Watch video that made the Arab nation cry over Saddam Hussein

Saddam Hussein was the fifth president of Iraq, ruling from 1979 until his overthrow and capture by a U.S.-led coalition in 2003. He was a member of the Ba'ath Party and a leading figure in the 1968 coup that brought the party to power. Hussein was a controversial figure, known for his brutal rule and his human rights abuses. He was also responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, including the Kurds and the Marsh Arabs.

Hussein was born in Tikrit, Iraq, in 1937. He joined the Ba'ath Party in 1957 and was involved in a number of failed coup attempts against the government. In 1968, he was one of the leaders of the successful coup that brought the Ba'ath Party to power.

Hussein quickly consolidated his power and became a ruthless dictator. He suppressed dissent, imprisoned and tortured political opponents, and executed thousands of people. He also used chemical weapons against the Kurds and the Marsh Arabs.