2. In Order To Punish The Marsh Arabs For Rebelling Against Him... Hussein Drained The Largest Area Of Natural Wetlands In The Middle East
The "Marsh Arabs" inhabit the Tigris-Euphrates marshlands in the south and east of Iraq - and they led uprisings against Hussein's regime in 1991. Uncompromising even at the best of times, Hussein did not react well to these acts of defiance against his authority - and responded by destroying the largest area of natural wetlands in the Middle East. Hussein ordered the marshes to be drained in one of the most-serious attacks on the natural environment in world history, and this forced thousands of Marsh Arabs to relocate from the rich wetlands their ancestors have inhabited for more than 5,000 years. This act proves just how ruthless Hussein was when he was defied.
NUFC editor for WhatCulture.com/NUFC. History graduate (University of Edinburgh) and NCTJ-trained journalist. I love sports, hopelessly following Newcastle United and Newcastle Falcons. My pastimes include watching and attending sports matches religiously, reading spy books and sampling ales.
