ABANDONED
AS A CHILD
Born to an impoverished farm family in the Tikrit region, north of Baghdad. Father leaves before his birth; receives first name that can be translated as "He who confronts."
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LEAVES HOME
At age 10, leaves mother and abusive stepfather to live with uncle Khairullah Tulfah, a devout Sunni Muslim who would later be governor of Baghdad, and author of the pamphlet "Three Whom God Should Not Have Created: Persians, Jews and Flies."
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HIS IDOL
Egypt's Gamal Abdel Nasser topples his country's British-installed monarchy, and becomes a hero and political inspiration to 15-year-old Saddam Hussein.
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ASSASSIN IN
TRAINING
At age 20, joins Baath (Renaissance) Party, foes of European colonialism who hope to form a single Arab socialist state. Saddam Hussein kills a communist activist, his brother-in-law.
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BOTCHES MURDER
Fails in attempt to assassinate Iraqi prime minister Abdul Kassem. Wounded, he disguises himself as a woman and flees to Syria on a donkey.
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BEFRIENDS NASSER
Through friendship with Egyptian President Gamal Nasser, enrolls in Cairo law school.
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RISES TO POWER
Returns to Baghdad to run Baathist torture center. Baath regime falls; he begins to build a secret police force and starts the rise to party leadership. Weds first cousin, Sajida Khayrallah, in arranged marriage; they have five children.
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LEADS REVOLT
Escapes from brief imprisonment. Leads an underground revolt that restores Baaths to power.
 IDEOLOGY
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BECOMES PRESIDENT
Stages coup to oust Iraqi president Gen. Ahmed Hassan Bakr, a distant relative who aided Saddam Hussein's political rise. Bakr is placed under house arrest. Saddam Hussein becomes president, and elevates many close family members to power.
'THE SOLE POWER'
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INVADES IRAN
Sends troops to neighboring Iran, beginning an eight-year war that ends in a stalemate.
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TAKES MISTRESS
Takes up with Samira Shahbandar, a flight attendant then married to an Iraqi Airlines official. When Saddam Hussein's father-in-law objects, he is stripped of his property. Other dissenting friends and family members are wounded or die mysteriously.
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MARCHES INTO KUWAIT
Invades Kuwait.
A BELLIGERENT NEIGHBOR
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DEFIED
Arab League defects to American coalition, sending troops to help U.S. defend Saudi Arabia from Iraq.
ISOLATION
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LOSES GULF WAR
U.S.-led international alliance drives Saddam Hussein's army out of Kuwait.
PURGES
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CRUSHES REBELLIONS
Rebellion of Shiites in southern Iraq spreads to Kurdish areas in the north. Saddam Hussein crushes the rebels; U.S. does not intervene.
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ORDERS MURDERS
Two daughters and sons-in-law defect to Jordan, but later return to Iraq on promises of forgiveness. Saddam Hussein has the men killed; his wife protests bitterly, and is placed under house arrest.
FATHER FIGURE?
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SURVIVES CIA EFFORTS
The Washington Post uncovers an anti-Saddam operation by the CIA that cost $100 million but did not achieve its goal: to help Iraqi resisters in the overthrow of the Saddam regime.
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SON ATTACKED
Uday Hussein, 32, eldest son and heir-apparent, is gravely wounded by two gunmen close to Iraqi intelligence headquarters. A purge follows; hundreds are executed and thousands arrested, but identity of gunmen remains unknown.
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REMAINS IN CONTROL
CIA reports that Iraqi armies have shrunk by half since 1991. Saddam Hussein is considered vulnerable, but is still in control.
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