Should we put Saddam Back in Power?

[bryant69]

Jonathan Chait, writer for the LA Times, has proposed that we put Saddam Back in Power. http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1126-26.htm

"The disadvantages of reinstalling Hussein are obvious, but consider some of the upside. He would not allow the country to be dominated by Iran, which is the United States' major regional enemy, a sponsor of terrorism and an instigator of warfare between Lebanon and Israel. Hussein was extremely difficult to deal with before the war, in large part because he apparently believed that he could defeat any U.S. invasion if it came to that. Now he knows he can't. And he'd probably be amenable because his alternative is death by hanging.

I know why restoring a brutal tyrant to power is a bad idea. Somebody explain to me why it's worse than all the others."

What do you think?

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[hippiechick]

1. So we can go back and 'liberate' Iraq from him again in 10 years ?

Hmmmm ....

[hlthe2b]

2. Bushies* are looking for a Saddam clone...

they aren't going to admit it, officially, but they've decided they need to bump Maliki and put in a dictator...

One thing's for sure-- the worst thing they could do is execute Saddam right now.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

3. I voted probably not.

In theory, I think it's a good idea. In practice, I think he'd harbor a LOT of hatred towards us, and after his (bogus) trial, I don't think it'd be a great idea, even for the people of Iraq.

I don't disagree with the idea that we'd need to install some form of dictatorship in Iraq, however. Well, WE shouldn't install it - it should install itself. There is no way those three factions, whom shouldn't be lumped together in the first place but will be impossible to separate into independent countries, will be able to play nicely under a democracy.

[Cocoa]

4. if only to hear them spin it

they'll be asking "do you really think Iraq was better off when Saddam was not in power?"

[hlthe2b]

5. ohh, the vertigo.... that spin would have me spewing for years..

But, it would be fascinating to watch and hear the "splaining"....:eyes:

[Virginia Dare]

6. "If I Could Turn Back Time"...

"If I Could Turn Back Time"

If I could turn back time
If I could find a way I'd take back those words that hurt you and you'd stay

I don't know why I did the things I did I don't know why I said the things I said
Pride's like a knife it can cut deep inside
Words are like weapons they wound sometimes.

I didn't really mean to hurt you I didn't wanna see you go I know I made you cry, but baby


If I could turn back time
If I could find a way
I'd take back those words that hurt you
And you'd stay
If I could reach the stars
I'd give them all to you
Then you'd love me, love me
Like you used to do

If I could turn back time

My world was shattered I was torn apart
Like someone took a knife and drove it deep in my heart
You walked out that door I swore that I didn't care
But I lost everything darling then and there

Too strong to tell you I was sorry
Too proud to tell you I was wrong
I know that I was blind, and ooh...



Ooohh

If I could turn back time
If I could turn back time
If I could turn back time
ooh baby

I didn't really mean to hurt you
I didn't want to see you go
I know I made you cry
Ooohh


If I could turn back time
If I could find a way
I'd take back those words that hurt you
If I could reach the stars
I'd give them all to you
Then you'd love me, love me
Like you used to do

If I could turn back time (turn back time)
If I could find a way (find a way)
Then baby, maybe, maybe
You'd stay


Reach the stars
If I could reach the stars

[phillysuse]

7. Tariq Aziz should be the new Sadddam

He's the obvious choice to install as the new Saddam - he's a Christian and thus is independent of the Shia-Sunni-Kurd fault lines.
He was the VP under Saddam and a Baath party loyalist.
Works for me.

[kentuck]

8. Maybe..

if he is not executed soon, we will have no say about the matter?

[RaleighNCDUer]

9. It wouldn't do any good --

Saddam was not just Saddam -- he was the Republican Guard and the secret police and the Baathist infrasturcture and the home-town connections. We've destroyed all those power structures that kept him in power.

He wouldn't last a month, if he was re-installed now.

The best, the only thing we can do now is to get all our people out and hope not too many more people die in the power vacuum before the Iraqis work this out themselves. Then pay a hundred billion to rebuild the country. Of course, we'd have to appropriate a few neo-con offshore accounts to afford that.

[npincus]

10. the brutal irony and waste of life

that Iraq was better off under Saddaam.

[Hippo_Tron]

12. We were better off with Saddam in power

Don't get me wrong, the man is evil, but he provided a great counterbalance to Iran. With Saddam in power we wouldn't even be worrying about Iran getting a nuclear weapon because Saddam wouldn't let it happen. It's far better that two of our enemies fight against each other than to eliminate one and have the other fight against us.

Plus history generally shows that we later regret meddling in the affairs of the middle east. If we hadn't toppled Iran's democratically elected government in the 1950's and just let Afghanistan fall to the Soviet Union, we would be so much better off today than we could possibly imagine. The Taliban in Afghanistan, Islamic theocracy in Iran, and the Saddam regime in Iraq would never have existed.

[LeftCoast]

11. The genie's out of the bottle now. Wouldn't do any good.

:shrug:

[-..__...]

13. Potential Republican nominee in 08?

At least it would be someone even Hillary could beat.

(just that little sticking point about being born a US citizen to contend with).

:sarcasm: