Originally a Major in the Lebanese Army, he defected and formed the SLA and created the separatist State of Free Lebanon backed by Israel.

For years Haddad closely collaborated with and received arms and political support from Israel against Lebanese government forces, Hezbollah, and the Syrian Army.

[9] During the last few years of his life, Saad Haddad headed the Christian radio station "Voice of Hope",[10] initially set up and funded by George Otis of High Adventure Ministries.

The Voice of Hope was set up as a charitable endeavor to help the Christian enclave in Southern Lebanon, but it quickly became politicized when Haddad used it for political diatribes aimed at his many enemies.

[11] On 7 June 2012, Lebanese daily newspaper As Safir reported on the progress of Saad Haddad's daughter Arza (meaning "Cedar Tree" in Arabic) (born 1980 or 1981) as a researcher in ballistics and rocket science at the Technion University in Haifa.