Iraq is a mess because Bush and his ilk were too stupid, lazy, arrogant and foolish to read up on the culture and find out that the whole nation is nothing but Mafiosi style family clans and sects who operate on the basis of fear, vendetta and murder.
Saddam ruled there because he was even MORE ruthless than the clan warlords.
Blah blah blah, blah blah blah blah blah.
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Iraq is more of a mess because of many things. George W. Bush being but one of many factors. There would have been no invasion or entry into Iraq if it were not for the mistakes of the past. The British, The Ottomans, The U.S. under several adminitstrations. Let me take that last one-The U.S.
You are aware (hopefully) that it was the lackluster, lackballs, now whiner, President James Carter who pushed Saddam Hussein into many of the misdeeds which he carried out, are you not?
Back in about 1979, Saddam Hussein was second in command and back in Iraq. He had fled a number of years earlier after a botched assassination attempt. In July of that year (1979), President Al-Bakr resigned and Hussein took over. A few days later there were several dead Iraqis, mostly Ba'th party rivals (and remember Hussein was a Ba'th). Already, it was clear that he was still as cruel and murder minded as he had always been.
Fast forward to 1980 when Hussein got to be the first ever Iraqi leader to have a sit-down with Saudi Arabia leader Prince Fahd. (note: this was also the first time an Iraqi met so closely with the Saudis)
The purpose of the meeting? Carter was petrified. You see, Carter was in the midst of one hell of a botched Presidency and really wanted a second term. Sadly, there was a hostage crisis going on with Iran which was really screwing with his plans (not to mention the rest of his bungled Presidency). Carter listened to his pal Zbigniew 'the zipper' Brzezinski and started to push for an invasion of Iran by Iraq. Yup. Good ol' Iraq would rescue Carter and his peanuts. In point of fact, Carter requested the help of all the Arab states, and they gladly joined in. Iran was seen as a problem.
In September (the 22nd to be precise), 12 Iraqi Army divisions entered Iran, while at the same time fighter jets began bombing the crap out of Iran. Within a short time, Iraq had captured-and occupied-several key cities, including,Khoramshahr, Susangerd, Bostan, Mehran, Dehloran, Hoveizieh, Naft Shahr, Qasr Shirin, Sumar and Musian. They then targeted Abadan, Ahwaz, Dezful, Shushtar, Andimeshk, Isalmabad-e-qarb and Gilan-e-qarb with hundreds of surface-to-surface missiles.
After that,they began targeting oil tankers servicing Iranian ports, Iranian Oil platforms, and Iranian Islands in the Persian Gulf - with Exocet missiles and Super Etendard Aircraft supplied by France. Iraq's goal was to completely shut down Iran's oil exports, and grab land.
Iran was under an arms embarg at the time thanks to Carter, so there was little they could do to fight back. They had no access to more weapons. Besides which, Carter was funneling finance and arms into Iraq (through places like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan and elsewhere since the U.S. did not wish to seem too much in league or in like with Hussein).
So, at the end of the day, the mess as it stands now, goes back to Carter. Hussein rose to power and then was armed and financed by the U.S. (and others) who blindly looked in other directions. It was not until Saddam Hussein started balking and talking back at the mighty U.S. that it was decided he needed to be dealt with.
The comedy of comedy contiued in recent years as we (U.S. citizens of Iraqi heritage, and U.S. residents of Iraqi heritage, as well as those in Iraq and elsewhere in the world) watched the buffoon Carter shake his finger at George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush as the bad guys. No Mr.Carter, was the bad guy in this. If it had not been for him, Hussein would perhaps have been overthrown-he most certainly would not have been executed by the U.S.
So Phil, what it comes down to for the Iraqis, is that we in general see this entire 'mess' as you so mildly call it, as being the creation of Mr.Carter. George Bush was just another stick figure in it all.
(and Saddam ruled for so long because it was of beneficial merit to the U.S.)