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N0KFQ > TODAY 22.07.13 17:01l 104 Lines 5368 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 1936_KB0WSA
Read: GUEST
Subj: Today in History - Jul 22
Path: IZ3LSV<F1OYP<N9PMO<KC5CNT<N0KFQ<KB0WSA
Sent: 130722/1449Z 1936@KB0WSA.MO.USA.NA BPQK1.4.56
Jul 22, 2003:
Qusay and Uday Hussein killed
Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's sons, Qusay and Uday
Hussein, are killed after a three-hour firefight with U.S. forces
in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. It is widely believed that
the two men were even more cruel and ruthless than their
notorious father, and their death was celebrated among many
Iraqis. Uday and Qusay were 39 and 37 years old, respectively,
when they died. Both are said to have amassed considerable
fortunes through their participation in illegal oil smuggling.
Uday Hussein, as Saddam's first-born son, was the natural choice
to succeed the feared despot. But even the seemingly amoral
Saddam took issue with Uday's extravagant lifestyle_he is said to
have personally owned hundreds of cars_and lack of personal
discipline. After Uday bludgeoned and stabbed one of Saddam's
favorite attendants to death at a 1988 party, Saddam briefly had
him imprisoned and beaten.
While Saddam began to favor his second son Qusay, Uday continued
to make a name for himself among the Iraqi people for his sadism
and cruelty. Prone to beating and torturing his servants and
anyone else who displeased him, he was known to spend time
studying new torture devices and methods to improve his
technique. He even treated his so-called friends poorly_in one
report, he forced some to drink dangerous amounts of alcohol
purely for his amusement. Uday was also a man of unrestrained
sexual appetites, sleeping with several women per night up to
five nights a week. He was known for raping young women-some as
young as 12-whom he found attractive, threatening their and their
families' lives if they complained or spoke out against the
crime. He would sometimes torture and kill his victims after sex.
Uday held several jobs during his father's regime, most notably
publishing the most widely read newspaper in the country and
heading Iraq's Olympic Committee. In that position, he is known
to have beaten athletes whom he felt did not perform up to
expectations. He was also the head of the Fedayeen Saddam, one of
his father's security groups. In 1996, Uday was shot while
driving in his car. Though never proven, it has been speculated
that his brother Qusay may have been behind the assassination
attempt. The incident caused him to suffer a stroke and, despite
surgery, left a bullet lodged in his spine. Although he recovered
most function, it is said that Uday lived with considerable pain
for the rest of his life, which may have exacerbated his sadistic
tendencies. The weakness he experienced after the shooting may
also have contributed to his father's growing doubts about his
suitability as a successor.
At the same time, Qusay was earning Saddam's trust. Married with
four children, Qusay was said to be less sadistic than his
brother, but was still a cold and ruthless killer who was much
feared throughout the country. While Uday often bragged about his
excesses and violent exploits, Qusay was known to intentionally
keep a much lower profile. He worshipped his father and worked
hard to impress him. After he proved himself by brutally
repressing the Shi'ite uprisings that occurred after the 1991
Gulf War_even doing some of the killing himself_Saddam rewarded
Qusay with a series of more responsible posts, including command
of Iraq's elite fighting force, the Republican Guard, and the
Special Security Organization, Iraq's secret police. By that
time, it had become clear that Qusay had replaced his brother as
Saddam's likely heir.
Despite Qusay's superior reputation, observers noted with
interest that Uday's Fedayeen Saddam actually outperformed the
Qusay-led Republican Guard during the United States' 2003
invasion of Iraq. Qusay proved to be an ineffective leader,
showing fear and often second-guessing his own decisions. After
the invasion, both brothers went into hiding and the U.S.
government posted a $15 million reward for information leading to
the discovery of either man's location. Though it was widely
speculated that they would not be found together because of their
mutual enmity, an informant's tip led U.S. Special Forces to a
house in which they were both staying on July 22, 2003. After
drawing fire, the soldiers withdrew, until receiving backup in
the form of 100 troops from the 101st Airborne division, Apache
helicopters, and an A-10 gunship. A battle ensued, after which
Americans entered the house and found the bodies of the two
brothers, as well as that of Qusay's 14-year-old son. They were
buried in a cemetery near the city of Tikrit, their father's
birthplace.
In the wake of their deaths, the American government drew
criticism for releasing pictures of Uday's and Qusay's lifeless
bodies, but insisted the move was necessary to convince the
skeptical Iraqi people that the long-feared brothers were truly
dead. About five months later, on December 13, 2003, their
father, who also went into hiding after the U.S. invasion, was
found and captured alive by American forces. His trial by special
tribunal for multiple crimes committed during his reign began in
October 2005. On November 5, 2006, he was found guilty of crimes
against humanity and sentenced to death by hanging. After an
unsuccessful appeal, Hussein was executed on December 30, 2006.
73, K.O. n0kfq
N0KFQ @ KB0WSA.MO.USA.NA
E-mail: kohiggs@gmail.com
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