Saddam Hussein's execution for his crimes against Iraq's Shi'a not only brought an end to his reign of oppression, but also to the justice that was to be served to the Iraqi Kurds.
The Kurds have continually been subject to adversity since the end of World War I, when they were denied their own homeland and split among three countries: Turkey, Iran, and Iraq. During Saddam's 24-year reign, the Kurds of Iraq were frequently "under the knife" of injustice. Between 1987 and 1989, Saddam unleashed genocide, razing over 2,000 vollages and murdering at least 50,000 Kurds.
As his dictatorship came to an end, the Kurds long-awaited opportunity to hold Saddam responsible for the atrocities against them seemed to have come, only to be sidetracked by the Iraqi High Tribunal, the Iraqi government, and the U.S. government. While the Shi'a rejoiced in their victory, the Kurds continued to be left behind. Saddam's death freed him from the charges against him by the Kurds as they experienced genocide, and now appeared to turn a blind eye as justice was denied.
The unspeakable atrocities visited by Saddam upon the Kurds of Iraq are explored here together with the trials of Saddam by the Iraqi High Tribunal—both the completed prosecution for Dujail massacre against the Shi'ites and the incomplete one for the Anfal Campaigns against the Kurds.
However, this work is more than a litigation history. It is also an exploration of the motivations behind and the depths of organized evil in the context of a single, brutal despot at the helm of an artificially created multi-ethno/religious state lying atop massive oil wealth, but situated in the most dangerous part of the world. Saddam's background and the context of his rule explain much about his actions, but not all. He remained an unpredictable tyrant to the end of his reign.
Saddam Hussein's execution for his crimes against Iraq's Shi'a not only brought an end to his reign of oppression, but also to the justice that was to be served to the Iraqi Kurds.
The Kurds have continually been subject to adversity since the end of World War I, when they were denied their own homeland and split among three countries: Turkey, Iran, and Iraq. During Saddam's 24-year reign, the Kurds of Iraq were frequently "under the knife" of injustice. Between 1987 and 1989, Saddam unleashed genocide, razing over 2,000 vollages and murdering at least 50,000 Kurds.
As his dictatorship came to an end, the Kurds long-awaited opportunity to hold Saddam responsible for the atrocities against them seemed to have come, only to be sidetracked by the Iraqi High Tribunal, the Iraqi government, and the U.S. government. While the Shi'a rejoiced in their victory, the Kurds continued to be left behind. Saddam's death freed him from the charges against him by the Kurds as they experienced genocide, and now appeared to turn a blind eye as justice was denied.
The unspeakable atrocities visited by Saddam upon the Kurds of Iraq are explored here together with the trials of Saddam by the Iraqi High Tribunal—both the completed prosecution for Dujail massacre against the Shi'ites and the incomplete one for the Anfal Campaigns against the Kurds.
However, this work is more than a litigation history. It is also an exploration of the motivations behind and the depths of organized evil in the context of a single, brutal despot at the helm of an artificially created multi-ethno/religious state lying atop massive oil wealth, but situated in the most dangerous part of the world. Saddam's background and the context of his rule explain much about his actions, but not all. He remained an unpredictable tyrant to the end of his reign.
Ghosts of Halabja: Saddam Hussein and the Kurdish Genocide
Ghosts of Halabja: Saddam Hussein and the Kurdish Genocide
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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780313083785 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | ABC-CLIO, Incorporated |
| Publication date: | 10/30/2008 |
| Series: | Praeger Security International Series |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| File size: | 3 MB |