Look. Israel has 200 nuclear weapons, and the means to deliver them. There are no indications that Saddam is suicidal, however murderous. On the other hand he could well be nuts enough to kill as many people as he can just as a last throw, if he'd going down anyway.

After all, it was the official policy of the United States to do exactly that, though on a vastly greater scale, throughout the Cold War - Mutual Assured Destruction it was called, so why should we expect anything better from a man like Saddam?