Gareth, the point I was making in relation to the CIA involvenent in the past - which is a term I use loosely here, as shorthand for the US Government - was that, in the light of past history, it would be as well to keep in mind the possibility that, in time, a new Strong Man will emerge in Iraq, with this being favoured by the US Government, as a way of keeping the lid on things.

Moreover the person who would end up on top is more likely than not to be involved in the organisation of oppositionto to the occupation. That's how these kind of things work in empires trying to withdraw from direct rule. For anyone like that, Saddam's elimination would be necessary, so perhaps it was someone like that who fingered him.