It is sad that one man can bring a proud nation down, but that is what Saddam Hussein has done with his catalogue of abuse since he took up the reins of power in 1979. Within days, he had executed 20 potential rivals who were members of the Ba'ath Party and the military. In 1986, the UN Secretary General reported that Iraq had used mustard gas and nerve agents against Iranian soldiers, with significant usage in 1981 and 1984.