Now are you missing anything?
Yes, you did. The Iraqi regime is based in the Arab Baath Socialist Party which is secularist and opposed to the Islamic fundamentalism. That is why Iraq was willing to fight US sponsored war against Iran.
You see, the situation in the Middle East is complex. Taleban movement was based on the groups supported by US against Soviet occupation forces in Afganistan. The most oppresive Islamic regime is in Saudi Arabia - the key ally of United States which guarantees the American control over the free flow of oil. At present the main enemies of Taleban are Iran and Russia and they support the Northern Alliance in Afganistan. Taleban is supporting Chechen Islamic radical Wahabites who are by religion the brothers of Saudi rulers. Chechen war is encouraged also from the West by the same factions of Western establishment which support Islamic radicals in the Balkans.
So cool down and maybe play some chess to stimulate your brain.
During Soddom's eight years long war of aggression against Iran, in which he slaughtered more than one million people, I flew in and out of Baghdad [Once seated a row or so away from ABC's Barbara Walters in the First Class cabin of an Alia Royal Jordanian Boeing 727] more that 60 times -- and, also during that time, made a number of overland trips between Kuwait and Bagdad -- on more than one occasion [Usually in a Toyota Crown rented from the Al-Mansur Melia Hotel] while the opposing forces exchanged tank and artillery fire over my head.
I missed nothing -- and I miss-stated nothing.
Soddom Hisownson -- the Butcher of Baghdad -- and now of Manhattin -- and every one of his obscene, mass-murdering gangster "government" -- are all for the dirt nap!