Colonel Muammar Gaddafi (born 1942) formed the Officers Movement in 1969 and overthrew King Idris and took over as commander-in-chief of the Libyan armed forces and became effective head of state.
In 1971, he closed down British and US military bases. By 1971, he took over control of much of foreign oil companies that were operating there. In 1973, he master minded a four-fold increase in the price of crude oil throughout OPEC countries.
He successfully ran his country and uplifted its people for forty years. The West classified him as a terrorist and did not rest until was assassinated recently on the excuse that he was about to commit genocide against his own people.
Saddam Hussein (born 1937) took a leading part in the 1968 revolution which ousted the civilian government and he became the vice-President of the Revolutionary Command Council (RCC). By 1979, he became RCC chairman and President of Iraq.
Again, on balance, Saddam Hussein kept Iraq united and relatively peaceful from 1968 to 2003, that is 35 years, when he was captured by U S troops and then executed by the pro-West new Iraqi government.
Both leaders were the lesser of two evils. What has happened to both countries after their demise is far worse than when they were in office.
Nagindas Khaujuria
Via Email
