Third Regiment: Memoirs of an Iraqi Prisoner of War Doctor – 2
By Mojtaba al-Hosseini
Translated into Farsi by: Mohammad Hossein Zavar Kabeh
Translated into English by: M.B. Khoshnevisan
2025-10-26
Third Regiment: Memoirs of an Iraqi Prisoner of War Doctor – 2
By Mojtaba al-Hosseini
Translated into Farsi by: Mohammad Hossein Zavar Kabeh
Translated into English by: M.B. Khoshnevisan
***
The Eventful Year
I graduated from medical school in 1979 and began my work as a physician in the community. Due to my outstanding grade, I was employed at a first-class hospital in Baghdad. My work started at the Arab Children's Hospital and concluded at the Al-Karama General Hospital. The Arab Children's Hospital is located in a sensitive area near the parliament, the Presidential Palace, and the Ministry of Interior.
In July of that year, the regime's TV station announced Saddam's rise to power. No one knew what fate awaited them or what would become of their country in the future. Just days after seizing power, Saddam massacred his fellow party members and the existing leadership cadre in a bloody purge. This act of treachery was broadcast on television for other party members to see, so they would spread the story to the nation—a stark illustration of the famous Iraqi proverb, "Let those who are present inform those who are absent."
Saddam's objective was to intimidate and threaten the populace, using this vile tactic to seize absolute control. This event truly marked the beginning of his assault on the rights of the Iraqi people and the first step in driving the country toward ruin, catastrophe, and slaughter.
I lived in Baghdad for an entire year, and during that time, I witnessed events of critical importance unfolding in Iraq and the wider region. I will now describe the most significant of these events—those linked to the war—which clearly document how the groundwork was laid for a massive aggression against the Islamic Revolution in Iran.
1. The Rise of Saddam to Power
The Muslim nation of Iraq is composed of 65% Shia and 35% Sunni. The Shia, who are deeply committed to their faith and heritage, have historically played a prominent religious role and have maintained strong, fraternal ties with the people of Iran since ancient times. These bonds are fundamentally religious in nature, connecting the Shia of Iraq with Iran. Imam Khomeini spent 15 years of his life in the holy city of Najaf. Consequently, global arrogance was terrified that Iraq would be more influenced by the Islamic movement than any other country. Therefore, measures had to be taken to prevent this from happening, especially since the West had learned a crucial lesson from their experience with the Shah and Imam Khomeini.
Given Iraq's significant geographic and political importance, it was necessary for a ruler with specific qualities to take the helm and suppress any popular movement that could lead to revolution. This ruler had to withstand the powerful gale of the uprising that had begun in Tehran and Qom and, if necessary, confront this revolution directly. The most suitable candidate for this mission—a man who possessed the moral depravity and lust for power required, and who was a product of Western intelligence agencies trained for such roles—could be none other than Saddam Hussein from Tikrit. Consequently, as part of a pre-arranged plan, Saddam was elevated to power in place of "al-Bakr", becoming the head of the party and the state. With the US support, he was crafted into a larger-than-life figure. Saddam began his agenda by reorganizing the party and its affiliated structures. He then implemented changes within the security and intelligence apparatus to easily bring all affairs under his control. He launched an extensive purge within the ranks of the party and the army. He also annulled the unity pact with Syria to prevent that country from having any influence over the proposed "unity government" from the al-Bakr era. Subsequently, Saddam turned to the public stage and tried various methods to win the people's trust. To this end, he employed strategies drawn from the playbook of British intelligence and dictators who had held the reins of power throughout the ages. One of his most visible activities in this campaign was a series of visits to cities, villages, and government offices—particularly service organizations like hospitals, schools, and municipal offices—to create the appearance of being directly engaged with the people's lives and problems.
During these visits, he would imprison, dismiss, or punish a number of low-ranking officials without any investigation or trial, while arbitrarily promoting others without reason. In an effort to present himself as someone dedicated to solving problems, he sought to secure the loyalty of the state apparatus through the use of intimidation. This escalated to the point where he treated the law as a mere game, openly declaring, "The law is nothing more than a pencil stroke on a piece of paper."
To deceive the public, Saddam would appear before the cameras dressed in various guises: as a peasant, a Bedouin tribesman, a military man, and finally, as the "nation's beloved son"—according to the regime's media. These visits, which were frequently broadcast on television, were filled with absurd, laughable, and at the same time, deeply tragic scenes. Here, I will recount a few of them.
I remember on my very first day at the Children's Hospital, the head of the physicians, Dr. Haider, told me: "This hospital receives many visits from the President. You'd better know how things work!"
On the final day of Eid al-Adha in 1979, I was the doctor on emergency duty. My eyelids were heavy with exhaustion, and a deep silence had fallen over the hospital building. Suddenly, at 6:10 in the morning, I heard the sound of footsteps from a group of people walking. When I looked out the window, I saw Saddam, surrounded by a group of guards, entering through the main gate. The watchman, an elderly man, stood up to greet Saddam, but one of the guards struck him in the chest, sending him sprawling to the ground.
I returned to my station and sat down in my chair. Saddam entered with his guards and said to me:
"You are the doctor on duty?"
I replied, "Yes, sir."
Saddam's companions, with their powerful arms, pulled me toward him. I was taken aback by his repulsive face, bulging eyes, bushy eyebrows, and the black mole on his cheek. He ordered me to show him around the different parts of the hospital. The pharaonic procession began to move. As soon as I tried to walk alongside him, one of the guards jabbed me and whispered in my ear, "First, you will address him as 'Your Excellency,' not 'sir.' Second, put your hands behind your back!" I immediately complied. After walking a few meters, we reached the elevator. I got in with Saddam and his personal guard, Second Lieutenant Hussein al-Tikriti—who was, at the time of this writing, the Military Minister and Saddam's son-in-law. We went up to the first floor, which his guards had already secured before our arrival.
To be continued...
Number of Visits: 21
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