Manav Seth

With the war in Mexico and subsequent annexation of California, the antagonistic foreign policy of the United States became apparent to the globe. The Barbary Wars in the early nineteenth century had served as a precursor to the post second world war direct interventions by the “world policeman” in West Asia for the major reason — oil and hence termed as United States’ West Asian Insecurity. Excessive interferences, however, over time led to a rising sense of unrest among the populace and governments in the strategically significant region and plundering of nations as a whole. “Saddam is a dog, son of a dog,” some Iraqis shouted as the statue of the Iraqi strongman was toppled in the capital city. Others looked on, realizing the devastation that was to commence. Sixteen years ago today, on December 30th, Saddam Hussein al-Majid, who had ruled Iraq with an iron fist for twenty-four long years, was executed after a flawed three-year trial. As the war unfolded and the truth emerged, the U