****How is Israel counting on us to bear the brunt of any retaliation?****
Through Mutual Defense Treaties (pacts).
- We go with Israel, and say the UK does Australia too.
- Iran gets Russian, North Korea and China.
- The 'EU' stays neutral (at first anyway)
That does it - WWIV. Mushroom clouds across the world with Ruskie nukes raining down on the USA (not my idea of a good time) and the UK, NK and Chinese nukes taking out Australia. But being we're the USA, like WWII, we'll get the biggest burden.
And that's the same way stupid WWI started - mutual defense pacts. All because a GD anarchist killed Archduke Ferdinand and Serbia wouldn't turn the maggot over. And then WWII with Poland and GB, etc, etc, etc.