The C.I.A. no longer enjoyed significant support on Iraq from friendly Arab regimes in the region—Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan. Generally, they “thought that Saddam was our guy,” meaning that the C.I.A. had deliberately left the Iraqi leader in power as a counter to Iran and was perhaps cooperating with him secretly. “They said, ‘You didn’t kill him, you didn’t overthrow him—ergo, he’s your man. You slapped him for Kuwait, but he’s your man against Iran.’ ” Like Saddam, Arab leaders had difficulty crediting the possibility of American incompetence.
