[mgc1122]

If we do, then lets “shock and awe” for real this time ... absolutely flatten every Iranian Revolutionary Guard base, port and asset.

[bolobaby]

...and if we’re going to have a “war for oil” maybe we should actually take some this time, huh? Because if the left is going to accuse you of it, you might as well...

[bioqubit]

If we do, then lets “shock and awe” for real this time ... absolutely flatten every Iranian Revolutionary Guard base, port and asset.

---

It gets stupid. The Iranians see the build up, they feel the tension, they sense our eagerness to attack. How do you say Potemkin village in Farsi? Get it? There is SO MUCH about our plans that are obvious and predictable. Their ‘countermoves’ are already in place. These clowns are going to be a whole lot smarter, resourceful and deceitful than Saddam could ever hope to be. Remember how Saddam talked about all the bluffing he had to do to slow down Iran?

They may not have the greatest weapon systems and we can be proud of being able to destroy them quickly, but this will in no way mean we have a victory. Those in Iran who still hate us are capable of functioning daily with a whole lot more suffering than you or I can appreciate. Plus, we would be dealing with a true insurgency on a scale most do not appreciate one whit.

So, the calculus for victory here is very different from blowing things up and taking over critical facilities.

It took us 5 years in a nation of 28 million to begin to turn things around at great expense. How long will it take to do the same with a nation of 70 million covering a much much larger land area? I happen to have an idea, but I don’t want to tip anyone’s hand, and I am sure the administration is thinking along these lines too. If it works, it will solve a huge number of problems.

[Mr. Silverback]

Operation Nimble Archer

Operation Praying Mantis

I'm not a military planning expert, but if the following is do-able, it's the plan we should follow, given the average Iranian's pro-American sentiment:

Start with the IRG, only engaging regular Iranian military as necessary to maintain air superiority.

Announce a brief (one day) operational pause, and let the Iranian military and the people know that this is their opportunity to rid themselves of the looney tunes.

If they don't do it, break the miitary. Kill every plane, sink every ship, plink every tank, cluster bomb every troop. Attack major infrastructure--bridges, power plants, etc. Make Iran choose between nationhood and jihad.