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In 1995, Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein established his own Fedayeen corps, an irregular unit designed to protect the Ba’athist regime and Hussein himself. As of the 2003 invasion, they numbered 30,000 to 40,000 and their uniforms were more than a little unique, sporting an all-black combat uniform, black ski masks, and a familiar-looking helmet.
Why Saddam Hussein’s fedayeen troops wore Darth Vader helmets
Saddam’s Fedayeen, Arabic for “Men of Sacrifice,” wore enormous Darth Vader helmets. Their commander, Hussein’s son Uday, was a huge Star Wars fan.
Other Middle Eastern personalities had their Fedayeen forces, notably Egyptian President Gamal Abdul Nasser and the Palestinian Liberation Organization, but neither of those had the Sci-fi panache of the Fedayeen Saddam. Founded in 1995, the irregular Iraqi guard unit was Saddam Hussein’s personal militia.
Members were recruited into the Fedayeen Saddam as young as age 16. They received no specialty training or heavy weapons and were not members of the regular Iraqi military. So, as awesome as watching a fighting Darth Vader in “Rogue One” was, their Iraqi Doppelgängers were not so awesome.
In reality, they were mainly used to stop smuggling in Iraq, and then later became the smugglers, extortionists, torture, and whatever else the Husseins had them do. It was all good as long as they didn’t shake down government officials.
Though U.S. military planners knew about the existence of the Fedayeen Saddam before the 2003 invasion, they weren’t sure what they would be used for once the shooting started. The best estimate was as guerrilla fighters behind U.S. lines, which they generally did in urban areas. It was the Fedayeen Saddam who ambushed U.S. Marines in Nasiriyah under a flag of surrender in 2003.
Even after the regular army and Republican Guard forces crumbled away, the Fedayeen Saddam harassed U.S. troops through April 2003. Uday and Qusay famously found their end with a few members of the Fedayeen Saddam that same year.
The worst condition is to pass under a sword which is not one’s own
The installation’s title derives from a saying of Hussein’s that appeared on the invitation card for the inauguration of the Arch, built in 1989 to commemorate Iraq’s “victory” over Iran. The art installation uses drawings, artefacts and sculptures to weave an unexpected network of connections between western science fiction and military-industrial activities in Iraq during and after Saddam Hussein’s regime.
Saddam Hussein’s fascination with the iconography of Jules Verne’s novels and the Star Wars films is at the center of the project but the whole narrative is far more complex. Almost too complex to absorb in just one visit. Rakowitz will drive you to the Battle of Fleurus, Hulk Hogan‘s hours of glory, Gerald Bull‘s superpower artillery, the caricatures and inventions of Paris wonder boy Nadar (that’s actually where Rakowitz got my philandering attention back, Star Wars and US military are a bit too Americano-exotic for me), the adventures of Sputnik and of course the war, the invasion, the politics.
The key element is the Swords of Qādisiyyah monument in Baghdad. This triumphal arch, otherwise known as the Hands of Victory, commemorates Saddam Hussein’s declaration of victory over Iran in the Iran-Iraq war. The invitation card for the opening ceremony back in 1989 featured the heroic proclamation, “The worst condition is for a person to pass under a sword that is not his own or to be forced down a road that is not willed by him.” Rakowitz recreated the arch in the gallery space. His version of the monument is tackier than the original which in turn -i’m sorry to say- is even tackier than a Star Wars poster. The sculptural pieces is made of plastic toy soldiers, wood and pages strip from Sadam’s own books. The red and green of the sabers echo the colours of the Iraqi flag. The plastic soldiers are not any toy btw. They are G.I. Joe, the figurines introduced in the ’80s to capitalize on the success of Star Wars action figures and popularize the American military. See? I told you it was a complex show. Your mind keep bouncing back from a slice of history to Hollywood entertainment and back again.
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