[SteveH]

However, yes, obviously, they are much different. We are talking concrete (not mud) and modernized bunker-type tunnels more like those of Nazi headquarters. I'm convinced if we get inside one or two of these, because of his need to be mobile, it would lead to all others. Even if he blows one, you could probably dig through pretty quickly. And he can't blow all of them. So this is not at all like Vietnam.

I suppose I had booby traps in mind, along with lack of a quick escape route.

I disagree. Someone else posted yesterday that the way to do this is to clear a zone, move the people out, check them thoroughly, then readmit the "free Iraq" loyalists to the cleared zone. At this point you would need the "free Iraq" people close by to help clear people in and out.

Clearing a zone to begin with is, I would think, the hardest part.

But this is the last resort---it's all moot when Saddam, his sons, and one or two of his top thugs are room temperature. You cannot convince me that many of these people will continue fighting for a "regime" that exists only in their minds.

I would not be so optimistic. Support for Saddam crosses national boundaries, and is common to many Arabs in the region. But what it really is, I think, is a cameraderie based on common ethnic, linguistic, religious, economic, and political ties. In such an environment, killing Saddam will probably elevate him to martyr status, without necessarily resolving immediately all the issues that gave rise to the cameraderie to begin with. Some Iraqi leader in exile such as Khoumeni could even pop up. I don't like it, but that is how I see it. Although I do agree that it would be nice if the local population were to give up the fight after Saddam was gone.

[LS]

Again, they won't like us. But the Arab world respects power. Notice how things settled down in the Mid-east after we took Afghanistan. Pakis got real friendly, Iran quieted down. If we can pull this off, we will be the big kahuna in their eyes. We do have to GET OUT, then, though.