Saddam was a brutal dictator who would have probably been deposed by his own people in this Arab Spring movement. There’s no earthly way removing him was woprth $1 trillion and 4,400 American military lives plus some 660 US civilians killed, hundreds of thousands of Americans wounded, some hideously; and 125,000 or more Iraqi citizens killed. Removing Saddam has put Shi’a in control of Iraq giving Iran a easy opening to expand its regional influence.
If we are very lucky, the reasonably corrupt Nuri Al Maliki Government will hold on. However it is far more likely that the Islamic firebrand Cleric and Iranian stooge, Muqtada al-Sadr will win the next election there, and that by taking out Saddam we will have made the region far less stable.
The right-wing argument that Obama withdrew too soon is absurd psycho-talk. We’ve been there 9 years. To stay longer when the Iraqis wanted us out and wanted to set their own destiny would have only prolonged the inevitable, and further run up the costs in blood and treasure. I am coming to realize that Republicans in general are ignoramuses on defense, skilled only at chest beating and boasting of their great powers; and that George W. Bush was chief among the bragging buffoon corp.