4. Saddam Hussein: Enemy Turned Partner
During the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s, the U.S. found itself supporting Saddam Hussein despite his regime’s notorious brutality. The partnership was rooted in a desire to curb Iranian power in the region, leading to intelligence sharing and indirect military aid. However, as detailed by NPR, this calculated alliance would later haunt U.S. policymakers. Saddam’s later defiance and aggression transformed him from a strategic partner into one of America’s most infamous adversaries.
