[The Great Satan]

For example, envision an assassination of Saddam Hussein, accompanied by an unequivocal explanation to his potential successors that any use of smallpox will result in a nuclear response from us. This would require military action also in order to be a convincing threat; I don't know exactly what would be needed, but it would have to be severe enough to convince them that we were serious. (Words alone would not do it.)

That's the beauty of teaming up with al-Qaeda, from Saddam's point of view. There are guys sitting here right now who are just itching to get the combination to that locker in Grand Central Station, so they can get there 72 virgins. They are not going to be intimidated. They want to bring it on, and only Saddam is holding them back.

[the crow]

I would be curious as to your gentlemen's comments on the anthrax case from last fall. Do you think it was a warning from a foreign govt, or the act of the loner VRW extremist as they are trying to get us to believe?

Realizing it is an isolated incident, of course. /sarcasm

[Mitchell]

I wrote: For example, envision an assassination of Saddam Hussein, accompanied by an unequivocal explanation to his potential successors that any use of smallpox will result in a nuclear response from us. This would require military action also in order to be a convincing threat; I don't know exactly what would be needed, but it would have to be severe enough to convince them that we were serious. (Words alone would not do it.)

You responded: That's the beauty of teaming up with al-Qaeda, from Saddam's point of view. There are guys sitting here right now who are just itching to get the combination to that locker in Grand Central Station, so they can get there 72 virgins. They are not going to be intimidated. They want to bring it on, and only Saddam is holding them back.

So who has the combination to this hypothetical locker? Saddam Hussein and maybe one or two people close to him. If Hussein were assassinated, why would one of these other people release the combination to al-Qaeda operatives, knowing that it would inevitably lead to the end for him? Assuming the person holding the combination is not a suicidal maniac (but is the ordinary kind of maniac that runs dictatorships, someone who is interested in his own personal survival, success, and power), deterrence would work to keep him from acting.

The biggest danger is in not acting quickly when the time comes. If Saddam Hussein sees himself being slowly defeated, he'll have the opportunity to activate his sleepers. For this reasonm, he must be defeated quickly and with no warning.