Why does Iraq inteligence matter?

[Volker]

Because we seem to living in alternate realities here, all I know to do is to try to reference some substance.
White House - Saddam Hussein’s Deception and Defiance
Center for Nonproliferation Studies
U.N. condemns Iraq's refusal to cooperate with inspectors
Inside Saddam's secret nuclear program
Iraq's Continuing Programs for Weapons of Mass Destruction
Iraq experts: Saddam pushing ahead with weapons program

They made up stories.

He was a cult of personality. He never had a thought about what was best for the people of Iraq. He was like Kim Jong Il, or any other cult of personality figure, his pride would never allow him to resign or admit doing anything wrong. He new he would be defeated one way or another with Bush as the US president. He'd rather be seen as a victim than a defeated tyrannical dictator- so tried to sell the victim narrative. He is still trying to sell it to this day.

Saddam is a savvy politician.

Yes, but for savvy politician it would be more comfortable to play victim in a mansion somewhere than in a prison, so I doubt, he had planned it this way.