Size: 8cm./3.1inch.
Weight: 168gr./5.9oz.
Year: 1987
 
Medal made in Iraq with the image of Saddam Hussein, 1987. This medal was a gift from a Iraqi soldier to a Dutch soldier in 1991. There is also a gold coloured version of this medal known.
Saddam Hussein (1937-2006) took control of Iraq in 1979 making himself president until 2003.He was member of the Arab Socialist Baath Party.
In 1980 he started the Irak-Iran Wars until 1988. Irak was a secular state and Saddam saw the islamic revolution in Iran as a threat to Irak. In order to neutralize it he started the Irak-Iran War in 1980. Backed up by the Gulf States and the US.
After the war the economy of Iraq was almost bankrupt. Irak was heavenly in depth with Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Kuwait was pumping up large amounts of oil keeping the oil price low so Iraq could not make a lot of money by selling oil themselfs in order to make the economie rise again. Also Iraq accused Kuwait of steeling oil in the border area by drilling sideways under the border.
In 1990 Iraq invaded Kuwait. A strong international reaction followed isolating Iraq and resulting in the Gulf War ending that same year. In 2003 Iraq was invaded again under accusation that it was producing weapons of mass destruction. In that same year Saddam was captured and executed in 2006.