Assessing Leadership Style: Trait Analysis

Saddam Hussein of Iraq

• The standard of living for soldiers had reached the lowest
  level ever.


• The no-fly zone over the north/south was seen as a humili-
  ating affront to the once powerful military. Moreover, Kur-
  dish control over the north was a painful reminder that Iraq
  was powerless and at the mercy of the United States.


• The UN-sponsored weapons inspections were a continuing
  humiliation and demonstration of Saddam's lack of control
  over Iraq's sovereignty.


• A rising tide of disillusionment, desertion, and resentment
  led to repeated coup attempts by different military factions
  against Saddam.


• In March 1995, two regular army brigades suffered severe
  losses from clashes with the Kurds and Iraqi National Con-
  gress (INC), further humiliating Saddam and the military.

Fractures in Tribal Loyalty

Within the larger Sunni tribal system there were signs of weakening
solidarity. Of the five most important Sunni tribes that had been the
core of Saddam's support, and were in leadership roles throughout
the military, three were involved in coup attempts against Saddam.
A 1990 plot involved Jubbur members of the Republican Guards
and regular army units. Officers of the 'Ubayd tribe were involved in
coup plotting in 1993-94. Al-Bu Nimr (of the Dulaym tribe)
revolted against Saddam in 1995. Frictions within Saddam's al-Bu
Nasir tribe also compounded problems—by late summer in 1996,
five "houses" within the tribe had grievances with Saddam or his
family. While Dulaymis and 'Ubaydis continue to serve in Republi-
can Guard and key security positions, they have been removed from
most sensitive positions and are closely watched. Overall, the threat
of a large-scale tribal uprising remains remote, though Saddam is no
longer able to trust his once loyal tribes.

Fault Lines in the Family

Uday. The temperament and unconstrained behavior of Saddam's

older son, Uday, thirty-eight, have been a continuing issue. He has a

reputation as the "bad boy" of Iraq and is greatly feared among the

population of Baghdad. He has been involved in several widely pub-

licized incidents, but Saddam has regularly either overlooked Uday's