Uday and Qusay's Lions: A Dark Glimpse Into Their Cruelty
Recently sat down with John McPhee on Power Athlete Radio to dig into a dark story. He gave a glimpse into the twisted cruelty of Saddam Hussein’s sons, Uday and Qusay. Known for their brutality, they were notorious for their violent displays of power, but one of the darkest revolved around the lions they kept. These lions weren’t just exotic pets, they were trained to serve the regime’s cruelty and Saddam’s sons’ sick pleasure.
John said, “After Saddam’s regime fell, the U.S. Army inherited these lions. The animals were placed behind a basic six-foot chain-link fence, near an Army building. For the most part, the lions lounged around, calm and seemingly harmless. But one day, as I was passing their enclosure, I watched a local woman in a burka walk by with her children. That’s when the lions went wild - lunging, roaring, clawing at the fence in a frenzy that seemed out of nowhere. In that moment, it hit me. These lions had been conditioned to see women and children as prey. They remained quiet when men walked by, but the sight of a woman or child triggered a reaction that was beyond instinct. It was a reaction trained by Uday and Qusay, who fed these lions women and children as a show of their sick control. These lions were no ordinary animals; they were twisted extensions of the Hussein family’s inhumanity.”
He said standing there, watching these lions thrash against the flimsy fence, he couldn’t shake how close things were to disaster. The Army didn’t know the dark history of these animals, keeping them in a makeshift enclosure that wouldn’t hold for long if they got riled up. The terror Uday and Qusay had unleashed extended beyond these animals, creating a world of fear so twisted it left marks on everything.
Evil will emerge when power goes unchecked. Uday and Qusay’s lions are symbols of the regime’s cruelty - a reminder that the atrocities of dictatorships seep into every corner. These stories serve as reminders of the dangers of unchecked power and the importance of remembering history, even the darkest parts, to ensure they’re never repeated.
Happy Election Day.
John Welbourn is Founder/CEO of Power Athlete Inc and former NFL player. John was drafted with the 97th pick in 1999 NFL Draft and went on to be a starter for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1999-2003, appearing in 3 NFC Championship games, and started for the Kansas City Chiefs from 2004-2007. In 2008, he played with the New England Patriots until an injury ended his season early with him retiring in 2009. Over the course of his NFL career, John started over 100 games regular season games with 10 play-off appearances. He was a four-year letterman while playing football at the University of California at Berkeley. He graduated from the college of letters and sciences with a bachelor's degree in Rhetoric in 1998. And did his Masters work at the UC Berkeley School of Education in 1999. Since retiring from the NFL, John has worked extensively with the NFL, NHL, MLB, Olympic athletes, the US Army and Naval Special Warfare. He works as a consultant and advisor for several companies focused on improving human performance through training, nutrition and fitness-based technologies. John provides daily coaching and mentorship to over 5000 athletes around the world through his Power Athlete Coaches Network and training program delivery platform. Since in 2013, John has hosted a weekly podcast, Power Athlete Radio; a podcast dedicated to improving performance and connecting with some of the smartest people on the planet. With more than 700 episodes Power Athlete Radio has proven to be on the top podcasts in the strength and conditioning realm. John travels the world lecturing on performance and nutrition for Power Athlete and as a keynote speaker. John is a married father of three and resides in Austin, Texas. You can catch up with him at his personal blog, “Talk To Me Johnnie”, at Power Athlete or on social media @johnwelbourn.