If they use overwhelming force they can break into it. The cost will be 2000 to 3000 casualties on the US side. 2000-3000.
i've read military strategist say they figure that the pentagon is planning on 5k in body bags.
i have no doubt that they went into this expecting to lose that many. they can also afford to according to the polls. support for the war goes up when it includes sending in ground troops. just an air campaign, it goes down.
their opposition to war barely budges with regard to how many troops might be lost.
when it comes to iraqi civlian deaths, support plummets too. military, ok; civlians, not ok.
http://pollingreport.com/iraq2.htm
i think this has to do with 9-11 and the fact that people made a distinction between Saddam Hussein and the citizens of Iraq.