[honway]

U.S. gave um to him in the 1st place during Iran/Iraq war.

Very true. I am still at a loss to understand the reasons for the transfer of biological/chemical weapons technology and materials as well as $2 billion in taxpayers dollars directly to Saddam after he "used chemical weapons on his own people."

Ironically, his history of using chemical weapons on the Kurds is used as a reason for the coming war.

[BlackVeil]

<You wrote that you are, "still at a loss to understand the reasons for the transfer of biological/chemical weapons technology and materials as well as $2 billion in taxpayers dollars directly to Saddam ... " You and me both. I didn't understand it then, and even less now. I would also like to know why the Western powers disgracefully joined Iraq in the first Gulf War, in the so called "tanker war", covering for his agression, shooting down a civilian Iranian aircraft, and bowing to Sadaam when he showed his contempt for the US by firing a missile into US Stark, with the deaths of more than 30 crew.