A big threat to US invasion could come if Saddam can in someway encourage Muslims to flock to Iraq to defend a fellow Muslim country being attacked.

This is what happened with Afghanistan and it is not too stupid a concept for the Iraqis to play on. Arabs are notorious for putting aside bitter enmity when outsiders attack fellow Arabs.

The issue that Saddam might want to exploit is to involve nationals from other Arab states, & if he can pull it off, put these people in the firing line to invoke sympathies from their respective home countries.

After the assured US victory, the troops sent in have to maintain their victory & that may prove difficult. The options are to leave US troops there and you can bet these will become prime targets, more so than in Afghanistan, if Iraq can garner fellow Arab sympathy.

The difference between the Gulf war and this one that would change the picture, is that in tghe Gulf war Saddam invaded a fellow Arab area & thus was not in a position to get sympathy. But with US actually starting a war against an Arab country, Saddam will get sympathy. It is not unlikely that the warriors who fought in Afghanistan & need their fix of Jihad pie, may flock to Iraq to attack.

BUT, is all this war rhetoric just the republics whipping up domestic hysteria so thet the Reps can gain control of the senate. I am more inclined to believe that, that is a more likely outcome & afterwards, Reps might just back off & manipulate UN to come on board.

Doug Marker