Podcasts · Russell Brand: On Trial

StoryCast '21: EP 14/21 Taking Down Saddam

13 Sep 2021 · 18 min

From Pauls Valley in Oklahoma, USA, Miles Hill always dreamed of joining the US Marine Corps. Growing up, family life was coloured by US military history - his grandparents served in World War Two and Korea. So when al Qaeda terrorists attacked the US on 11 September, 2001, it set in motion a chain of events that brought Hill to Iraq in 2003, as part of the Marine Corps. An idealistic 19-year-old, Hill had little understanding of geo-politics, but it was his absolute conviction that the world would be a better place without the Saddam Hussein. The Iraqi dictator had been a destabilising influence in the region since the 1990 Gulf War. Now accused of stockpiling weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) as well as forging links with al Qaeda terrorists, Hill and his fellow Marines were tasked with leading the ground invasion and deposing Hussein. On the morning of the invasion, military leaders warned of the bloodiest urban battle in US Marine Corp history. By the end of that day, Miles Hill would find himself at the centre of one of this century’s most iconic moments. In 2021, Sky News is marking some of the century’s biggest news events through the personal stories of lives defined by unforgettable moments from the last 21-years. Taking down Saddam is episode 14 of the 21-part series StoryCast ’21 CREDITS ‘Taking down Saddam’ was produced and written by Rob Mulhern. Recordings and digital Tom Gillespie Special thanks to Miles Hill and David Chater. Presented by Jayne Secker Sound Design, Rob Mulhern TV treatment, Victoria Hudson-Grant Archive, Simon Windsor Head of Radio, Sky News, Dave Terris Design and graphics, Brian Gillingham Social media, Chris Scott Press and Marketing, Alexandra Horton Email: storycast@sky.uk For more on this story go to www.skynews/storycast21 #StoryCast21

The episode on the publisher’s site ↗ (opens in a new tab)