The Sheik of Baghdad: Tales of Celebrity and Terror from Pro Wrestling’s General Adnan
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The Sheikh of Baghdad is the true story of one man's journey across two continents to find his place in the world. It is an unbelievable rags-to-riches-to-rags story with wrestling as a metaphor for life itself. Adnan Alkaissy, better known as professional wrestling's General Adnan, can finally—safely—tell his story now that Saddam Hussein, once a childhood companion and later a threat to Alkaissy and his family, is in custody awaiting trial. An odd juxtaposition of two very different worlds, this incomparable life story encompasses both the hilarious tales of what life was like in and out of the squared circle of professional wrestling and stories of heartache and despair from a man whose country is trying to find itself once again. It is also the story of a man's desire to achieve closure on a separate life lived many years ago. Finally, it is a story about a man, now in his midsixties, who wants nothing more than to go home to a free and democratic Iraq so that he can finally introduce his new family to his old one. The Sheikh of Baghdad is the story of an Iraqi American trying to make a difference in this post-9-11 world by telling his story to provide a small ray of hope for peace in the tumultuous Middle East.
Customer Review: Sheikh of Baghdad a Winner
Adnan Bin Abdulareem Ahmed Alkaissey El Farthie, who is known in professional wrestling circles as Sheikh Adnan Alkaissy, recalls in his book, The Sheikh of Baghdad, that when he and Saddam Hussein were teenagers hanging out in Baghdad coffee shops, the tall, lanky, well-dressed and polite young man always had a book or newspaper with him, anxious to talk about Middle Eastern politics. Saddam was fascinated by the Baath Party that was gaining influence in Iraq at the time, and young Adnan could see that his friend would, one day, become one of their recruits.
Meanwhile, Adnan Alkaissey, who is allowed to use the title "Sheikh" because his father was the imam, or, spiritual leader of the Almahdia Mosque in Baghdad, was anxious to travel and see the world. Since he excelled in sports, particularly amateur wrestling, he decided to come to the United States via the American Friends of the Middle East on a football scholarship.
Adnan earned a masters degree in education from the University of Portland. Using his immense amateur skills, he financed his education as a professional wrestler. In a showbiz world where Canadians made the best Russian villains (Ivan Koloff); native Nebraskans the most believable Germans (Jim, "Baron"von Raschke), Adnan followed the example of Italian Joe Scarpa (Chief Jay Strongbow), and became Chief Billy White Wolfe. Adnan became a huge wrestling success.
In 1969, on one of several trips back home to Iraq to visit family, Adnan was "asked" by Saddam, now the Chairman of the powerful Revolutionary Command Council, to replicate his work at home. He had made a big name for himself in America, so, Saddam reasoned, Adnan owed it to his countrymen to show them that they, too, could be successful. Saddam wanted an Arab Champion whose struggles could mirror those of the Baathist Party. As you will read, Adnan could not refuse his old friend.
Sans Indian headdress and tomahawk, Adnan, who was appointed Saddam's General Director of Youth at the Youth Ministry, stages wrestling matches throughout Iraq and the Middle East. He becomes rich, a cultural icon as the Arab champion, and performs before hundreds of thousands of cheering fans. All the while, Saddam, who is giving the people bread and circuses and diverting attention away from his own plans, does not realize the matches he watches are performances.
Fame, as you will read, comes with a price.
The Sheikh of Baghdad is not a typical wrestler autobiography because it is a well-written, gossip-, beer binge-, drug- and raucous sexual exploit- free work. You'll laugh at how Saddam, fearful that Andre the Giant might actually defeat his champion, brings a solid gold pistol to the match, forcing Adnan to protect his huge opponent. You'll read sobering tales of Baathist cruelty but also of a man's desire to go back home one day and visit his family. Finally, you'll befriend an Iraqi who becomes an American, who lives the American Dream, and who wants others to have the same chances he did. The Sheikh of Baghdad gives a close look at life in Iraq under Saddam Hussein. It is evidence that Muslims and Americans can be friends rather than enemies, both in the ring and out.
Customer Review: One of the best Wrestling Bios I Ever Read!
Over Christmas, I was stunned to see a new wrestling autobiography, from wrestling's infamous "General Adnan". I snapped it up and read it, and was pleasantly surprised. This is one of the more interesting wrestling autobiographies to come out recently. (I've also read Ric Flair's and William Regal's.)
Older wrestling fans will remember the WWF's 1990 storyline coinciding with the Gulf War. In the storyline, Sergeant Slaughter teamed up with an Iraqi manager, "General Adnan", to side with Saddam Hussein's Iraq. In epic battles with Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior, these evildoers were eventually defeated. Slaughter became a behind-the-scenes employee at the WWE (still on television occasionally to this day), and Adnan disappeared. Who was this guy? I assumed he was just some taxi driver that Vince McMahon picked to play the role. Boy was I wrong.
Adnan Al-Kaissy really was from Iraq, and more than that, he was Saddam Hussein's official World Iraqi Champion for eight years! Adnan has a wealth of stories from his life, both from Iraq and wrestling in America's AWA as "The Sheik".
Older wrestling fans will be surprised that Adnan first wrestled in America as "Chief Billy White Wolf", and was the tag partner of Chief Jay Strongbow during the late 70s. (This shocked me, because I actually saw these two wrestle Mr. Fuji and his partner at the Capital Center in Washinton DC when I was a child.)
Later, Adnan returned to Iraq and introduced Pro Wrestling there. He would fly over friends from Europe and America, including Andre the Giant, to wrestle in the Baghdad arena. His opponents never won a match, however, as the Iraqis believed the wrestling was real, and would have killed the victorious foreigner. At every victory of Adnan, the crowds would fire off their guns in appreciation, terrifying the guest wrestler.
Adnan's stories about Saddam Hussein are the most interesting of all, and the most disturbing. Adnan knew Saddam from the time the dictator was 16 years old. Saddam was very political even then, he murdered a man who was a Communist rival. As Saddam climbed the ranks of the Baathist party, Adnan relates, he became more bloodthirsty and paranoid.
Saddam's paranoia, interestingly, was not unfounded. In 1960, Adnan relates how the entire Iraqi country watched on live television as their president was assassinated. They watched as he was strapped down to a chair, as thousands of machine gun bullets made his body smoke. The killings of Iraq's political leaders continued, president after president was murdered as the decades passed. Very informative, especially considering the political process that Iraq has today.
Adnan's story of how he became an American citizen, and how he yearns for a better future for Iraq, is spellbinding. Whether you're a pro wrestling fan or interested in the people of Iraq, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
