<The one-man assassination route is out. Oh, there are dozens of mercenaries which would be willing to do it - and one of them would likely sooner or later succeed - but then every leader would be facing the same thing - assassins and snipers everywhere they turned.

Not a pretty picture.



I don't know. Kind of depends on your point of view. Might be the most entertainment we've had for decades. ;)



Some people--Rush Limbaugh is one--have theorized that all of this backing water on Iraq is a feint, designed to divert attention from some clever end run.



No-Fun because it will keep almost everyone with a brain out of leadership positions. (Though there's a case to be made that this is already so;-)

The end run is around the JCOS - so as to keep it a secret. Imagine this sort of scenario ;-) ...Bush instructs the JCOS to start building up forces in the region for a future attack. They say..."So what's the gameplan?" He replies, "Nothing concrete yet - but I want my options open." They say, "ok. Sure." - but when the build up continues and no specific plans are given to them - they get testy and know they are not being told what is going on. So they call up a favorite reporter and leak a little "dissatisfaction and concern." and viola! - a bit of news about our "top" leaders not knowing what's going on and an attempt to throw egg on Bush's face and present a "divided" government.

The JCOS are the ones in the dark. They know it now - because they were in the dark about the special activities folks on the ground in Afghanistan - so they know this President is going to work around them and not with them - and that naturally p's them off. Once there pet projects are canceled - they really knew the free ride was over.

So, they go to congress, go to reporters - go to anyone they feel can help them try to get back at Bush - or sway public opinion - and try to force him to go along with their agenda. (Being the 1940's style storm the beach invasion, requiring many ships, planes and tanks.)


I don't know about this myself. If so, it would have to involve that "big but not too big" operation you mention, small enough that the preparations would be undetectable. I personally don't see how this is possible. Even a "not too big" operation that could get the job done would probably be too big to hide.

Perhaps...but in the middle of a "
Big build up" you can already divert enough equipment and manpower for a "big but not too big" operation and a group of teams that are just waiting for the word "let's roll."

In a worse case scenario - we lose a good number of men and fail to get Saddam. But if we don't act and - another worse case scenario occurs - namely a city is nuked or hit with a bio-attack - many, many, more will die that could be saved.

Being President is a tough, thankless job - especially for a "Texan, execution-loving governor, idiot, corrupt, mega-mastermind Bush family elitist, coward, drunk-driving, tyrannical, fascist, unruly daughter raising, illegitimate President."

;-)

Take care Tom,

SDAI-Tech1