Saddam has 3 hours to live once war begins

U.S. Special Forces have been inside Iraq for months and plan to capture or kill Iraqi President Saddam Hussein within three hours of an assault on Baghdad.

Undercover U.S. agents, CIA operatives and Special Forces teams are already in place in and around the Iraqi capital, reports the Sydney Daily Telegraph.

A government source in a pro-U.S. Middle Eastern country told the paper the plan to ''take out Saddam'' is designed to minimize infrastructure damage, increase the likelihood of Iraqi forces surrendering and save billions of dollars by avoiding a lengthy campaign.

Here's what Hussein has been doing in recent days, according to the report:

ordered members of his depleted air force to form a ''kamikaze'' suicide unit which will pilot Iraqi fighter jets Sept.-11-style into enemy targets;

added two new units to his forces – the Fidayee Saddam Army and the Special Protection Army. They join the regular army, the Republican Guard, the Special Republican Guard and the Alquds Liberation Army;

sent senior officers of his Special Republican Guard to monitor the regular army for any sign of revolt;

ordered the arrest of key officers in the air force suspected of treachery. They have been sent to the notorious Abu Graib Prison in Baghdad. Three air force officers – two captains and a lieutenant – who refused to join the kamikaze units were shot last week during the traditional Al Adha feast;

established a bio-chemical weapons training base at Al Naserieya, in southern Iraq for use as a last resort against coalition troops; and

drew up plans for a scorched earth policy involving the destruction of dams, bridges and oil wells.

Continued....

[pickel]

I believe that killing SaDamn would be counter-productive, at least quickly. I feel he should suffer as he had caused thousands to suffer from his chemical and biological assaults on the Iranians as well as his own people. Give him a taste of his own medicine.

[ClubMed]

I find it hard to believe that such information would be leaked to the press. I would put this in the propaganda and psychological war drawer.

[RudePuppy]

Who else thinks Bush has made a global mistake by saying UN compliance isn't enough - "Saddam must go"?

Should have blasted his ass over a year ago and screw the UN. Now, most of the world appears to be against us.

Infidels unite. Support President Bush (but it's getting dificult).

They also made similiar noises about Osama including a $25 Million bounty.

17 Months ago.

[Mike]

Isn't illegal for US to kill Saddam? Wasn't there some kind of thing made so we couldn't kill any foreign leaders?
Ahhh well who's going to argue if Saddam just turns up dead? We'd blame it on rebels in Iraq.

[SPEEDO]

They just better make sure they get all the Saddams, He has many doubles so they best keep track of them all before they decide to go whacking one of them. Whack one, Whack em' all......

[vass0922]

Mike, it is illegal unless during times of war. I also heard on the news the other day that Bush is considering overturning the executive order that does not allow us to assassinate a leader of a country.. but I've only heard it from one source so not sure how much truth is in it.

[Mike]

vass: If Bush did that, that honestly wouldn't surprise me.. Ahh only in times of war, eh? Well that explains it.

[willy_ph]

Doesn't "in times of war" mean that Congress must pass a declaration of war? Especially considering that the actions are being taken against another nation-state (Iraq), not a terrorist organization?