Even if an insurrection could be mounted successfully, who would take Saddam's place? The Iraqi opposition is notoriously weak and divided. Saudi Arabia would be fearful of the risks of Iran seeking to create a de facto satellite state among the Shia population of southern Iraq. Likewise, Turkey would be concerned by the prospects of agitation for a Kurdish homeland that might seek to unite parts of northern Iraq with rebel forces in Turkey's south-east. As for tiny Jordan, how would it cope with another influx of Iraqi refugees?
Moreover, Iraq has succeeded in negotiating a string of sweetheart deals with Turkey, Jordan and Syria, providing oil to its neighbours at heavily discounted prices. They have been warned by Baghdad that any support for US strategy, either overt or covert, would see their supply lines cut.
Some warning, only valid for as long as Saddam controls those supply lines. Well, except for Syria.
--it's not a toothless tiger. A general war could see those supply lines cut by actual physical damage, from wellhead to end user, and everything in between. From US OR iraq itself. They might even be mined already in an armageddon /scorched earth gambit. Remember he torched kuwaits oil fields and it took some time to repair them. All that infrastructure would take time and serious folding $$$$ to replace, and there aren't a lot of alternatives for millions of people in those neighboring countries now that would be "handy" in an immediate practical sense. I think that's just one of the reasons that turkey wants a lot of assurances first. The decade+ embargo has really done a number on their economy, and jordan's as well..
Genesis 27
30 Now it happened, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.
31He also had made savory food, and brought it to his father, and said to his father, "Let my father arise and eat of his son's game, that your soul may bless me."
32And his father Isaac said to him, "Who are you?"
So he said, "I am your son, your firstborn, Esau."
33Then Isaac trembled exceedingly, and said, "Who? Where is the one who hunted game and brought it to me? I ate all of it before you came, and I have blessed him--and indeed he shall be blessed."
34When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, "Bless me--me also, O my father!"
35But he said, "Your brother came with deceit and has taken away your blessing."
36And Esau said, "Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing!" And he said, "Have you not reserved a blessing for me?"
37Then Isaac answered and said to Esau, "Indeed I have made him your master, and all his brethren I have given to him as servants; with grain and wine I have sustained him. What shall I do now for you, my son?"
38And Esau said to his father, "Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me--me also, O my father!" And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.
39Then Isaac his father answered and said to him:
"Behold, your dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth,
And of the dew of heaven from above.
40By your sword you shall live,
And you shall serve your brother;
And it shall come to pass, when you become restless,
That you shall break his yoke from your neck."
By your sword you shall live, And you shall serve your brother; And it shall come to pass, when you become restless, That you shall break his yoke from your neck."
Hmmm...