> and I don't believe it can be argued that Iraq is any better off with Saddam gone > [....] My point would just be that populism and revolution do not necessitate positive outcomes.

The current worse state of Iraq ( post Saddam ) is nothing to do with populism - and all to do with foreign inference.

Though I agree with the general point about revolutions - one of the key problems with violent revolutions is quite often the most hardline nutters ( of whatever flavour ) tend to end up in charge as they are the most prepared to be violent.