The media name game...

red_jon · April 18, 2003, 07:58

I'm preusming that Saddam is the ex-Iraqi leader's first name. So why is he reffered to as such?

You never hear news reports reffering to the UK or US leaders as 'Tony' and 'George', so why isn't Saddam reffered to as 'Hussein'.

Just something I was wondering about.

Sava · April 18, 2003, 08:01

Probably because there are more Hussein's in leadership roles in the Arab world. King Hussein of Jordan, for instance (he might be a former leader though). I don't know much about Jordanian politics.

Spiffor · April 18, 2003, 08:02

I think it mostly has to do with the fact that Hussein is a very common name in Arabic, and that the King of Jordan is called Hussein as well. Besides, 'Saddam' sounds cooler and more brutal, which is what the media needs.

Sava · April 18, 2003, 08:07

And plus, it's easier to mispronounce "Saddam".

Zopperoni · April 18, 2003, 08:16

Isn't Abdullah now the King of Jordan?

BTW, that's the confusing thing as well...Hussain can be both a first name and a last name...

red_jon · April 18, 2003, 08:20

OK, I see. Sometimes they refer to Bin Laden as 'Osama' as well though.

Spiffor · April 18, 2003, 09:04

Zopper :
King Hussein of Jordan died indeed a few years ago. But the habit of calling the Iraqi dictator 'Saddam' was already taken by then. I don't know if Hussein was the last name of the Jordan dynasty or if it was only the first name of the previous King.

asleepathewheel · April 18, 2003, 11:43

[conspiracy/] Its because the name, depending on the stress, sounds like Sodom of the bible, a word that has vile connotations in the english language. [\conspiracy]

Barley · April 18, 2003, 11:57

I believe the reason is that it is customary for Arabs to be referred to by their Surname (heard this somewhere), as for King Hussain, I guess the difference is that he's a King and as suck we use his first name in the same way ala Queen Elizabeth.

I may be wrong though..........

MichaeltheGreat · April 18, 2003, 12:12

Well, technically, Saddam's full last name is "al Hussein al Tikriti."

It's easier to use Saddam simply because every third guy in the Iraqi power structure has the last name "al Hussein al Tikriti."

It's also common use in the Arab world and in Iraq, like all those official spontaneous demonstrations where people jump up and down and chant how much they love Saddam - they refer to him as Saddam, not as any variant of his last name.

yago · April 18, 2003, 14:30

Saddam sounds more evil and the name "Hussein" is like Smith or Gibson.

The evil Smith

The evil Gibson