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.
Geopolitically, it would have not been overly helpful. Sure, he might have thrown some water on whatever Iran was trying to do but it wouldn't have been much considering the state the Iraqi forces were due to years of sanctions and no-fly zones. I consider it unlikely we would have seen a pseudo-detente as we did with Syria, unless Saddam was "replaced" by someone else like Addouri.
Saddam would have been far wiser having never invaded Kuwait and turning himself into a pariah, or should have aimed a bit higher and tried to enlist some neighbouring states in an attempt to dismember Saudi Arabia. Which, honestly, would have been easier than it sounds. That, and bringing Shi'ites into the fold of the regime- but that's probably verging on fantasy.
