Eighty percent of the country will fall to us within a week to ten days. The oil fields will be in our hands; the Western Desert with its airfields will be in our hands, thus providing reassurances to Israel that no attack will be launched from there. As to the other twenty percent, it is hard to foresee how it will turn out. The Republican Guard and the security forces may decide that enough is enough and remove Saddam, or they may decide to hold out.

The real question is what happens on the next day. The United States will have to demonstrate that it is indeed an effective steward for the Iraqi people, that there is food, clean water and medicines available. The removal of the sanctions will improve the standard of living of the Iraqi people and this will encourage them to welcome the events leading to the removal of Saddam Hussein.

The successful exercise of power has a major impact on public opinion. Moreover, having 80,000 troops next to Syria will facilitate a conversation with Bashir al-Asad about shutting down or severely curtailing the activities in the Beka Valley. The presence of American troops along the Saudi border will help to change the rhetoric of that regime. It will foster the hunger of the people to be rid of the oppressive mullahs in Iran.

James R. Schlesinger is the publisher of The National Interest and chairman of The Nixon Center's Advisory Council. He has served as Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Energy and Director of Central Intelligence.