I was there in 1985. I could travel with my wife, unescorted between Mosul and Baghdad by private car without any fear of being attacked. We could shop in the Mosul open market at night without any fear. Iraqi men and women were treated as equals. As Christians we could celebrate Easter and Christmas. There was internal security. The country was poor at that time because of the Iraq/Iranian war, a war in which America and the West supported Saddam because he was protecting the oil fields of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia from being overrun by the Iranians.
So how was the current mess created? Weapons of mass destruction? - none. Involvement in the 'Twin Towers'? -none. Bush/Blair ego - in abundance
DV