7 Facts About Saddam

1. In 1975 Saddam negotiated an accord with Iran that contained Iraqi concessions on border disputes.

2. In foreign affairs, Saddam sought to have Iraq play a leading role in the Middle East.

3. In 1991 Saddam threatened to expose those who had taken largesse from him: "From Mr Chirac to Mr Chevenement, politicians and economic leaders were in open competition to spend time with us and flatter us.

4. In 1972, Saddam signed a 15-year Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation with the Soviet Union.

5. In July 1968, Saddam participated in a bloodless coup led by Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr that overthrew Abdul Rahman Arif, Salam Arif's brother and successor.

6. In September 1966, Saddam initiated an extraordinary challenge to Syrian domination of the Ba'ath Party in response to the Marxist takeover of the Syrian Ba'ath earlier that year, resulting in the Party's formalized split into two separate factions.

7. In 1958, a year after Saddam had joined the Ba'ath party, army officers led by General Abd al-Karim Qasim overthrew Faisal II of Iraq in the 14 July Revolution.