It’s Time To Admit Saddam Hussein Was Right
Twenty five years ago today, On January 6, 1991, Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was well aware that his invasion of Kuwait five months prior was leading to battle. Negotiations to force his retreat were futile, and U.S. President George H. W. Bush had our military and an international coalition ready. War was at hand. Knowing that, Saddam stood, rifle in hand and made a now infamous declaration most have greatly misinterpreted.
“The battle in which you are locked today is the mother of all battles…Our rendezvous with victory is very near, God willing.”
Most saw this as a boast of imminent Iraqi victory and a threat to the US Military. It seemed that Hussein, by promising that the Gulf War would be “one mother” of a battle, was promising a massive military victory. Naturally, when his army turned tail and ran and the U.S. lead coalition swiftly liberated Kuwait, Saddam’s bombast became a huge joke and source of ridicule lasting to this day.
It turns out, however, Saddam was correct, because the real implication of his statement was lost. He meant it would be the “mother of all battles” because it would give birth to all future conflicts. He wasn’t saying the Gulf War was going to be quick and decisive victory for Iraq, although he may have believed that. Rather, the Iraqi dictator was predicting it would start a chain of events unfolding over decades and perhaps generations.
Looking back after a quarter century, it seems Saddam was prophetic. It’s not difficult to connect the dots from that war, to the violence and turmoil across the world today. Simply put, Gulf War I, led to Al Qaeda which led to Gulf War II and now ISIS. All the little children of that famous battle have been creating havoc and misery few could have foreseen at the time.
Therefore as much as we may hate to admit it, we should probably acknowledge the unpleasant truth that Saddam Hussein was right. His invasion of Kuwait and the resulting Western troops on the ground in the region have given birth to the bloody wars and vicious terrorism that haunts us all to this day. The first Gulf War, 25 years ago was, in fact, the “mother of all battles.”
Copyright 2016 Liberaland
By: Mark Quincy Adams
A proud 'pragmatic progressive' Mark Quincy Adams has been a political
talk show host and prolific pontificator since 1992. Find him on Facebook and Twitter @politicalglutton
23 responses to It’s Time To Admit Saddam Hussein Was Right
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tracey marie January 5th, 2016 at 17:46
Very good. The bush klan took the bait and now the right blames President Obama.
Mensa Member January 5th, 2016 at 17:52
I’m sure that bin Laden considered the 9/11 attack successful beyond even his own imagination and hopes.
His goal was to bait the US into an invasion of Afghanistan where we could be beat in a war of attrition like the Soviets were.
Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld stupidly took that bait and then invaded yet another Muslim country! bin Laden could not have been happier.
Mensa Member January 5th, 2016 at 17:46
>> Gulf War I, led to Al Qaeda which led to Gulf War II and now ISIS.
Not to quibble but Ronald Reagan’s support of the Afghani mujaheddin led to Al Qaeda.
But, for sure, the American military base(s) established in Saudi Arabia during Gulf War I was a core motivation for Al Qaeda attacking us on 9/11.
amersham46 January 5th, 2016 at 17:54
The West is trying to impose ‘western style democracy in an area that loyalties are still are at clan and tribal level , don’t arm the armies there, back the War Lords and Tribal Chiefs, they will fight ISIS on their terms to protect their turf
Mensa Member January 5th, 2016 at 18:03
The irony is that Iraq has significantly gone backwards in this regard, thanks to the Iraq War debacle.
Not to oversell Saddam’s Iraq. He committed genocide on the Kurds.
But there was nothing like Al Qaeda or ISIS under Saddam.
aNYYankeeinCSA_REDNECKERY January 5th, 2016 at 18:02
Perhaps …but I strongly disagree with The Iron Sheik….. Iran, No. 1!,,no no no
Mensa Member January 5th, 2016 at 18:04
I honestly don’t understand your post.
aNYYankeeinCSA_REDNECKERY January 5th, 2016 at 18:06
iran is not number one as the sheik proclaimed
Mensa Member January 5th, 2016 at 18:12
I had to Google “The Iron Sheik.”
I know next to nothing about pro wrestling.
aNYYankeeinCSA_REDNECKERY January 5th, 2016 at 18:22
ummm ok me neither pop culture ref….but umm ok
arc99 January 5th, 2016 at 18:13
Unless you followed professional wrestling in the 1990’s, you probably won’t get it.
The Iron Sheik was a bad guy. He was a native Iranian and many of the storylines involved conflict between him and the American good guy Sgt. Slaughter.
Mensa Member January 5th, 2016 at 18:16
Before Googling him, I could name only two pro wrestlers: Hulk Hogan and Jesse Ventura.
arc99 January 5th, 2016 at 18:21
I admit, pro wrestling was one of my guilty pleasures when I was younger. I lost interest when I found myself older than all of the current active wrestlers.
I know people look down on wrestling as “fake”. But the fact is that regardless of how scripted the outcomes might be, you cannot fake the laws of physics.
300+ lb men doing somersaults and backflips from 10 feet in the air takes skill, and takes a toll on the human body. The current physical woes of the Iron Sheik and many other wrestlers demonstrate that.
rg9rts January 6th, 2016 at 06:11
Gorgeous George…Antonino Rocca….Man Mountain Dean…
Jack E Raynbeau January 5th, 2016 at 19:37
Stop bragging. ;)
mea_mark January 5th, 2016 at 20:44
” … Western troops on the ground in the region have given birth to the bloody wars and vicious terrorism that haunts us all to this day. The first Gulf War, 25 years ago was, in fact, the “mother of all battles.” — It was a battle that has set in motion the freeing of the mind from the idea of, ‘My God is better your God’. Only problem is we/they just haven’t gotten there yet. It is a battle all right, a battle of self inflicted cultural oppression on the mind and soul of every one living over there. Freeing the mind from oppression is the great battle.
Tim Coolio January 5th, 2016 at 21:57
Bush and the GOP took out Saddam and created a power vacuum and destabilized the middle east which led to ISIS, Saddam was ruthless but that’s what it took to keep those guys in check.
Warman1138 January 5th, 2016 at 23:57
The first shit stirrer was Reagan, when he shipped troops over there and got them bombed.
Tommie January 5th, 2016 at 23:17
We see what happen to the middle east now that Saddam Hussein is gone, thanks Bush!
jybarz January 6th, 2016 at 01:57
In that case, W is the father.
rg9rts January 6th, 2016 at 06:07
The ripple effect from that invasion still resounds
Darksnark January 6th, 2016 at 07:32
Saddam was the one iron-fisted prick who could keep the religious lunatics of the Levant under control, and the Bush Administration decided to get rid of him in favor of the sectarian cluster fuc* mess that exists in the Iraq/Syria region now.
You have to wonder how many people look back on the Saddam Hussein dictatorship as the “good ol’ days”….
robert January 6th, 2016 at 23:24
None of Saddam’s weapons could reach the usa and ISIL didn’t exist Back when our national debt was only 7 trillion ( give or take 2 trillion )
it looks like ” they ” already won the war with less intel too
OH look the bush family has a new invention !