All very valid points gentlemen, which I acknowledge.
I feel his sons would have been able to take over when he died, much as Bashar did in Syria. Whether Iraq would have collapsed into civil war triggered by the Arab Spring, I don't know. The youth unemployment wouldn't have been as bad as other countries, nor would initial protests have been likely to be allowed.
I chucked in the comment about world safety because, although not relevant to your point, it was one of the stated points by the Bush Administration.
Can I prove it? No, though I would contend that Saddam had no intentions of annoying America or the west, and was passionately opposed to Iran, and there are now factions with power (though not all are in Government) in Iraq who do and aren't respectively. Thus the world is less safe.