The "public" plans are a diversion, so devious that they are almost Clintonian. The elimination of Saddam is only the intermediate variable, the rationale for all else that will happen. The ultimate objective is the destruction of the anti-Israeli Muslim empire, while perserving the area's oil. We go in to take out Saddam but also take out Iran, reinstalling the House of Pahlevi, replace all the House of Saud with younger, much more compliant and western thinking princes, turn care of the holy places over to the Hashemites and the UN, and destroy the extremists in all the area, including those in Libya, Sudan, Yemen, and Syria. Indonesia, Pakistan and Egypt become "Turkified," where no cleric is allowed political power and the military guarantees a dynamic, non-religious society.
It will be almost like _The Godfather_, at the end, whenn ALL the problems are solved with one orgy of violence. It will be called "The Last Crusade," and shouldn't last more than three months. The really painful and tedious stuff will take place later when the Europeans want to take over.
Ahh... if only it was so.