What was Iraq like prior to Saddam Hussein's rise to power?

The country was also dealing with internal tensions and power struggles between competing factions, including the Ba'ath Party which Saddam Hussein belonged to. Overall, Iraq was facing a complex and unstable political landscape before Saddam Hussein took control, but his authoritarian rule and brutal tactics would further exacerbate the country's challenges and lead to years of conflict, repression, and human rights abuses.