The Iraq-Iran War and the Personality Cult

The podcast episode discusses the Iraq-Iran war and Saddam Hussein's personality cult. Saddam's obsession with Ayatollah Khomeini emerges as a personal nemesis, leading to a brutal and costly eight-year war between the two countries. Saddam's dictatorship relies heavily on a personality cult, with him presenting himself as a simple family man while projecting an image of power and generosity. He micromanages every aspect of the regime and even dabbles in cooking, with one incident involving a prank played on his guests. Saddam's educational ambitions and secular regime clash with rising religious tensions in Iraq, leading to a crackdown on religious practices and opposition figures. The episode also highlights the infamous chemical attack on Halabja and Saddam's role in the conflict between Kuwait and Iraq.