Did the History Channel just....

[everythingsxen]

reverse their own networks opinion of Saddam Hussein?

I was watching "Hitler: Tyrant of Terror" and they said that Saddam Hussein admired Hitler and looked up to him.

As far as I have understood it, Stalin was Hussein's rolemodel.

Several years ago I watched a bio on A&E about Hussein. This was well before 9/11 but after the first Gulf War, so there was spin, however it seemed *mostly* impartial.

In that bio they said Hussein had modeled himself and political life after Stalin.

It's just one of those little inaccuracies that, to me anyway, I find troubling.

[mainegreen]

1. It was Stalin

[amlouden]

2. both

i believe it was both hitler and stalin. he has lots if similarities to both.

[Clark Can WIN]

3. Stalin was his main man

But he also admired Hitler as well, particularly for his ability to villify and kill Jews.

[Desperadoe]

5. for his ability to villify and kill Jews

Is there any chance that you could provide a link for this?

[amlouden]

6. yeah

hitler also got people to like him because he did a couple good things for the country, but it's one of those things where the bad outweighs the good

[Minstrel Boy]

7. The Jews of Iraq probably miss Saddam most of all:

NO CELEBRATION FOR IRAQI JEWS THIS PASSOVER
Despite his reputation, Saddam treated community well, many say

Nidal and Kalida Saleh, who remain in Iraq, live just around the corner from the synagogue. The sisters say they will not celebrate Passover. Baghdad's wartime power outage has made it impossible, they say.

...

They say deposed President Saddam Hussein, who they have mentioned in their prayers for years, treated them well. But they survive on a stipend from the synagogue and might have left Iraq long ago had they been able.

...

They say they have never faced anti-Jewish sentiments from other Iraqis. They also say that the country's famous opposition to Israel did not spill over into the treatment of individual Jews.

"Saddam Hussein never talked badly about the Jews," Kalida said. "He was protecting us."
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/117963_jews17.html


BAGHDAD JEWS: EXODUS OR EXTINCTION?

Strangely enough, the Jews of Baghdad benefited a great deal from former President Saddam Hussein.

He paid for the restoration of the Meir Tweg synagogue, the only standing place of worship in the whole of the country. It has not been used since the invasion and the collapse of public security.

...

Nevertheless, it was still a surprise when Baghdad's youngest Jew blurted out: "I wish Saddam could return."

...

"In Saddam's day, there was the rule of law, there was safety. Now I dare not let my daughter out of the house. She won't be able to complete her studies. This is what the Americans have brought", said Subhiyya.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/659CDE88-06D1-4457-8551-61C0CFAA38FD.htm

[Hep]

4. Do you really think

programmers and producers at the history channel actually WATCH the history channel?

[Brian Sweat]

8. There is no question in my mind that Hussein is evil,

but a lot of the stuff that we here about him is clearly propaganda. The stories of his hatred of Jews came out right around the time of the first Gulf War.