T/I: 10:07:26 Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, who is holding a referendum on his presidency on Sunday (15/10) has ruled Iraq for 17 years. The 58-year-old Saddam joined the Iraqi Ba'th Party in 1957, and two years later, fled to Cairo as a poltical refugee after participating in an attempt to assassinate President Abdul Karim Qasim. He returned to Iraq in 1963 when the Iraqi Ba'th Party came to power. The Ba'th Party was ousted by the Nasserites, and Saddam was arrested in 1964 after participating in a failed coup attempt against President Abdul Salam Aref. The Ba'th Party regained power in 1968, and Saddam took charge of a secret security apparatus. He eventually joined the Revolutionary Command Council, which was Iraq's highest governing body, gradually becoming the second man after President Ahmad Hassan el-Bakr, to whom he was related. In the late 1970's el-Bakr became a nominal president as Saddam became the real ruler. In July 1979, el-Bakr handed over the presidency and party leadership to Saddam Hussein. Saddam consolidated his grip on power by brutal repression of any real or perceived opposition and by strengthening tribal and family influence at the expense of the Ba'th party. In 1980, the Iraqi army attacked Iran, and an eight-year war with Iran ensued in which some one million Iraqis and Iranians were killed. In August 1990, Saddam Hussein's army invaded Kuwait, and a military confrontation with the western alliance ensued in January 1991. leading to the defeat of Iraq. Saddam has clung onto power despite his army's defeat in the Gulf War and the international sanctions which are still in effect against Iraq. Although no other candidates are running against Saddam, Sunday's referendum is seen by many observers as an attempt by the Iraqi leader to transcend his narrow power base and show that he has wider popular support SHOWS: IRAQ/KUWAIT FILE IRAQ 29 APRIL, 1995 0:00 Saddam receives members of Iraqi leadership on occasion of his birthday 0:16 Saddam seated with members of his leadership IRAQ APRIL, 1995 0:23 Saddam walking towards building site of Islamic Centre to music with soldiers ahead of him 0:27 Saddam carrying corner stone of Islamic Centre 0:33 Close up of corner stone 0:38 Saddam preparing cement to lay the corner stone 0:45 Close up of Saddam laying stone IRAQ 16 JULY, 1995 0:54 Saddam meets with U.S. Senator Bill Richardson, who succeeded in convincing Saddam to release two Americans who strayed across Kuwaiti-Iraqi border IRAQ 28 FEBRUARY, 1992 1:70 Saddam receiving Iraqi children IRAQ JULY, 1992 1:33 Saddam doing popular tribal dance 2:04 Cutaway of cheering women 2:06 Saddam shooting gun in traditional celebratory manner as others do tribal dance IRAQ 30 APRIL, 1992 2:20 Crowds cheering as Saddam is about to inaugurate Palestine Bridge in Baghdad 2:24 Saddam walking on the bridge 2:33 Fireworks 2:40 Saddam praying on bridge 2:45 Fireworks 2:48 Saddam greeting cheering crowds KUWAIT 3 OCTOBER, 1990 2:52 Saddam Hussein visiting Iraqi forces in Kuwait two months after Iraqi invasion of Kuwait 3:10 cutaway of Iraqi soldiers digging trenches 3:16 machine gun near trench and Saddam jumping into it 3:23 Saddam sitting in trench 3:36 end of vision NORTHERN IRAQ 1988 3:36 bodies of civilian Kurdish victims who died in a chemical weapons attack launched by the Iraqi army against the Kurds after the Iraqn-iraq war ended 3.52 End of vision You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/25f54c2ad1a704444002a813d7a00ef6 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

• published: 21 Jul 2015
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