Ah, what a romance it was! From Morocco to Bahrain, many Arabs a decade ago would practically swoon as they described their adoration of the man who defied America during the gulf crisis. Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was the valorous knight, defender of the Arab cause. Arab nationalists debated whether he bore a closer resemblance to Bismarck or to Saladin. In widespread pro-Iraq protests, the refrain in the streets was "With our blood, our souls, we will sacrifice for Saddam!" Some Arabs even swore they saw the face of Saddam on the surface of the moon.
While Arab public opinion...
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