I think he was kept but not a captive, hidden and tolerated because of the inevitable defeat to the Baathists his capture represents.
Think of the social fall this man has experienced, all as a result of his own ill-conceived policies:
He has lost his seat of government, allowed Baghdad to be conquered for the first time, completely lost his credibility with the Iraqi people, has lost his sons, his family, his vast fortune has either been confiscated, dissipated or stolen and he has been living in a hole across the river from one of his palaces.
I think of the old King in 'Ran', the brilliant adaptation of Leer by Kurosawa, as he stumbled across the smoking volcanic waste after losing his kingdom, his heirs and finally his very soul all to his arrogant prideful foolishness.
I also think we will be able to extract and extrapolate some very valuable data from Saddam, as we decant him for every scrap of intel he may may hold.
But the comparison to Leer is profound, and the literally lowlife way saddam has lived is begging for a great writer.
The story of saddam's rise to power, his ruthless grasp on power and his utter fall from power could become an archetypal story.
Ed