1. Saddam Hussein was more effective with the radicals because he trained most of them, paid suicide bomber bonuses, and bought them equipment. Most of the training was done at Salman Pak. They weren't going to hurt him because he gave them what they wanted.
2. Yes, we failed so badly in Germany, Japan, Philippines with that whole long-term occupation thing. Our problem is electing people who are willing to abandon other people. Character does count and anybody willing to kill a baby in a womb is willing to run from supporting Democracy in another country. Bush had purple fingers and girls in schools, Obama has Christian and children's heads on pikes. And everybody told him it would happen.
The Middle East is filled with Islamic countries where a ruthless and brutal leadership is a necessary ingredient for stability. Promoting “democracy” in places like Iraq is like teaching molecular physics to preschoolers.