I apologize if my international law is a bit rusty, but can't we assassinate Sadaam Hussein if we make a declaration of war? If that's the case, the solution to this conflict could come rather simply: find his location, assign people in position to assassinate, declare war, assassinate him after may a day or two had passed (to provide evidence that we hadn't actually sent the assassin until war was announce), then allow his sons to take the throne. If his sons are as morally bankrupt and sensual as reports have made them out to be, their rule would be weak at best, and they could be defeated in a more standard military assault during the regime change, before they'd managed to build up allies. Although I'd hate to see Sadaam made a martyr, it would solve the problem, wouldn't it?

Regardless of law, Hussein would be dead by tomorrow if we knew where he’d sleep. We don’t.

Its an Executive Order!!!!

This site (http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/forum/forumnew68.php) gives a good legal overview of the executive order. As you might expect, it’s for show only, apparently issued to make nice with international law, which already prohibited assassination. Yet “Executive Order 12333 in no way restricts the lawful use of violence against legitimate enemy targets.” The article makes the point clear that anyone the US chooses to whack need only be labeled an enemy target, at the whim of the President.