I have played this scenario in my mind often: suppose not the USA, but Russia proclaimed it would overthrow Saddam. It would claim that Saddam had, would, will, or could assist the Chechnyan guerillas. Such a claim would be believable, since (unlike the USA) Russia has had a hot war on its own territory, and the Chechnyan guerrilas and Osama’s people are almost the same organization. But no one would support such a move by Russia, and everyone would condemn it.