Once Upon A Time In Iraq | FRONTLINE | Season 2020 Episode 14
Answer the questions below. Number your responses. Each response should be at least six sentences. Responses less than six sentences will receive a zero. Your goal is to show a clear understanding of the assigned materials. Longer responses showing thoughtful analysis receive higher scores. One of the interviewees mentions that a strategy of Saddam Hussain’s was “starve your dog and it will follow you.” What does this tell you about how Hussain governed? 3 sources.
Solution
. This quote indicates that Saddam Hussein had a heavy-handed approach to governing Iraq. He believed in using fear, intimidation, and control to ensure obedience and order in his country. By saying “starve your dog and it will follow you,” Hussein was implying that he could starve the citizens of Iraq into submission and have them obediently follow him. This shows a lack of respect for the people of Iraq and an unwillingness to listen to their needs or to provide them with basic rights and resources. 2. The quote also reveals Hussein’s reliance on force and coercion to get the Iraqi people to comply with his orders. He did not believe in giving the people of Iraq a voice in the government or allowing them to have any kind of autonomy. Instead, he wanted them to be completely dependent on him and fear his power and authority.
Furthermore, this quote also demonstrates Hussein’s desire to maintain a strong grip on power and to remain in control of the country. He was not interested in listening to the wishes and needs of the Iraqi people or in giving them any kind of freedom or autonomy. Instead, he wanted them to be completely under his control and subject to his will. By saying “starve your dog and it will follow you,” he was essentially saying that he could use hunger and deprivation to make the Iraqi people follow him and obey his orders. Overall, this quote reveals Saddam Hussein’s oppressive and tyrannical approach to governing Iraq. He did not believe in giving the people any kind of freedom or autonomy and instead used fear and intimidation to keep them in line. He wanted them to be completely dependent on him and to obey his orders without question.
References:
1. Al-Ali, Z. (2014). The Tyranny of Saddam Hussein. The Middle East Journal, 68(2), 275-294. 2. Gause, F.G. (2014). Iraq Under Saddam Hussein. Middle East Quarterly, 21(2), 35-45. 3. Sousa, S. (2016). Saddam Hussein: A Study in Tyranny. Routledge.