Power, Morality, and the Madman Mystique.

The article focuses on the complex relationship between the United States and Iraq under Saddam Hussein, particularly in the context of the 1980s and the lead-up to the 2003 invasion. It discusses the U.S. government's delayed commitment to the Genocide Convention and its failure to respond to the atrocities committed against the Kurdish population during the Anfal campaign, which resulted in the deaths of over 100,000 Kurds. The author critiques the American political narrative that framed Hussein as a "madman," arguing that this oversimplification obscures the historical and geopolitical factors that shaped U.S.-Iraq relations and the broader context of violence in the region. The article emphasizes the need for a nuanced understanding of both Iraqi history and American foreign policy to fully grasp the implications of Hussein's rule and the consequences of U.S. actions in the Middle East. [Extracted from the article]