Word: saddamism
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1990-1999
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...word has it that 80 Iraqi military officers were executed for attempting a coup. Another day the rumor is that 76 Iraqis and Egyptians were put to death for mounting an anti-Saddam demonstration south of Baghdad. Still another day brings the story that former Iraqi Prime Minister Saadoun Hammadi and 24 high-ranking army officers were shot for a coup attempt...
...economy was clearly going downhill. The 1992 campaign was within striking range. Iraq provided a convenient excuse by invading Kuwait, a small, relatively reliable American ally. Saddam played the awful dictator perfectly. Again we ignored the fact we had supported him for years. Bombs away! 650,000 troops, fewer than 100 deaths. Songs, television specials and incredibly cool images of Tomahawks entering bunkers...
...some twisted way, the wars were a way to prove that presidents could do anything, absolutely anything, for years, and then reverse themselves and send people off to kill and die for the new cause. Back Saddam for years against the Ayatollah and the Russians, back Noriega for years against the Russians, the Nicaraguans, the Cubans, (the Salvadorans, the Hondurans, the Costa Ricans--he'd do anything). Do it out in the open and then, when it comes time...
...most important, our American values proved themselves as resilient as they ever were. The "diabolical" Saddam Hussein, as nasty as he wanted to be, attempted to conquer his tiny neighbor. But the world, convinced of the injustice of dictatorial, militaristic oppression, stood firm, inspired by the quick-thinking, quick-acting United States of America. While the Japanese and the Germans dickered over whether to help out, we jumped in to defend justice, freedom and democracy...
...feverish rhetoric about democratic values has not been notably effective in practice. Not only are many Americans disgusted with their own politics, but Kuwait, which continues to oppress Palestinians and its other foreign workers, has made hardly a move toward actual democracy. Saddam Hussein remains in power. Hafez Assad of Syria is prospering. The Kurds are still dying, at the hands of Iraq and of our ally Turkey...