Saddam was a pawn in the game of influence in the Middle
East.
His overthrow of the Baath administration and subsequent
self-installation was given the silent nod by the Yanks, and in
1984, Donald Rumsfeld visited Baghdad and was given a reception by
Saddam himself, during the early stages of the Iran-Iraq war. The
French sold Saddam SAMs, and Mirage fighters, the Yanks allowed him
to use WMDs against Iran.
