Thursday, June 28, 2007

Iraq Before Saddam

I received some old photos of Iraq from my father (thanks dad!) and I wanted to post a few in order to show that Iraq was doing just fine without Saddam Hussein in government. I have read several comments on other blogs claiming that Saddam built roads, universities, hospitals, etc. - basically they claim that he modernized Iraq and that he promoted religious tolerance. Saddam did do some good things for Iraq, but too many people act as if Iraq was primitive before Saddam put himself in charge. Also I want to point out that Iraqis had strong relationships with the British and Americans before it became fashionable for Arabs to attack Iraqis who work with Americans and Brits.

Al Hikma University, 1959


American Embassy in Baghdad


American Cultural Center in Baghdad


Baghdad Church


Al Rashid St., 1960


Baghdad Roundabout, 1960


Baghdad train station, 1959


Christian celebration in Baghdad, 1920


Iraqi Museum, 1930s


Rabbi Sassoon's Stamp, Baghdad 1933


Iraqi Jew in Ramadi, 1918

7 comments :

Anonymous said...

This pictures are amazing! I am writing a research paper on the Iraqi school system, and I've been looking for information about Iraq before Saddam was in control. Do you mind if I use a few of your photos for a power point for my class? Keep up the great work!

Iraqi Mojo said...

Thank you. Yes you may use the photos, although they are not mine. I received them in an email, and they can be found online, but I forgot the name of the website.

Anonymous said...

If Iraq wasnt so bad then why did they elect saddam in the first place?

Iraqi Mojo said...

Elect Saddam? LOL

Anonymous said...

so your saying iraq was perfectly fine without saddam ?
Because i have a school project that asks how was iraq before saddam.

Iraqi Mojo said...

I cannot say that Iraq was "perfectly fine" without Saddam, but I can say for sure that Iraq was not plunged into war before Saddam put himself in charge, and I can say the Iraqi economy was growing rapidly in the 70s.

Read Turning the Resource Curse into a Blessing and look at this graph of Iraqi real GDP from 1969 to 2007.

Fatin said...

" claiming that Saddam ......and that he promoted religious tolerance." I don't know if I should laugh or cry. Saddam persecuted and tortured certain sects of Muslims, namely the Shai and he promoted deep divisions between Iraqis,
Someone asked why he was "elected " then, really? do people not know how came to power?