The fact that, we [as a society] find ourselves even asking such questions, says far more about our modern American society, than any quantifiable military successes or failures in Iraq! Whether such questions are being pondered due to: the outright ignorance of our average citizenry with regards to worldwide events, the ongoing failure of our Free Press to [honestly] report the news in a timely fashion [un-editorialized, to allow for their own political bias], or even an ongoing failure of our citizens to properly valuate Individual and Personal Freedom; it is readily apparent to all Real Americans, that our republic is in the most serious trouble of its [now] 200 plus years. Any one of these societal failings is dangerous but, the combined effect of all three, has the very real potential to bring the greatest of all the democracies to its knees!
There was a time in our nation, when the valuation of Freedom, an inherent respect for Human Rights and the lawful principles of Social Sovereignty also known as, The Consent To Be Governed, were held by all Americans to be of far greater value than any other [more transient] political considerations! Surprisingly, to many today, the Greatest Generation of Americans was actually given that title by the American Free Press for simply doing that, which was necessary in their effort to free our brothers in Europe; a mere two generations ago. Of course, much has changed in our society since then.
The only validity to this question is to be based upon the discernibly perceptible factors of societal peace and stability, which is [currently] existent in Iraq and yet, that is the least reliable method of making any such valuable societal determination! If we are to make such a decision, based solely upon the daily coverage of terrorist acts, then which Middle-Eastern nation is to be held up by us as the cultural standard, by which to judge, all others?
Israel, Syria, Iran, Lebanon, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, North Yemen, South Yemen, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Libya and every other Middle-Eastern nation, is rocked [daily] by car bombings and other acts of ongoing extremist terrorism! Are they all, therefore, failed political states? Or, are they [merely] to be the expected norm, in a political climate of [literally] warring ideals?
Amazingly, the democratization of Iraq has already brought about several significant benefits to the people of Iraq! Although open acts of terror still occur quite frequently in the streets of Iraq, the horrific acts being perpetrated are now the illegal terrorist acts of outlaws, rather than being perpetrated by the official officers of a deeply entrenched, repressive and despotic government!
The psychological effect of this new occurrence is highly undervalued, particularly by those having never lived under such a demoralizing system of governmental excesses. For the first time in decades, the once flickering flame of Hope is now burning brightly and methodically casting out the shadows, which have long held sway over the streets of Iraq!
Nor, are the very real freedoms, which the Iraqis now enjoy, going unnoticed elsewhere in the Middle-Eastern region! The political demonstrations in Iran, among others, are the direct result of democracy's tenacious and clamoring foothold growing stronger and more secure in modern day [Post Saddam] Iraq.
The fact that, True Democracy and Individual Freedom has a viable platform in the region with a verifiable track record of reasonable success, however humble it may be, has startlingly opened the eyes of its neighbors to its potential application elsewhere. Thus, that new hope, which was ultimately born in Iraq, is now spreading its influence across the desert sands like a brushfire!
Although the overall cost, born on our nation's shoulders, has been enormous in wealth, lives and material [particularly, in a time of relative economic disaster], the end result of George Bush's Nation Building Experiment is yet to play out in its entirety.
There was a time in American History [not too long ago], when we were pre-occupied with dominoes falling across the globe and Despotic Totalitarianism potentially covering the entire Earth. Since that time, however, much has drastically changed; despite claims to the contrary. Perhaps, it is [once again] time that, Freedom got its chance to prosper? It has certainly proven its worth, again and again, over time!
The only important answer to, whether Iraq is better off without Saddam Hussein, will come not from you, or [even] I; it will be answered by the people of Iraq, themselves, as our military troops complete their withdrawal and come home from a job well done!
If, even a reasonable fraction of that unprecedented 80 percent voter turnout is willing to fight and/or die for those prayerfully sought, hotly contested, and hardly won political gains, then Iraq will be substantially better off. However, if they value their own lives above that of their Freedom, then they shall ultimately enjoy neither for very long!
Over the millennia of man's history, many have traded their Freedom for a supposed peaceful, societal stability, and/or prosperity... in every instance of making that [endlessly] ill-fated choice, they have ended up with war, oppression and/or impoverishment!
What so many people fail to realize is that: Individual and Personal Freedom is the true political and economic engine behind our success in every human endeavor; it is the solid and sure foundation upon which all other structures may safely be built; and it is the societal balance, which hold societies and the people [who must ultimately form them] in check against one another, over the vast expanses of time.
It is true that, wise and benevolent despots do occur on a few very rare occasions, however, such so-called examples of Wisdom and Benevolence, are merely governmental tolerance for a limited societal freedom and the next despot will be rarely be so kind!
The real irony in this whole discussion, however, is that: even as the rest of the world is moving toward and embracing real world political freedom, The [self-proclaimed] Storehouse for Freedom and Democracy is moving away from its traditional societal moorings and steadily de-evolving into the socially mandated despotism of an artificially devised and purely statistical, majority! As one man [succinctly] put it: the road to Hell was paved with the best of intentions.