--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The mistake that was made was, of course…" description: "\"The mistake that was made was, of course, leaving Saddam Hussein in charge of affairs.\" — John Dingell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78f/john-dingell-18603_affair_the-mistake-that-was-made-was-of-course_2167422.jpg" --- # The mistake that was made was, of course, leaving Saddam… ![“The mistake that was made was, of course, leaving Saddam Hussein in charge of affairs.” quote by John Dingell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78f/john-dingell-18603_affair_the-mistake-that-was-made-was-of-course_2167422.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78f/john-dingell-18603_affair_the-mistake-that-was-made-was-of-course_2167422.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78f/john-dingell-18603_affair_the-mistake-that-was-made-was-of-course_2167422.jpg) > “The mistake that was made was, of course, leaving Saddam Hussein in charge of affairs.” [John Dingell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dingell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leaving a controversial leader in power leads to future governance problems. **In simple terms:** Keeping Saddam caused later issues. Key Takeaway Ensure accountability in leadership selection. Themes leadership accountability history Mood critical inquisitive Type political historical When to use this quote - policy making - security assessments - historical analysis Key Concepts political risk authoritarianism Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms prevent poor leadership choices? - How can oversight improve? A Different Perspective Complex situations may require nuanced decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affair/) [Courses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courses/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Hussein Charge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hussein-charge-4625689/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Leaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaving/) [Leaving Saddam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaving-saddam-2556101/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Saddam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saddam/) [Saddam hussein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saddam-hussein/) ## Related quotes > [The mistake that was made was, of course, leaving Saddam in charge of affairs over there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dingell/the-mistake-that-was-made-was-of-course-leaving-saddam-in-charge-of/) [John Dingell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dingell/) > [Giving peace a chance only gives Saddam Hussein more time to prepare for war on his terms, at a time of his choosing, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/giving-peace-a-chance-only-gives-saddam-hussein-more-time-to-prepare/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Iraq is better without Saddam Hussein than with Saddam Hussein. Without a doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/iraq-is-better-without-saddam-hussein-than-with-saddam-hussein/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [I think all of the attention of the world, to include the attention of the Arab world, should be on Saddam Hussein and whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-think-all-of-the-attention-of-the-world-to-include-the-attention-of/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [There's no question that Saddam Hussein is a threat to the United States and to our allies. If Saddam persists in thumbing his nose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/there-s-no-question-that-saddam-hussein-is-a-threat-to-the-united/) [Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/) > [Let's be clear: Neither Secretary Powell or I opposed the notion of removing Saddam Hussein by force, but we wanted to avoid the war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armitage/let-s-be-clear-neither-secretary-powell-or-i-opposed-the-notion-of/) [Richard Armitage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armitage/) > [Saddam Hussein was an odious dictator, but he was also a very effective opponent of Iran. He was also a very effective opponent of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/saddam-hussein-was-an-odious-dictator-but-he-was-also-a-very/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [But the world is a better place with Saddam Hussein gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/but-the-world-is-a-better-place-with-saddam-hussein-gone/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [If it was up to the U.N., Saddam Hussein would still be killing his own people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-carlson/if-it-was-up-to-the-u-n-saddam-hussein-would-still-be-killing-his-own/) [Tucker Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-carlson/) > [There's no question that Saddam Hussein is a threat Yes, he has chemical and biological weapons. He's had those for a long time. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/there-s-no-question-that-saddam-hussein-is-a-threat-yes-he-has/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [Under Saddam Hussein, the nation of Iraq possessed and used chemical weapons against both their own Kurdish population and Iranian military forces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-b-rangel/under-saddam-hussein-the-nation-of-iraq-possessed-and-used-chemical/) [Charles B. Rangel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-b-rangel/) > [ \[Saddam Hussein\] could have easily reconstituted a program. He was a threat to peace before we went in. He'd have been a threat to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/saddam-hussein-could-have-easily-reconstituted-a-program-he-was-a/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-british-government-has-learned-that-saddam-hussein-recently/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [We are well aware that he spent many hours recently tape recording various messages... we need to do a little more analysis of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-hoon/we-are-well-aware-that-he-spent-many-hours-recently-tape-recording/) [Geoff Hoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-hoon/) > [ Asked who attacked America on 9/11, \[Sarah Palin\] suggested several times that it was Saddam Hussein. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/asked-who-attacked-america-on-9-11-sarah-palin-suggested-several/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by John Dingell > [The mistake that was made was, of course, leaving Saddam in charge of affairs over there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dingell/the-mistake-that-was-made-was-of-course-leaving-saddam-in-charge-of/) [John Dingell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dingell/) > [Nobody in this country realizes that cap and trade is a tax, and it's a great big one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dingell/nobody-in-this-country-realizes-that-cap-and-trade-is-a-tax-and-it-s/) [John Dingell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dingell/) > [War is failure of diplomacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dingell/war-is-failure-of-diplomacy/) [John Dingell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dingell/) > [The Congress has now become a fairly evenly divided entity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dingell/the-congress-has-now-become-a-fairly-evenly-divided-entity/) [John Dingell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dingell/) > [The DOE and DOD are among the most notorious offenders of our hazardous waste laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dingell/the-doe-and-dod-are-among-the-most-notorious-offenders-of-our/) [John Dingell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dingell/) > [I'm Polish, I carry no grudges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dingell/i-m-polish-i-carry-no-grudges/) [John Dingell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dingell/) > [Living wild species are like a library of books still unread. Our heedless destruction of them is akin to burning the library without ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dingell/living-wild-species-are-like-a-library-of-books-still-unread-our/) [John Dingell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dingell/) > [If we're going to spend a lot of money to deal with the problem of 200 million guns in the country owned by 65…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dingell/if-we-re-going-to-spend-a-lot-of-money-to-deal-with-the-problem-of/) [John Dingell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dingell/) > [If the president is failing to disclose material facts with regard to legislation being presented to the Congress on a question as important as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dingell/if-the-president-is-failing-to-disclose-material-facts-with-regard-to/) [John Dingell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dingell/) > [I think we will begin to see some real efforts made to do things like protecting Social Security and Medicare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dingell/i-think-we-will-begin-to-see-some-real-efforts-made-to-do-things-like/) [John Dingell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dingell/) > [This is one of the major problems we have. By the way, it was endorsed by leadership on both sides of the aisle and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dingell/this-is-one-of-the-major-problems-we-have-by-the-way-it-was-endorsed/) [John Dingell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dingell/) > [I don't take sides for or against Hezbollah or for or against Israel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dingell/i-don-t-take-sides-for-or-against-hezbollah-or-for-or-against-israel/) [John Dingell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dingell/) > [If we're going to change the laws, let's change them in ways which makes it easier to catch criminals, and yet at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dingell/if-we-re-going-to-change-the-laws-let-s-change-them-in-ways-which/) [John Dingell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dingell/) > [Mr. Dingell is just plain Mr. Dingell. And when he gets to be chairman of the Commerce Committee, he doesn't let it go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dingell/mr-dingell-is-just-plain-mr-dingell-and-when-he-gets-to-be-chairman/) [John Dingell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dingell/) > [If you talk to any of my Democratic colleagues who lost that year, they would tell that gun control was one of the major…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dingell/if-you-talk-to-any-of-my-democratic-colleagues-who-lost-that-year/) [John Dingell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dingell/) [Explore all 34 John Dingell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dingell/) ## More Affair quotes > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. 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Of course, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vita-sackville-west/for-a-young-man-to-start-his-career-with-a-love-affair-with-an-older/) [Vita Sackville-West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vita-sackville-west/) > [As long as the state permits itself to interfere in the affairs of literature, literature has the right to interfere with the affairs of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-brodsky/as-long-as-the-state-permits-itself-to-interfere-in-the-affairs-of/) [Joseph Brodsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-brodsky/) > [Love is mainly an affair of short spasms. If these spasms disappoint us, love dies. It is very seldom that it weathers the experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/love-is-mainly-an-affair-of-short-spasms-if-these-spasms-disappoint/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [The Fundamental Principle that governs - or ought to govern -human affairs if we wish to avoid misunderstandings, conflicts, or pointless utopias, is negotiation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/the-fundamental-principle-that-governs-or-ought-to-govern-human/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [My hope does not rest in the affairs of this world. It rests in Christ who is coming again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/my-hope-does-not-rest-in-the-affairs-of-this-world-it-rests-in-christ/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [In 1953, the United States played a significant role in orchestrating the overthrow of Iran's popular prime minister, Mohammed Mossadegh. The Eisenhower administration believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/in-1953-the-united-states-played-a-significant-role-in-orchestrating/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [Not everyone likes the stable, gradual rise of our country. There are some who are using the democratic ideology to interfere in our internal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/not-everyone-likes-the-stable-gradual-rise-of-our-country-there-are/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [The archives recall not one single incriminating incident, not one drunken escapade, not one reported affair, not one spat with a team-mate or reporter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atherton/the-archives-recall-not-one-single-incriminating-incident-not-one/) [Michael Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-atherton/) > [“I ripped the sketch from the wall. "Liar." Edward looked more ravaged than usual. 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