It's been awhile since I read any of this, but I don't think he was duped. At least according to him. He faked having a weapons program because he thought Iran was his most likely threat and wanted them afraid. He figured if the US bought into it, they'd bomb him for a couple of days and then move on. His plan was to start a real weapons program after the bombing figuring the US would be unlikely to repeat another bombing campaign immediately.
I wonder if he wasn't concerned with the Kurds as well, but I don't think he ever mentioned them in his interviews or trial.