That was Iraq, this is Iran. Big difference.
I don't think you can look to the past on this one.
Sure Iranian regime is afraid. They also have been busy signing alliances with all their neighbors in case any of them are attacked.
Aside from this, you miss the impact that it may have on the Iranian people. Right now, the majority are pro-U.S.. It would be a great advantage to keep them that way.
I think anything that weakens the mullahs, strengthens the dissidents in Iran. I also believe Iranians are much more cosmopolitan thn most realize. Why do you need a nuclear reactor when you're sitting on that much oil? You certainly don't need it to generate power.
We're dealing with people who gave teenagers plastic "keys to paradise" and sent them out to clear minefields during the war with Iraq. These people will use nuclear weapons if they are ever allowed to develop them.
This is a threat to the very existance of Israel and as such there really is no rational case for the US to try to stop them from flying over Iraq to get at the nuclear reactor. If the Iranians did launch a nuclear weapon at Israel it is probable that they would also hit Iraq to try to kill as many Americans as possible. This would lead directly to Israeli nuclear retaliation against Iran and aside from the horrible civilian death toll there would be serious problems for the world oil supply. Do we really want to pay $10 a gallon for gas?
The solution to this problem is to let the Israelis hit them hard and hope that their impotence in the face of a Israeli attack will weaken the Iranian leadership. With any luck it could cause the government to fall.