His initial ruling saw ruthless legislations and the eradication of practically all of his potential opponents. Saddam's ruling emphasized that he would not accept any kind of opposition and whoever expressed the slightest desire to contradict him was harshly punished. The few protests that emerged during his leadership ended terribly and the Halabja poison gas attack is one of the most horrible examples of his thinking. Tens of thousands of individuals died as a result of Saddam's ruthlessness. Even though it was not until 2006 when he was finally captured and executed for his crimes against humanity, it is only safe to say that the world punished him for his actions (Etheredge, 161). The observation of the Ramadan represents one of the most important values in Iraqi thinking. Muslims fast from sunrise and until sunset during this month, this making it possible for them to develop a stronger connection with God. Fasting is also intended to have Muslims acknowledge that they are dependent on God. Islam forbids pig and most Muslims eat sheep or goat meat. Even with this, conditions are currently critical in many areas from the country as individuals have access to strict rations and this makes it difficult for children to develop properly. "This...

In fact, one in five Iraqi children does not live to age 5" (Hassig & Al Adely, 119).
Even though contemporary Iraq is considered to be democratic in character, the difficult conditions in the country make it difficult for people to express themselves freely. U.S. intervention in the country might have freed people from Saddam's persecution, but the fact that Iraqis still have problems finding their personal identity demonstrates that corruption dominates the country and makes it a hostile place for its citizens. In contrast, U.S. citizens have access to a series of rights and the authorities focus on doing everything in their power in order to make sure that American citizens are provided with the best treatments possible.

Works cited:

Etheredge, Laura, "Iraq," (the Rosen Publishing Group, 15.01.2011)

Hassig, Susan M., and Al Adely, Laith Muhmood, "Iraq," (Marshall Cavendish, 01.10.2003)

Katzman, Kenneth, "Iraq: Politics, Governance, and Human Rights," Retrieved January 21, 2013, from the Federation of American Scientists…