Thanks - I think some of you have explained things better than I could've!
The other thing I was concerned about - related to the above - and I actually just forgot to mention it (It's been bothering me all afternoon!) was that this enforced removal of pictures, and great haste to destroy all remnants of the regime, makes me think of Nazi Germany.
Again, I'm no expert, so I guess someone will advise. But, I've heard it said that German schools teach only "select" history of the Nazi regime as part of the curriculum. Please do correct me if I'm wrong on that point (as the rest of my concern is based on this). Isn't it true that we should learn fully about the mistakes of the past in order to avoid them happening again?
I know we have fantastic media resources in order to remember Saddam Hussein and his rule, but the total eradication of everything? Every monument? Everything which was ever called after him being renamed?
I don't mean to relate it to Germany again (and in fact this is just coincidental) but look how pleased we (cos I was there!) all were to rip down the Berlin Wall at the end of the Cold War, only for it now to be a preserved stretch of 100 meters of concrete. That's all that remains of something that is a major part of a city, two countries, Europe, super-powers.
And even on the Nazi subject - wasn't it Nurenburg or somewhere like that (sorry to be so vague) where huge displays of the strength of their fighting forces were held, only now the building is falling to pieces, crumbling, covered with grafitti.
Lest we forget, I guess.