 Smashing Saddam's spell
UNITED NATIONS Ñ The toppling of SaddamÕs Hussein statue in Baghdad has been variously described as both an extraordinary climax to the Anglo/American military campaign and an euphoric manifestation of popular rage and righteous wrath at the socialist BaÕath regime which ruled Iraq for a quarter-century. While the media showed scenes of jubilation amid seething revenge on the symbols of Saddam, the real meaning was far deeper.
As in Budapest in 1956, toppling and defilement of Josef StalinÕs hulking statue broke the political spell of the dictatorÕs invincibility. Equally in Berlin in 1989, the Wall and the symbols of the regime could no longer cower the people yearning for freedom.
Beyond ruling Iraq through a tightly controlled political tyranny, SaddamÕs regime presented a philosophical and all encompassing ideological fantasy; Smiling Saddam, Warrior Saddam, Father Saddam, General Saddam, Sage Saddam.
The iconography of the regime viewed from its ubiquitous wall posters, statues, and political kitsch was meant not only to inspire love of the leader but equally to inculcate terror and fear. Thus, the symbols of Saddam Hussein, like Stalin, would inspire love or loathing Ñ but always fear.
Years ago, I met an ardent Saddam supporter who it turned out had earlier been through solitary confinement in Iraqi political prisons. When I raised the issue, he informed me that yes, this was true, but he had actually deserved his treatment for criticizing Saddam. I recalled that Winston Smith, after all had loved Big Brother!
The point is that regimes of this ideological ilk, a high-octane mixture of militant Arab nationalism and near mythical power of the ruler, becomes a form of political idolatry. This cult of the personality must be defeated not only militarily as the American and British forces are doing so splendidly, but smashed physically as the oppressed citizens of Baghdad did by toppling the statues and thus the temporal political spell of Saddam Ñ this faux-golden Baal of Baghdad.
Equally some media fears of a military morass in Iraq proved false. While many pundits dourly predicted that American forces would be locked in a mortal urban combat of Baghdad, called Saddamgrad Ñ an illusion to the epic Stalingrad battle in WWII Ñ the reality remained that American forces were confronting a poorly organized, badly motivated, and at best reckless but oft deadly defenders.
Predictions just weeks ago that American forces were dangerously under-strength, needed reinforcements, had outrun supplies, and had yet to face the elite Iraqi Republican Guard were simply wrong!
Except perhaps in quaint cloud coo-coo land confines of IraqÕs Ministry of Disinformation, where Saddam was always winning on all fronts Ñ the grim reality for the dictator and his apologists was tempered by the mailed first of the U.S. Marines and
Army Infantry.
Almost unbelievably, a huge and well equipped Iraqi land army defending its home turf, squandered military opportunities to exploit that natural advantage. Before long the liberation of Baghdad was at hand.
American forces were greeted in Baghdad by a rhapsody of emotions first from reserved and sullen to later euphoric. The Arab ÒstreetÓ long described as a warren of SaddamÕs support from the Maghreb to the Gulf, appeared shocked, awed, stunned, and mostly ambivalent about the fall of the Iraqi tyrant. Yet despite the euphoria of a post-Saddam era, the allied coalition will be seriously challenged to maintain civil order.
So now fifty years after the death of his political mentor Stalin, Saddam HusseinÕs status seems destined for the cult of the fallen dictators. SaddamÕs spell is shattered, the Iraqi people stand at a new dawn to rediscover long lost freedoms.
John J. Metzler is a U.N. correspondent covering diplomatic and defense
issues. He writes weekly for World Tribune.com.
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