Among the many thousands of Palestinian refugees who made Iraq their home, Ahmed Rahal was one of the most driven. From an impoverished childhood in the West Bank, he rose to the pinnacle of Saddam Hussein’s army, becoming the first Palestinian to hold the rank of general. Every step of the way, he had one dream: returning to an independent Palestine. The dream sustained him, but also blinded him. He cast his lot with a ruthless dictator, and did his bidding. He followed Hussein because he was the only leader who fostered the hope that a pan-Arab movement would create a Palestinian state and welcomed Palestinians to Iraq while they awaited his grand plan’s fulfillment. Full Story