time. So, we had to ensure Kassem lost his position of power.
Looking for an instrument to use for its own regime-change plans, the CIA chose the anti-communist Baath party.
The party and its movements were very important to one of its associates, a young Saddam Hussein.
The CIA implemented a plan to topple the Kassem regime, using Hussein and a small group of assassins.
The operation, set for Oct. 7, 1959, completely failed, and Hussein ran to Egypt in exile, where he received more training from the CIA. After a few years, in 1963, his Baath party rose up and, in a CIA-backed coup, killed Kassem. After Kassem's death, the CIA provided the new regime with a list of more than 5,000 suspected communists, who were hunted down, jailed, tortured and killed, thus beginning the rule of the bloody Baath party.
Now some of you may scoff at the following information, but realize it is all true. I am presenting the facts.
In the 1950s, the Iraqi government was ruled by a British puppet government. In the first half of the decade, the tide turned and Gen. Abdul Karim Kassem gained power, turning the monarchy into a republic and putting a new face on the dictatorship of that time.
Despite Kassem's repressive regime, the United States was rather accepting of Iraq's government. This, of course, was until Kassem threatened the corporate politics of Western oil.
First, he formed the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, which challenged U.S. ownership of Arab oil.
Then, he created a national oil company that exploited Iraq's oil so the United States wouldn't have a chance to do so themselves. And, he threatened to invade Kuwait, which was a major oil interest to both the United States and the United Kingdom.
Iraq was acting against the American oil capitalists and was potentially becoming communist by supporting our Cold War enemy, Russia, through purchase of their arms. This did not sit well with our government at the time. So, we had to ensure Kassem lost his position of power.
Looking for an instrument to use for its own regime-change plans, the CIA chose the anti-communist Baath party.
The party and its movements were very important to one of its associates, a young Saddam Hussein.
The CIA implemented a plan to topple the Kassem regime, using Hussein and a small group of assassins.
The operation, set for Oct. 7, 1959, completely failed, and Hussein ran to Egypt in exile, where he received more training from the CIA. After a few years, in 1963, his Baath party rose up and, in a CIA-backed coup, killed Kassem. After Kassem's death, the CIA provided the new regime with a list of more than 5,000 suspected communists, who were hunted down, jailed, tortured and killed, thus beginning the rule of the bloody Baath party.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
AmandaJK
AmandaJK
posted 3/24/04 @ 1:18 PM CST
How about using some unbiased, credible sources to back up your claims next time instead of liberal, "conspiracy-theory" garbage?? Do you honestly think that the US is the "bad guy" here? You are truly sad and disillusioned. (Continued…)
jgraves
jgraves
posted 3/26/04 @ 10:36 AM CST
I checked out your "sources." How strange that the whole website is anti war and critical of many US policies. I even found an article that used your style of "analysis" to trash the pro life movement. (Continued…)
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