During his rule, Saddam Hussein was known to his people, the people of Iraq by many different names, the anointed one.

Glorious leader, direct descendant of the Prophet, chairman of the Revolutionary Council, Field Marshal of the Armies, Doctor of Iraq's Laws,

great-unkel to all of Iraq's peoples and more.

In public Saddam wore a general's uniform decorated with all kinds of metals and gold epaulets even though he never actually technically served in Iraq's armed forces.

In his private life, he enjoyed living in his many opulent homes and palaces, so many palaces, each with their own swimming pool, a sign of wealth and

success in a desert country like Iraq.

Fresh food will be flown in from out of the country just for him, twice a week.

He ate lobster, shrimp, all sorts of fish, made sure to get plenty of fresh fruit,

vegetables, and dairy products as well. He could be generous when it suited him. Saddam developed a reputation for like an expensive goods, such as his diamond-coated Rolex wristwatch

And he sent copies of them to his friends around the world

To his ally Kenneth Kayenda the Zambian politician

Saddam once sent a Boeing 747, loaded full of presents,

rugs, televisions, all sorts of stuff.

In his free time, he was a lover of literature,

of Hemingway's, the old man in the sea, for example.

He enjoyed movies about intrigue, the day of the jackal, the conversation, enemy of the states,

and the godfather were some of his favorites.

A six hour movie about his life was made, edited by Terence Young, best known for directing

three James Bond films.

He portrayed himself as something between a man and a god, someone who had risen from the turmoil of 20th century Iraqi politics to bring

the country into a new age of prosperity.

But in the US and elsewhere in the West, he was primarily known as The Butcher of Baghdad.

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