A prisoner in his palace

In this book, American journalist Will Bardenwerper, from the New York Times and Washington Post, presents an intimate portrayal of the deposed President Saddam Hussein—a surprising image that can only be understood after delving into his personality, as observed by the twelve soldiers entrusted with guarding him.

They recount the story of the final months they spent with President Saddam Hussein, guarding him inside his palace, accompanying him to his trial, and the days and hours leading up to his execution. Their daily stories with him reveal a shift in how they viewed justice and fairness. They speak of their strange conversations with the formidable former president. While these conversations did not convince them that he was innocent of many of the horrific things attributed to him, they did lead them to discover aspects of his personality different from those highlighted by the media.

The Super Twelve never knew the cruel Saddam, but rather Saddam the elderly prisoner. They believed they were doing the right thing by providing some dignity to his existence. The Saddam they strove to please was a man whom Iraqis, who had sat before him under different circumstances when he was in power, could not have imagined.

This book is based on information provided by Saddam's American guards, government officials, investigators, and lawyers, all of whom agree that he was a thoughtful, intelligent, compassionate, and fatherly man who did not fear the execution that was just steps away.