The U.S. will proceed to position our forces as if we plan a conventional attack (and to give us the option of engaging in such an attack at any time). But meanwhile we'll infiltrate our special forces into Northern and Southern Iraq under cover of our air power in the "no-fly zones". Our aircraft will intensify their activities, and start hitting some targets without waiting to be "locked onto" by radar. Any suspected missile launch facility will become fair game. Soon missile sites in central Iraq, outside the "no-fly zones", will be targeted.
This is our "slowly boil the frog" strategy. We just keep increasing our military action but hold off the massive air and land attacks. We launch special forces raids on suspected WMD facilities. We assist anti-Hussein Iraqi forces in the north and south. And we allow fear and defeatism to percolate throughout the Iraqi government and military. Saddam has to keep purging and fighting off coup attempts (or suspected attempts), and he becomes more and more isolated, spending most of his time hiding in underground bunkers.
As long as the U.S. holds off on full-scale war, Hussein will be unable to use his WMDs against Israel, since that would immediately trigger massive retaliation and all-out war and make him appear responsible. Meanwhile Hussein can cling to the (vain) hope that the pressure of "world opinion" might yet prevent a U.S. attack.
Eventually Saddam and his government crack apart from the pressure, and our Iraqi allies take over with virtually no loss of U.S. life.
I think this is a good scenario. Instead of them forcing attrition to U.S., U.S. bring attrition to them. The success of this operation depends a lot on political operation to alienate and enlist part of Saddam's regime in exchange for new life after Saddam's death. But I fear that Saddam doesn't want to wait for his slow eventual death. He will come up with some excuse to launch those missiles. He will go down in flames whether we like it or not. It is theoretically possible to outmaneuver him, killing him or capturing him before he launches those missiles. But it is unlikely. On the other hand, I am pretty sure that he will be the one who launches WMD first not U.S.
Regarding the initial analysis of this article, I think that the Russians here in this thread underestimate the newfound friendhsip between our nations. Should this jihad grow, America and Russia will become natural allies against Islam, forgetting all else. Why not? Russia is a Constitutional Republic, they have their own Islamic troubles, and the economic interdependence between us will only grow in the future. Russia and the US could logically become more than allies - call it a joint venture - or even a merger at some time. (Wouldn't China love that!!!) Already, Russia is our #2 oil supplier - and trying to become #1 ahead of Suadi Arabia. Personally, I think we should tell the Saudis to pack sand, and buy all of our foreign oil from Russia. That alone would break the Arab's financial empire in only months. After all, they have NOTHING else worth owning.