How Washington and London helped to create the monster they went to war to destroy

[cal04]

When they hanged him, he was America's vanquished foe, likened to Hitler and Stalin for the murderous evil of his ways. What is forgotten is that once, for more than a decade, Saddam Hussein was staunchly supported by the US.

Indeed, it was Washington that supplied him with many of the weapons of mass destruction the dictator used against his foes - weapons that one day would serve as a pretext for the US-led invasion that toppled him.

The dealings between the US and Saddam's Iraq over the quarter of a century before 2003 are a story of deceit, miscalculation and strategic blunders by both sides. And they began, as they would end, in the shadow of a common enemy: Iran.

(snip)
Quietly, the US delivered the technology, weapons and logistical support to prevent Iraq's defeat. Its policy was symbolised by the cordial meeting in Baghdad in December 1983 between Saddam and a certain Donald Rumsfeld, then President Reagan's special envoy to the Middle East. Two decades later, as Secretary of Defence, he would plan the invasion that toppled Saddam.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article2114494.ece

[Psephos]

1. You forgot to mention France and Russia

and a host of lesser enablers, too.

Enough blame for everyone at the table to fill their bowl, sad to say.

Peace.

[Erika]

3. Rummy gave him the gold plated pistol

and the chemicals.

[Psephos]

4. Nice touch, wasn't it?

Seems like everyone loves a murderous dictator as long as he's got some oil.

Peace.

[Erika]

2. Yes. The U.S. GOP leadership built Saddam

and now it's coming to light, Yes.