--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For decades, Saddam and his Sunni…" description: "\"For decades, Saddam and his Sunni minority had imposed their will on Iraq, carrying on a 14-century tradition of Sunnis controlling Mesopotamia despite..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/richard-engel-3133_carrying_for-decades-saddam-and-his-sunni-minorit_2559876.jpg" --- # For decades, Saddam and his Sunni minority had imposed… ![“For decades, Saddam and his Sunni minority had imposed their will on Iraq, carrying on a 14-century tradition of Sunnis controlling Mesopotamia despite a Shiite majority.” quote by Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/richard-engel-3133_carrying_for-decades-saddam-and-his-sunni-minorit_2559876.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/richard-engel-3133_carrying_for-decades-saddam-and-his-sunni-minorit_2559876.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/richard-engel-3133_carrying_for-decades-saddam-and-his-sunni-minorit_2559876.jpg) > “For decades, Saddam and his Sunni minority had imposed their will on Iraq, carrying on a 14-century tradition of Sunnis controlling Mesopotamia despite a Shiite majority.” [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Saddam’s Sunni minority ruled Iraq despite a Shiite majority, continuing a long history of Sunni dominance. **In simple terms:** Sunnis ruled Iraq over Shiites. Key Takeaway Recognize minority power dynamics. Themes politics history minority rule religion power conflict Mood tense critical analytical Type historical political When to use this quote - Political analysis - academic study - media reporting - policy making Key Concepts Sectarianism hegemony colonial legacy Questions to Reflect On - How do minority ruling groups maintain control? - What are the risks of ignoring demographic shifts? A Different Perspective Sunnis’ dominance ignored demographic realities, leading to instability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Carrying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carrying/) [Controlling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controlling/) [Controlling Mesopotamia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controlling-mesopotamia-1595665/) [Decades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decades/) [Decades Saddam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decades-saddam-1595664/) [Despite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despite/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [His](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/his/) [Imposed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imposed/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majority/) [Minority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minority/) [Saddam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saddam/) [Saddam Sunni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saddam-sunni-1595662/) [Sunnis Controlling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunnis-controlling-1595661/) [Tradition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradition/) [Tradition Sunnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradition-sunnis-1595663/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) ## Related quotes > [Decades of Saddam’s rule made what could have been a fairly rich country, due to its oil reserves, into a very poor one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/decades-of-saddam-s-rule-made-what-could-have-been-a-fairly-rich/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [“All limits in life are self imposed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-morgan/all-limits-in-life-are-self-imposed/) [Sean Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-morgan/) > [It was the very fact that no one ever imposed anything on me or tried to impose himself on the others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/it-was-the-very-fact-that-no-one-ever-imposed-anything-on-me-or-tried/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [A life cycle can be imposed on an object. An object can be very energetic and active, and then it has a dying phase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claes-oldenburg/a-life-cycle-can-be-imposed-on-an-object-an-object-can-be-very/) [Claes Oldenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claes-oldenburg/) > [Theater represents to me this phenomenon in juxtaposition to real life, where there are all these imposed guidelines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-shelly/theater-represents-to-me-this-phenomenon-in-juxtaposition-to-real/) [Adrienne Shelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-shelly/) > [Through my youth, there was imposed on us a culture relentlessly English. English books were all you could buy; English television filled our screens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-flanagan/through-my-youth-there-was-imposed-on-us-a-culture-relentlessly/) [Richard Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-flanagan/) > [I'm not against the virtual world; it's fascinating, but I don't like the way they try to impose it on us. It's a thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leos-carax/i-m-not-against-the-virtual-world-it-s-fascinating-but-i-don-t-like/) [Leos Carax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leos-carax/) > [“We don’t have to allow ourselves to be defined by the labels imposed on us. We get to define ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/we-don-t-have-to-allow-ourselves-to-be-defined-by-the-labels-imposed/) [Lizzie Velásquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [Stress is the negative whirlwind of emotions that gets imposed on top of our stimulation and engagement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stress-is-the-negative-whirlwind-of-emotions-that-gets-imposed-on-top/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The sentence imposed on Abdul Kadir sends a powerful and clear message. We will bring to justice those who plot to attack the United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-lynch/the-sentence-imposed-on-abdul-kadir-sends-a-powerful-and-clear/) [Loretta Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-lynch/) > [The economy grows when families can spend money on personal priorities rather than priorities imposed by the federal government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-crapo/the-economy-grows-when-families-can-spend-money-on-personal/) [Mike Crapo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-crapo/) > [The U.S. - the idea that the U.S. has introduced and imposed principles of international law, that's hardly even a joke. The United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-u-s-the-idea-that-the-u-s-has-introduced-and-imposed-principles/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I was brought up in an Orthodox Jewish household. I don't think I ever had a single discussion with my parents about faith. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-shaffer/i-was-brought-up-in-an-orthodox-jewish-household-i-don-t-think-i-ever/) [Peter Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-shaffer/) > [“There is no reality -- only our own order imposed on everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/there-is-no-reality-only-our-own-order-imposed-on-everything/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [I am not imposed upon by fine words; I can see what actions mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/i-am-not-imposed-upon-by-fine-words-i-can-see-what-actions-mean/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) ## More by Richard Engel > [The Syrians are better suited to sort out their internal divisions than anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/the-syrians-are-better-suited-to-sort-out-their-internal-divisions/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [Osama Bin Laden is dead. Killed not by a massive troop deployment but by a commando raid carried out by a few dozen highly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/osama-bin-laden-is-dead-killed-not-by-a-massive-troop-deployment-but/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [Anyone who follows the Middle East and Islamic world in general can't deny it is often a very violent place, that a band of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/anyone-who-follows-the-middle-east-and-islamic-world-in-general-can-t/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [An Egyptian newspaper once publicly identified me as the C.I.A. station chief in Cairo. It seemed so stupid at the time. 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Fences along the borders with Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/israel-is-becoming-a-fortress-fences-along-the-borders-with-egypt/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [Every country where the the United States maintains troops has a status of forces agreement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/every-country-where-the-the-united-states-maintains-troops-has-a/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [There are many Israelis who are not keen on Barack Obama - they did not want to see him elected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/there-are-many-israelis-who-are-not-keen-on-barack-obama-they-did-not/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [If you're in part of rebel-controlled Syria, and suddenly your house blows up or a building next to you blows up, it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/if-you-re-in-part-of-rebel-controlled-syria-and-suddenly-your-house/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [Every child is taught if you try to please everyone, you end up upsetting everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/every-child-is-taught-if-you-try-to-please-everyone-you-end-up/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [There weren't many weapons in Egypt in the 1990s. Police controls on guns were very strict back then. That is no longer the case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/there-weren-t-many-weapons-in-egypt-in-the-1990s-police-controls-on/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [Bin Laden is dead, and most of his friends are dead. But did it need to cost a trillion dollars and two land wars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/bin-laden-is-dead-and-most-of-his-friends-are-dead-but-did-it-need-to/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [Many senior government officials, CIA, FBI, counter terrorism officials - when they look back at the decade, they effectively conclude that the United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/many-senior-government-officials-cia-fbi-counter-terrorism-officials/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [Many governments are quick to condemn Assad, but a dwindling number of them would celebrate a rebel victory in Damascus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/many-governments-are-quick-to-condemn-assad-but-a-dwindling-number-of/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [Israel sees the world just beyond its borders collapsing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/israel-sees-the-world-just-beyond-its-borders-collapsing/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) [Explore all 138 Richard Engel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) ## More Carrying quotes > [I had to get to the point where I just had to embrace carrying the torch for the traditional girls out there. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamera-mowry/i-had-to-get-to-the-point-where-i-just-had-to-embrace-carrying-the/) [Tamera Mowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamera-mowry/) > [I've always found a cure for the blues is wandering into something unknown, and resting there, before coming back to whatever weight you were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-sawyer/i-ve-always-found-a-cure-for-the-blues-is-wandering-into-something/) [Diane Sawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-sawyer/) > [I compare the troubles which we have to undergo in the course of the year to a great bundle of sticks, far too large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/i-compare-the-troubles-which-we-have-to-undergo-in-the-course-of-the/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [I don't believe in carrying a weapon. If somebody wants to shoot me, he'll have to bring his own gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/i-don-t-believe-in-carrying-a-weapon-if-somebody-wants-to-shoot-me-he/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [“I was taught never to make a threat unless you are prepared to carry it out and I am not a fan of carrying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thorne/i-was-taught-never-to-make-a-threat-unless-you-are-prepared-to-carry/) [David Thorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thorne/) > [I started carrying blank books like this one around, which I would fill with all the things I couldn't say...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-started-carrying-blank-books-like-this-one-around-which-i-would/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [I think we need to be very wary of systems where it's the public that is carrying the burden of doing cleanup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lina-khan/i-think-we-need-to-be-very-wary-of-systems-where-it-s-the-public-that/) [Lina Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lina-khan/) > [I certainly feel I'm carrying the flag for Britain. I feel an honour in that but, at the same time, knowing my roots are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-froome/i-certainly-feel-i-m-carrying-the-flag-for-britain-i-feel-an-honour/) [Chris Froome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-froome/) > [She said PICK UP WHAT'S YOURS & GET OUT! So I picked her up & started walking & She said, WHY ARE YOU CARRYING…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/she-said-pick-up-what-s-yours-get-out-so-i-picked-her-up-started/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“It would be much too difficult for anyone to get in and out of this area, especially if they were carrying questionable loads of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/it-would-be-much-too-difficult-for-anyone-to-get-in-and-out-of-this/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [It's my strength for holding on, every minute that I have to be gone. I'll have everything I'll ever need, I'm carrying your love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce/it-s-my-strength-for-holding-on-every-minute-that-i-have-to-be-gone-i/) [Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce/) > [To be on the world stage carrying our flag and representing the U.S. Paralympic Team is a huge honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-schultz/to-be-on-the-world-stage-carrying-our-flag-and-representing-the-u-s/) [Mike Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-schultz/) > [I have no problem putting on a kit, carrying a big sniper rifle, and running a few thousand meters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kennedy/i-have-no-problem-putting-on-a-kit-carrying-a-big-sniper-rifle-and/) [Tim Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kennedy/) > [You stand out in the crowd only because you have these many, many carrying you on their shoulders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/you-stand-out-in-the-crowd-only-because-you-have-these-many-many/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [President Obama has a good sense not just of the economic requisites for financial crisis firefighting but also how you build political support for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lael-brainard/president-obama-has-a-good-sense-not-just-of-the-economic-requisites/) [Lael Brainard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lael-brainard/) [Browse all 302 Carrying quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carrying/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For decades, Saddam and his Sunni minority had imposed their will on Iraq, carrying on a 14-century tradition of Sunnis controlling Mesopotamia despite a Shiite majority.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Engel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/for-decades-saddam-and-his-sunni-minority-had-imposed-their-will-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Carrying" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/for-decades-saddam-and-his-sunni-minority-had-imposed-their-will-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/richard-engel-3133_carrying_for-decades-saddam-and-his-sunni-minorit_2559876.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/richard-engel-3133_carrying_for-decades-saddam-and-his-sunni-minorit_2559876.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/83b/richard-engel-3133_carrying_for-decades-saddam-and-his-sunni-minorit_2559876.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For decades, Saddam and his Sunni minority had imposed their will on Iraq, carrying on a 14-century…” — Richard Engel", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Richard Engel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For decades, Saddam and his Sunni...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/for-decades-saddam-and-his-sunni-minority-had-imposed-their-will-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/for-decades-saddam-and-his-sunni-minority-had-imposed-their-will-on/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```