Ali: The Mission: The feats of Muhammad Ali's remarkable life. In 1990, the boxing legend traveled to Iraq to press a plea for peace and negotiate with Saddam Hussein for the release of U.S. civilians taken hostage after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. Ali risked his reputation, health and safety for the freedom of prisoners held by Hussein as "human shields" to deter U.S. military strikes. Only six weeks after Ali brought 15 hostages back home to their relieved families, Operation Desert Storm bombarded Iraq.