Saddam Hussein's Iraq.

By Layla Anwar

Contributed by Secular Arab

"There is no topic that can stir as much controversy as that of Saddam Hussein....amazing when you think about it....The man, the president has been dead for over 4 years now...but still....his name enrages and stirs even the most subdued....

Some people absolutely hate him and some absolutely love him and some compare and contrast....the before and the after....

I personally have no problem with Saddam Hussein....as a person and as a leader...I was never a Baathist, I never belonged to any party --- am too independent in my head to be accepted by anyone, let alone a party...

None of my family were members of the Baath either....we always distanced ourselves from mass movements -- not so much out of elitism, we just never felt the need to carry a membership card...

And even though some in my family were strong sympathizers of the Iraqi Communist Party -- I personally always kept my distance....

I know some Iraqis blame Saddam Hussein and the Baath for EVERY THING that went wrong in their lives....I cannot be an ostrich and deny that fact....some would even go as far as saying that it is Saddam Hussein that enabled the americans and iranians to occupy Iraq . That for me is preposterous....and it defies all logic...

So whenever that comes up, I always ask the same question....and that usually shuts up my interlocutor.

And that question is -- which country in the Middle East gave rights to its minorities like Saddam Hussein did?

Be it Christians, Yazidis, Sabaens, Shias or Kurds...

Did Syria, Iran or Turkey give autonomy to the Kurds like Saddam's Iraq did ? The answer is a flat NO.

Did any of the Arab countries safeguard the rights of Arab Christians like Saddam's Iraq did ? The answer is a flat NO.

Did any country in the Middle East/Arab world engage as many Shias in the political process as Saddam's Iraq did ? The answer is again a flat NO

Look at Iran itself...how many Iranian Sunnis are in executive positions ? NONE.

In Iran if you are not from the Jaafari Shiite brand you cannot by law and by constitution reach any position of power....it is a constitutional impossibility.

Can you say the same about Saddam Hussein's government ? Of course not. Over 60% of BOTH the Baath party as well as the leadership was Shia.

Can you deny that ? No you can't . I have names and you don't.

Furthermore, you need to look at sociological indexes. Which country in the Arab world and in the Middle East had as many mixed marriages like in Iraq - between Sunnis and Shias, between Muslims and Christians ?

Come on now, give me figures, don't just sit and talk from your ass.

Sociological indexes are very important because they are indicators....they show percentages of participation, in civic, political, and economic life....

Does Lebanon, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait or Syria show that much of "mingling", inter-relationship by marriage between Sunnis and Shias and between Muslims and Christians as Iraq's Saddam Hussein did ? The answer is a flat NO.

These are the facts I use...and will always use....to denounce you. You and your lies...

And as I said in my previous post -- you can threaten me as much as you like with your death threats...it won't change a damn thing....Truth remains Truth."