Profiler: Saddam's Not Insane

Feb. 25 -- Saddam Hussein may be a dangerous and brutal dictator, but don't make the mistake of thinking he's insane.

That's the assessment of Jerrold Post, a former CIA profiler who has developed a psychological portrait of the Iraqi leader by extensively studying his biographies, his speeches, his record of policy decisions, and interviews with people who have met him.

"This is not a madman. Let me be clear," Post said. "This is a psychologically whole person in terms of not being insane, but he represents the most dangerous political personality type, what's called malignant narcissism."

Post, who pioneered the CIA's use of the controversial discipline known as political psychology, believes Saddam's actions are guided by rational calculation — which is potentially predictable — rather than arbitrary whims.

"He is not crazy. … He is quite understandable. And in order to deter a leader, to work in crises against a leader, you have to have a nuanced understanding of what makes him tick."

In the 1960s, Post started a pilot project inside the CIA for developing personality profiles of world leaders. During two decades with the government, he studied the leading international figures of the day, though he cannot talk publicly about the profiles.

He can, though, talk about his profile of Saddam, which he developed after he left the government.

Profile: Born to a Depressed Mother

Post believes the roots of Saddam's personality lie in his childhood — as far back as his birth. "One cannot imagine a worse entrance into this life than Saddam had," he said.

Both Saddam's father and his eldest brother died while his mother was pregnant with him. Citing an account given by the family's neighbors, Post said she became "gravely depressed" and repeatedly tried to commit suicide and to abort the pregnancy. When Saddam was born, she did not even want to look at him, Post said.

The infant Saddam spent the first three years of his life in the care of a loving uncle, but was then returned to his mother, who had remarried. Her new husband was a distant cousin.