ISIS/ISIL make major gains in Iraq

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Reason #45 why Saddam Hussein should have been left in power.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Reason #45 why Saddam Hussein should have been left in power.

I have a feeling that what we'd be seeing had that happened would be far worse than what is happening now. Of course, there'd have been far fewer deaths in the country 2003-10, but after that one assumes there would have been an uprising, just as there was everywhere else, and it would have made Syria's conflict look like a polite disagreement by comparison.

That is of course assuming that he'd still be alive. He'd have been 77 this year - Stalin died aged 74 and Hafez al-Assad at 69.

Uday and Qusay would still be there.

Do you think they would be half-way competent?

Uday's Iraq would probably have a Pol Pot level of brutality.

Uday was removed from the succession, IIRC.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

The Kurds should seize the moment and declare an independent Kirkuk-based Kurdistan.

I was thinking the same thing this morning, but as noted above, that would couting the chickens before they hatch. I hope a completely independent Kurdistan results from this in the long term, though.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Pentagon Sends Aircraft Carrier to Gulf.

Ironically, it's the USS George H.W. Bush.

In 1998, George HW Bush wrote that invading Iraq would have been stupid.

And in 2003, he wrote a "daddy loves you" letter to his son telling him to do as he pleases with Iraq .

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

The judge who sentenced Saddam Hussein to death has been captured and killed.

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Well, that's ironic.

Wasn't Saddam tried by a panel of judges? I don't remember only one judge, but I was only 10 at the time so I may very well be mistaken.

I haven't heard any other sources confirming this.