Sadly back in 2003 I was convinced it was right, it would all work out, that we would get oil out of it (like Cheney promised.)
Granted.
To an extent, I too felt the same way.
However.
Being a veteran I was really --really-- uncomfortable with sending our precious citizens over there to die on behalf of peoples I considered, ahhhh, uncivilized? Not animals, but certainly not "civilized" as the west defines the term.
There was, IMO, a damned good & logical reason their ruler ruled as he did and it wasn't because it was a nation of kind, gentle people demanding a softy.
All aside from the point, though.
Point is: IF a direct threat existed to the USA?
Our tax dollars for decades have went to a military industrial complex which in turn has provided the republic weapons so fantastic they boggle the imagination.
Used in conjunction with satellite surveillance and some damned TOUGH NO NONSENSE DEMANDS *with* easily understood & short time deadlines? These fantastic weapons sh/c/would've been hailed upon the buggers until they capitulated, unconditionally. Period. War's over in minutes at a cost to us all we could deal with, not the loss of our precious irreplaceable loved ones.
Not one drop of American blood must EVER be spilled on behalf of peoples who, if they valued their own freedoms so much, would insist whatever blood's shed be their own.
What is done is done; but, the same damned mistake has been executed with aplomb again, in Afghanistan. Dammit anyway.
Why I feel as much as Iran needs to be knocked out cold, really smashed, and hard? It's up to the Iranian peoples to shed the required blood, for themselves, not anyone else!
Else they'll never value Liberty, never-mind holding on to it.
Now should Iran threaten us or our allies with their damnedable new nuke toys? The entire nation of Iran *&* every single one of the people living within must cease to exist. Period.
If I were leading the USA?
[That'd] be precisely what I'd hand write the asshole leading Iran in a very short note. Trust me, there'd be no question(s) from the idiot.