Which dictator took power in Iraq in 1979?

Saddam Hussein took power in Iraq in 1979 and became the country's president. His rule was characterized by authoritarian governance, significant military aggression, and human rights abuses. Hussein was a member of the Ba'ath Party, which espoused Arab nationalism and socialism. He gained prominence within the party during the 1960s and eventually orchestrated a coup in 1968 that brought the Ba'athists to power, setting the stage for his eventual ascension to the presidency in 1979.

Under his regime, Iraq engaged in multiple conflicts, most notably the Iran-Iraq War from 1980 to 1988 and the invasion of Kuwait in 1990, which led to the Gulf War. Hussein's regime was marked by a cult of personality, and he implemented a fierce system of repression against political dissidents and various ethnic and religious groups in Iraq, including the Kurds and Shiites. His tenure lasted until he was deposed by a U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

The other figures mentioned are associated with significant regional events but did not take power in Iraq in 1979. Muammar Gaddafi lead Libya starting in the late 1960s, Ayatollah Khomeini became