The tendecy to forget is seen in many of the replies in this thread.
Saddam was described by former British Prime Minister Ted Heath as a "gentleman", Ted was a frequent visitor to Iraq and believede that Saddam had "been very good for Iraq", and another visitor was Rumsfeld a supporter of Iraq in the war against Iran, Rumsfeld did well for his US masters courting the dictator in his war against the enemy of the US.

Who encouraged the invasion of Iran? Who supplied Saddam with the components for the chemical weapons with which he drenched Iran and the Kurds? and who ensured that the charges he faced in his trial forbade the west`s culpability?.

Perhaps it is fitting that Bush went to bed early in Texas on Friday night, with explicit directions that he was not to be diturbed and leaving a prepared statement on Saddam`s execution.
The west helped create this monster, yet as justice was finally seen to be done, Bush pulled the covers over his head. Meanwhile, Blair is on holiday at a pop star`s luxury beach resort.

There is no doubt that the execution of Saddam marks the end of a dark period of Iraqi history, a dark period of Iraqi history is continuning. Sddam left misery in his wakein Iraq, but the US and the British are continuing to add to this terrible toll, and while Saddam has lost, and paid the ultimate price with his life, his captors certainly have won nothing yet.