thought experiment: could the next ruler of Iraq be Saddam Hussein?

[Michael Eisenstadt]

from an article in the Christian Science Monitor

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said in an 
appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday 
that the US game plan remains the same: Get 
essential services going, get the Iraqi economy 
moving on an upward path, and transfer 
sovereignty and security back to Iraqis."

OK. American forces depart in the short term 
without Saddam being captured. He is hiding
in the Sunni triangle. What is to stop him
from rising up and retaking control of Iraq?
With 15+% of the population behind him, he
might well be able to overthrow whatever 
local administration the American forces 
leave "in control."

What then?

It is a common fear among the Iraqi that 
Saddam might return. They probably have a
better sense of that as a possibility than 
we do.