“Not needed, would bring personnel in easy range of Iranian weapons when we don’t have to.”
Let em try. Our stick is WAY bigger than theirs. Being closer WILL give them pause to carrying out attacks on us in Iraq; suggesting our retaliation will not be limited within Iraq.
Again - it is risking American lives for no reason. We can just as easily strike them from our existing bases and not expose personnel to attacks.
Or put another way, your idea would be on par with Indiana Jones in Raiders Of The Lost Ark closing in to melee with the huge Muslim swordsman instead of just shooting him with the pistol on his hip. It would be stupid, it would be dangerous and it would publicly be giving the other guy more status than he actually deserves. No, negligently eradicating then from a distance is better.