[noiseman]

What utter nonsense. This is like Mike Tyson fighting Pee Wee Herman, and someone counseling Tyson to “be careful not to punch Pee Wee, because he might retaliate, and we don’t know what he’ll do.” I guarantee that for any action that Iran can dream up, we have a reaction that is infinitely more destructive. This fear of Iranian retaliation may have been reasonable when you had two presidents who were only willing, at most, to take symbolic action. However, Trump is not Bush or Obama, and if Iran continues to push this I guarantee he will unleash hell on them. No more “proportional” responses.

This whole mindset that has governed our foreign policy in the past is one of trying to “contain” enemies, and then hoping that you don’t upset them in some way when they start acting out. That’s absurd, and is playing not to lose, like the old “prevent defense.” It’s also like putting an unrelentingly defiant child in time out, instead of spanking him, when he refuses to behave. What do you do in that scenario when the kid continues to defy you?

If we instead wage overwhelming and decisive action against the Pee Wees of the world, when they try to attack us, we may see different outcomes. No nation building, no trying to install “democracy.” Our guiding principle should be that we will live and let live so long as no one threatens or attacks Americans or America. But threaten or harm so much as one American, anywhere, and you should expect your demise to come swiftly from above.

[Gator113]

Agreed.