proposal: should assert behave like static assert if its possible?

[dennis luehring]

hi group,

this is one of my function needed to talk to an siemens plc(sps)

int byte_bit_to_int( int byte_, int bit_ )
{
  // if bit_ is compiletime value
    static assert( bit_ <= 7 );

  // if bit_ is runtime value
    assert( bit_ <= 7 );

  return byte_*8+bit_;
}

and my question is how can i make the assert as save as possible
at compile- and runtime

my question for walter is:

can't assert behave like static assert if the value/condition is 
available compiletime

for example:

int x = byte_bit_to_int( 7, 9 ); // an static assert could do the check

int x = byte_bit_to_int( 7, random(8) ); // the normal assert is needed

ciao dennis