Miscreant, people in Iraq I was speaking to before the war never said BOO against Saddam, although after he was gone and it was safe to do so, they certainly did.

However none of them wanted their country to be invaded, although if you had asked them if they wanted to be accepted as part of the world community again, they would have said yes.

The questions you ask are very important.

The Iraqis I know, both inside and outside Iraq were not happy with what happened after the invasion, and some have even said things were better under Saddam. This is rare, however there are reasons why people do say things like this. Its mostly about safety.

Incidentally, some of the people I have worked with experienced prison under that regime, many lost close family members.

Before the war many who had knowledge of the ME also predicted that the war itself would be a pushover, although there would be no hearts and flowers, and that the situation would eventually subside into an allout civil war. You didn't need a poll to predict what would happen.

You know - what you say is right ... but no matter how much people hated their ruler, it didn't mean they wanted to be invaded by an external force. Think bout it ... would you want that for your people?

Chances are you wouldn't.

If you must have an invasion - you also need to look at the reality on the ground - if you have sixty percent unemployment you don't import high paid contractors from the invading country to drive trucks - you employ local people. They are not fools, they have skills, and although in some cases they may need retraining, there are many capable people in Iraq. You have to respect the people who live in the country you have 'liberated'.

If not - you have to wonder what you are doing there in the first place.