Indeed, the purpose of having biological and chemical weapons - as well as the delivery system he was perfecting before the invasion - was to ensure he had a free hand in whacking his less powerful neighbors, aiding terrorism in the region, and hitting his Kurdish population. They were a threat designed to prevent EU and US intervention. His four-stage rocket, which came close to completion, was designed to have enough range to strike European capitals. Of course, he's putting the best spin on it all that he can - whyever not?

I was wondering the same thing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran%E2%80%93Iraq_War makes for a harrowing read.