Saddam was no more than a self appointed dictator, it is easy to be elected when there is no other choice.
Well constant civil war with the Kurds in the north, various acts of repression against tribes he fell out with, and a pretty constant level of 'dissapearances' of those the secret police toook a dislike to could pass as stability.
There was no Iraq until it was magiced up by the 'Great Powers' after WW1 and the present state is based on a Turkish province and contains three radically different ethnic groups, along with a varaiety of other minorities, there are people livining in Iraq rather than Iraqis.
No country that has had a significant time under the control of a dictator has an easy transition into an other form of government, although I do think they Americans have not made it any easier by their lack of planning and understanding.
Al Quaida have just appointed a new leader in Iraq, so perhaps have not dissapeared quite yet.
Peter