Iraqi government clamps down on visits to Saddam’s grave

Former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein’s grave, located near Tikrit in the town of Awja, often receives visitors. But, after local students made the pilgrimage as part of a school trip, the regime in Baghdad got tough:   In a statement, the government said it had sent instructions to the education ministry and local authorities banning ...

583935_090707_husseingrave2.jpg
583935_090707_husseingrave2.jpg
AWJA, IRAQ - JANUARY 11: Iraqi men pray at the grave of Iraq?s former President Saddam Hussein on January 11, 2007 in his home town Awja in Tikirt province 80 miles north of Baghdad, Iraq. Iraq's President Jalal Talabani has called for a delay in executing Barzan al-Tikriti and Awad al-Bandar due to be executed this week for crimes against humanity. (Photo by Getty Images).

Former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein’s grave, located near Tikrit in the town of Awja, often receives visitors. But, after local students made the pilgrimage as part of a school trip, the regime in Baghdad got tough:

 

In a statement, the government said it had sent instructions to the education ministry and local authorities banning them from organising visits to the tomb of the former president.

The rule applies only to the education district of Salahuddin and not to any other part of Iraq, because, as one official put it, “no one from anywhere else in the country was likely to contemplate organizing a school tour to the grave.”

Getty Images

Brian Fung is an editorial researcher at FP.
Tag: Iraq

More from Foreign Policy

Newspapers in Tehran feature on their front page news about the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023.
Newspapers in Tehran feature on their front page news about the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023.

Saudi-Iranian Détente Is a Wake-Up Call for America

The peace plan is a big deal—and it’s no accident that China brokered it.

Austin and Gallant stand at podiums side by side next to each others' national flags.
Austin and Gallant stand at podiums side by side next to each others' national flags.

The U.S.-Israel Relationship No Longer Makes Sense

If Israel and its supporters want the country to continue receiving U.S. largesse, they will need to come up with a new narrative.

Russian President Vladimir Putin lays flowers at the Moscow Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden during an event marking Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin lays flowers at the Moscow Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden during an event marking Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow.

Putin Is Trapped in the Sunk-Cost Fallacy of War

Moscow is grasping for meaning in a meaningless invasion.

An Iranian man holds a newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, in Tehran on March 11.
An Iranian man holds a newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, in Tehran on March 11.

How China’s Saudi-Iran Deal Can Serve U.S. Interests

And why there’s less to Beijing’s diplomatic breakthrough than meets the eye.