U.S. Tolerated, then Villified Saddam Hussein

U.S. tolerated, then villified Saddam By CALVIN WOODWARD, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 54 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - When U.S. leaders decided it was time to despise Saddam Hussein, he made the perfect villain.

He was cocky and cunning. He looked dangerous and deranged standing at rallies firing a gun into the air, conduct unbecoming a head of government.

He was Hitler Lite, or as the first President Bush put it, "Hitler revisited," lacking the endless armies, but close enough for U.S. purposes. He had a history of atrocities. His black mustache heightened the aura of menace.

America's quarter-century entanglement with the Iraqi leader ended Friday at the gallows.

His hanging closed the books on a man who dealt with and benefited from the United States, then defied it, then ran like a rabbit into a hole in the ground, reduced to his own army of one.

Saddam's capture Dec. 13, 2003, was a rare day of triumph for the United States after the Iraq invasion. In contrast, his execution brought worries that violence would spike beyond its usual chaotic level.

more...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061230/ap_on_re_us/saddam_america_s_villain

Tolerated? How about aided and abetted until he was of no use to the U.S.?

the regions tyrants.

The British started this clusterfuck and we made it even worse.

n/t

After all, he was willing to attack Iran, and he did so, leading to the slaughter of millions. Reagan was happy to supply him with what he needed to slaughter Iranians, and Iraqis as well -- and Rummy went to tell Saddam the good news.

Some of us protested at the time, in the mid-1980s, that the U.S. should not support Saddam.

Made in USA

We didn't just tolerate him or support him, we MADE him.

"we killed a monster!" just to sound like the Republics. We created the monster! We are no better than he was.

Out, out, damned spot!

is what the dissociated and quite mad MacBeth says to his wife.

What the media is selling us today. How festive.