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Were Iraqis really better off under Saddam?

Iraq's current security chaos appears to be inspiring a bit of nostalgia for Saddam Hussein’s days, though it is unclear who, exactly, is reminiscing.

Iraqi president Saddam Hussein admires a photograph of himself, presented to him by the Iraqi Information Ministry during an exhibition of gifts June 2001, presented to the Iraqi president for his birthday on April 28 2001. Picture taken June 2001.

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Iraqi President Saddam Hussein admires a photograph of himself during an exhibition of gifts on June 2001. The photograph was presented to him for his birthday on April 28, 2001, by the Iraqi Information Ministry. — REUTERS

BAGHDAD — The Baath regime led by former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein collapsed in September 2003 in the wake of the US invasion. Iraq has been uneasy ever since and has yet to recover. Every now and then, voices are heard measuring the current security chaos against the relative stability of Saddam’s rule (1979-2003).

But whose voices are they, really?

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