Fionn, you have heard all the arguments put better than I could. It has been debated here and I have things on my mind just now. But I have always admired your posts as the most thoughtful and balanced on this forum, so i will not duck your direct question.
Saddam is a tyrant in the mould of Hitler and Stalin. He has dragged a country with the worlds second largest oil reserves into poverty through misrule, and embarking on disastrous wars against his neighbours.
Even under sanctions he is allowed to sell oil for food and medicines. Instead he squanders it on dozens of obscenely lavish and sprawling palaces, and on weapons programs, leaving his people in some parts to starve or die for want of basic medications.
Similar monsters such as chaucescou have been toppled because there were men and women willing to risk their lives to liberate their own countries. Few would be brave enough to risk the lives of their extended family as well, and to see their daughters gang raped and slaughtered before their own execution.
How loathed must he be to need to do this to stay in power?
How evil to stoop to it?
When a minister questioned one of his schemes, Sadaam casually shot him. Now every maniacal idea is hailed as his most brilliant and insightful, making him ever more unstable.
This man threatens the stability of the region.
He has ambitions to be a great Arab leader. Secular regime, but building mosques faster than any nation, and Saddam having himself shown at prayer, to aid his schemes.
There ara Islamic democracies. I do not believe that Arabs are congenitally unsuited to it, they have just never had the chance.
I say again, I think the ordinary Iraqi will bless us.
If I am wrong, I will grovel on this forum.
Keith.