"...This might be explained by the fact that the whole process for registering births, marriages and deaths was exceedingly primitive. At this time it was the custom for the authorities to give all peat children the nominal birth date of July 1; it was only the year that they attempted to get right." This would certainly explian why a certificate presented in one of Saddam's official biographies gives July 1, 1939 as the date of his birth. In fact, Saddam acquired his official birth date from his friend and future co-conspirator, Abdul Karim al-Shaikhly, who came from a well established Baghdad faily adn so had the advantage of possessing an authentic birth date.
From Saddam: King of Terror by Con Coughlin. It's an enlightening book. Should be required reading for Hollyweirdos et al.