Is it really better that Saddam’s gone?

[webfact]

Is It Really Better That Saddam’s Gone?
KATHY GILSINAN

Tony Blair offered a qualified apology for the Iraq War, but found it harder to say sorry for removing a dictator

NEW YORK: -- “Of course, you can’t say that those of us who removed Saddam in 2003 bear no responsibility for the situation in 2015” and the rise of ISIS, said Tony Blair, the former prime minister of the United Kingdom and one of the leaders, with George W. Bush, of the drive to forcibly oust Saddam Hussein in Iraq. “But it’s important also to realize, one, that the Arab Spring which began in 2011 would also have had its impact on Iraq today, and two, ISIS actually came to prominence from a base in Syria and not in Iraq.”

Blair was speaking to CNN’s Fareed Zakaria in an interview that aired Sunday, and while he apologized for the fact that “the intelligence we received was wrong” regarding Saddam’s possession of weapons of mass destruction, he maintained, as other decision-makers of that era (and their relatives) have, that removing Saddam was a good thing. “I find it hard to apologize for removing Saddam. I think, even from today in 2015, it is better that he’s not there than that he is there,” he said.

Saddam was a tyrant and an aggressor, but are Iraq and the region really better off without him? Consider just some of the consequences of the war that removed him.

Full story: http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/10/saddam-tony-blair-iraq-apology/412450/

-- The Atlantic 2015-10-27

[dageurreotype]

Is It Really Better That Saddam’s Gone?

No. But at least they got his oil.

[Rancid]

No doubt Saddam was a nasty dictator, just like Gaddafi or Assad. However the power vacuum just ends up being far far worse.

Europe is currently getting it's reward in a cultural reorientation, but what has the US gained? Nothing as a country but some corrupt entities & people have done well.

So as always ask who benefits? Well who does benefit from formerly strong Arab countries now fallen apart and in quasi anarchy?

[Berkshire]

I've often wondered if a true democracy were possible in the Middle East. The evidence seems to suggest that it does not. The only choices appear to be a ruthless dictator or complete anarchy. The former would then be preferred if one requires order and stability. These folks just can't handle a truly free society. But that's what you get in a theocracy. Which makes me wonder why certain portions of the US (read the GOP) is always pushing to bring religion into politics. Doesn't work!

[ezzra]

As a tyrant and a mass murder that he was, he knew how to reign in the multitude that made Iraq,

some nations and cultures in this world are functioning better when an iron fisted dictator

is in charge..... and in hind sight, Iraq is not better now with it's so called " new found freedom ".....

[Thian]

Is George Bush still searching for the weapons of mass destruction?

[shirtless]

Its worse today than it ever was under Saddam, American foreign policy has failed yet again.It was a good earner for bush .

[steven100]

as George Bush said .......... who cares ... we just want his god damn oil !!!

[steven100]

Its worse today than it ever was under Saddam, American foreign policy has failed yet again.It was a good earner for bush .

it was cheney who pushed bush. he ripped & raped billions off the american taxpayes. and I mean Billions !!!!!

[nev]

One big mistake getting rid of him, it just opened a can of worms, he ruled the area with a iron fist and knew how to deal with all the different factions.

[lee b]

Is George Bush still searching for the weapons of mass destruction?

I think he is still searching for many things !

[arfurcrown]

Tribal societies need and must have an iron fisted warlord to keep the tribal factions in line.

That was proved by Saddam's rule and Qaddafi's rule.

Certain western politicians didn't like it broke the pattern and now we have and see only to plainly the consequences of those actions.,

The population within the region has devolved back at least a hundred years and now the overflow is spilling into Europe and if not contained will move Europe back five hundred years..

The delights of a western influenced democracy are indeed manifold in their dubious benefits!!

[oneday]

When you have someone like Saddam, the world will always be better off without them and there is no way anyone can predict what would have happened if he was still alive and in charge.

Yes, a dictator can bring a certain amount of stability, but that is no reason to tolerate a sadistic animal.

[SheungWan]

Tribal societies need and must have an iron fisted warlord to keep the tribal factions in line.

That was proved by Saddam's rule and Qaddafi's rule.

Certain western politicians didn't like it broke the pattern and now we have and see only to plainly the consequences of those actions.,

The population within the region has devolved back at least a hundred years and now the overflow is spilling into Europe and if not contained will move Europe back five hundred years..

The delights of a western influenced democracy are indeed manifold in their dubious benefits!!

The rubbish people come out with in order to justify their support for nasty dictatorships.

[Scott]

If ignorance is bliss, then it was better that he stay. I know the Kurds in the North, who experienced the Anfal, genocide and the death of close to a million people would disagree. I also know that the <deleted>'s in the south who suffered massively under Saddam would probably also disagree.

What he effectively did, was keep the foreign press from seeing, knowing or reporting on the atrocities going on in the country.

I have no personal idea, but while living in the country, it was pretty clear that a lot of people suffered greatly under his rule.

[vogie]

When you have someone like Saddam, the world will always be better off without them and there is no way anyone can predict what would have happened if he was still alive and in charge.

Yes, a dictator can bring a certain amount of stability, but that is no reason to tolerate a sadistic animal.

No we can't predict, but we can have a bloody good guess, come back Saddam all is forgiven.

[Berkshire]

When you have someone like Saddam, the world will always be better off without them and there is no way anyone can predict what would have happened if he was still alive and in charge.

Yes, a dictator can bring a certain amount of stability, but that is no reason to tolerate a sadistic animal.

I think the question was asked tongue-in-cheek. Not only was Saddam a "sadistic animal," his sons were worse. It was truly a reign of terror for many of the Iraqis. But the point is what's the solution? A western style democracy sure isn't.

[elgordo38]

No doubt Saddam was a nasty dictator, just like Gaddafi or Assad. However the power vacuum just ends up being far far worse.

Europe is currently getting it's reward in a cultural reorientation, but what has the US gained? Nothing as a country but some corrupt entities & people have done well.

So as always ask who benefits? Well who does benefit from formerly strong Arab countries now fallen apart and in quasi anarchy?

They did run things more smoothly than now. ISIS would not exist today Saddam would have squashed them like a bug. Libya is falling apart Gadafi would have things under control. Dictators are bad news but in this case Democracy is proving to be no shining beacon either. Again its "Democracy" experts trying to shove it down the throats of people that have been at war for centuries. Quit trying to sanitize the world.

[surfinglife]

Democracy and communism have one thing in common: neither works.

[Nemesis7]

So now blaming it on WRONG INTELLIGENCE???

Im not here to judge if Saddam was good or bad, but sure the county's economy was much much better than what it is today, and their Currency was very strong and now its has hardly any value.

So many lives were taken away in that unjustified war.

[chilli42]

I find it hard to apologize for removing Saddam. I think, even from today in 2015, it is better that hes not there than that he is there, he said

A liar or an idiot ... or both

[uksomchai]

Tribal societies need and must have an iron fisted warlord to keep the tribal factions in line.

That was proved by Saddam's rule and Qaddafi's rule.

Certain western politicians didn't like it broke the pattern and now we have and see only to plainly the consequences of those actions.,

The population within the region has devolved back at least a hundred years and now the overflow is spilling into Europe and if not contained will move Europe back five hundred years..

The delights of a western influenced democracy are indeed manifold in their dubious benefits!!

The rubbish people come out with in order to justify their support for nasty dictatorships.

As opposed to support for democratically elected despots who see nothing wrong in bombing the crap out of a country or arming terrorists to destabilize a country to implement regime change when they feel like it

Yes the West has brought freedom and democracy to the area and the people should be far more thankful for all our troubles

[SheungWan]

Tribal societies need and must have an iron fisted warlord to keep the tribal factions in line.

That was proved by Saddam's rule and Qaddafi's rule.

Certain western politicians didn't like it broke the pattern and now we have and see only to plainly the consequences of those actions.,

The population within the region has devolved back at least a hundred years and now the overflow is spilling into Europe and if not contained will move Europe back five hundred years..

The delights of a western influenced democracy are indeed manifold in their dubious benefits!!

The rubbish people come out with in order to justify their support for nasty dictatorships.

As opposed to support for democratically elected despots who see nothing wrong in bombing the crap out of a country or arming terrorists to destabilize a country to implement regime change when they feel like it

Yes the West has brought freedom and democracy to the area and the people should be far more thankful for all our troubles

And still they keep coming. One wonders whether Thailand has become a rest home for Old Stalinists of the type we used to listen to justifying their nonsense.

[2fishin2]

So now blaming it on WRONG INTELLIGENCE???

Im not here to judge if Saddam was good or bad, but sure the county's economy was much much better than what it is today, and their Currency was very strong and now its has hardly any value.

So many lives were taken away in that unjustified war.

Here let me help you. He gassed and murdered tens of thousands of his own fellow countrymen. He was bad. The world is a better place without him

[uksomchai]

Tribal societies need and must have an iron fisted warlord to keep the tribal factions in line.

That was proved by Saddam's rule and Qaddafi's rule.

Certain western politicians didn't like it broke the pattern and now we have and see only to plainly the consequences of those actions.,

The population within the region has devolved back at least a hundred years and now the overflow is spilling into Europe and if not contained will move Europe back five hundred years..

The delights of a western influenced democracy are indeed manifold in their dubious benefits!!

The rubbish people come out with in order to justify their support for nasty dictatorships.

As opposed to support for democratically elected despots who see nothing wrong in bombing the crap out of a country or arming terrorists to destabilize a country to implement regime change when they feel like it

Yes the West has brought freedom and democracy to the area and the people should be far more thankful for all our troubles

And still they keep coming. One wonders whether Thailand has become a rest home for Old Stalinists of the type we used to listen to justifying their nonsense.

Just which nonsense are you on about. I happen think Stalin was the greatest murderer in history and far worse than Hitler. You keep telling us we are all wrong yet never give us a reason ?

Edited October 27, 2015 by cdnvic
fixed messed up quote

[Toany]

And now Britain should open it's doors to the Iraqi refugees.

[marcosss]

When you have someone like Saddam, the world will always be better off without them and there is no way anyone can predict what would have happened if he was still alive and in charge.

Yes, a dictator can bring a certain amount of stability, but that is no reason to tolerate a sadistic animal.

tolerate a sadistic animal in his own cage, or get rid of the sadistic animal and unleash the venomous savages unto the rest of the planet. I think that I'd tolerate the sadistic animal. Thus I fully support leaving Assad as the ruler of Syria & keep it as the last middle eastern country from falling into the hands of an Islamic theocratic regime. Edited October 27, 2015 by marcosss

[marcosss]

Tribal societies need and must have an iron fisted warlord to keep the tribal factions in line.

That was proved by Saddam's rule and Qaddafi's rule.

Certain western politicians didn't like it broke the pattern and now we have and see only to plainly the consequences of those actions.,

The population within the region has devolved back at least a hundred years and now the overflow is spilling into Europe and if not contained will move Europe back five hundred years..

The delights of a western influenced democracy are indeed manifold in their dubious benefits!!

The rubbish people come out with in order to justify their support for nasty dictatorships.

As opposed to support for democratically elected despots who see nothing wrong in bombing the crap out of a country or arming terrorists to destabilize a country to implement regime change when they feel like it

Yes the West has brought freedom and democracy to the area and the people should be far more thankful for all our troubles

yes, these ungrateful sods should be thankful for the chaos and misery that the west & in particular the US has gifted them.

[marcosss]

So now blaming it on WRONG INTELLIGENCE???

Im not here to judge if Saddam was good or bad, but sure the county's economy was much much better than what it is today, and their Currency was very strong and now its has hardly any value.

So many lives were taken away in that unjustified war.

Here let me help you. He gassed and murdered tens of thousands of his own fellow countrymen. He was bad. The world is a better place without him

gassing his own countrymen? Compared to the US decimating the entire country and leaving it in complete chaos? Your absolutely irrational if you believe Iraq is now a better place. Or maybe your a GW fan boy that believes that there were weapons of mass destruction as well.

[2fishin2]

So now blaming it on WRONG INTELLIGENCE???

Im not here to judge if Saddam was good or bad, but sure the county's economy was much much better than what it is today, and their Currency was very strong and now its has hardly any value.

So many lives were taken away in that unjustified war.

Here let me help you. He gassed and murdered tens of thousands of his own fellow countrymen. He was bad. The world is a better place without him

gassing his own countrymen? Compared to the US decimating the entire country and leaving it in complete chaos? Your absolutely irrational if you believe Iraq is now a better place. Or maybe your a GW fan boy that believes that there were weapons of mass destruction as well.

Im thinking you didnt do,so well in school. Please tell me where in any part of my post did I say any of the blabber you wrote.....there wasnt even a punctuation mark of the crap that you wrote.