Saddam Hussein built up a military dictatorship by importing Soviet arms. In the upper-right is the "al Hussein" based on an upgrade of the SCUD-B short range missle, and in the center left is the "Asad Babil" (Lion of Babylon), based on the export version of the T-72 tank. They were each used in the 1991 Gulf War.
One of Saddam's hobbies was collecting guns, so a number of unusual specimens were retrieved from the Presidential Palace after the Iraq War, including a gold-plated AK-47; they were later put on public display.
The dismantling of a statue of Saddam by the Iraqi people after the 2003 Iraq war was a striking image seen 'round the world, but Iraq is still in the midst of a period of instability.Illustrator: Nogami Takeshi
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