The 1970s proved to be a pivotal decade in the life of Saddam Hussein. At the start of the decade, he finalized various agreements with the USSR that ensured the end of the Kurdish rebellion in northern Iraq and a continuous supply of sophisticated weaponry.
If that wasn't enough, a series of pacts with France helped him avoid international boycotts after the nationalization of Iraqi oil. France supplied weapons like the Mirage F-1 jets and Gazelle helicopters. They also helped Iraq begin chemical weapons production through collaboration with the Institut Merieux. Most importantly, it gave Iraq access to nuclear weapons.