12-15-2003, 04:58 AM
Yes, Saddam used the sanctions to create sympathy for his plight, but pre-Gulf War, Iraq was one of the economic powerhouses of the middle easy and, socially, was one of the most advanced countries in the region.
Well aside from the whole 'stay in power by mass-murdering your own citizens with unconventional weapons' thing, the ethnic and religious feuds that have split the nation in three, and the endless war with Iran, I'm sure that period of time was just grand! Although considering most of Iraq's neighbors, I suppose it is indeed fair to say they were one of the most socially advanced countries in the region.
Well aside from the whole 'stay in power by mass-murdering your own citizens with unconventional weapons' thing, the ethnic and religious feuds that have split the nation in three, and the endless war with Iran, I'm sure that period of time was just grand! Although considering most of Iraq's neighbors, I suppose it is indeed fair to say they were one of the most socially advanced countries in the region.