Saddam Hussein: Former Iraqi President Executed at 69

Saddam Hussein was the president of Iraq from 1979 to 2003. Born on April 28, 1937, in Al-Awja, near Tikrit, he rose through the Ba'ath Party and seized the presidency in 1979.

His rule included the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), the 1990 invasion of Kuwait and the Gulf War, and the repression of Kurdish and Shia uprisings. A U.S.-led invasion removed him in 2003, and he was captured in December of that year.

An Iraqi court convicted him of crimes against humanity for the 1982 killing of 148 Shia men and boys in Dujail. He was hanged in Baghdad on December 30, 2006, at age 69.

Achievements: President of Iraq (1979-2003).

Birth: April 28, 1937 - Al-Awja, Iraq.

Profession: Political leader.

Interesting Facts: His execution was recorded on a cell phone and spread widely.