Quote:
Originally Posted by Rochard
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Now back to Iran.... Do the math. Iraq and Iran were in a war for over a decade where no one won. The United States destroyed Iraq in a matter of weeks. The Iranian military would be quickly destroyed. With that said, take a look at a map... Iran is right smack in-between Iraq and Afghanistan. We already have bases and military forces there.
We would destroy Iran from the air before they know what hit them.
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It would take pages to detail the issues with this claim, and I don't feel like getting into a huge debate tonight; but I do want to hit some highlights:
1) What country would the US stage its troops for a war with Iran? Look at the map. Unlike Iraq, Iran is not accessible to US ground forces or short-range air forces.
2) Iran has been preparing to repel a US attack that they have believed would be forthcoming for more than 15 years. They have extensive networks of mobile ballistic missiles of all ranges, extensive dug-in defensive positions and the most advanced military in the region (bar Israel).
3) I've read reports (not going to source this right now) that Iran has in excess of 150,000 missiles. They have massive air defences. They have MOABs.
4) They have invested heavily in military. The Iran-Iraq war took place beginning in 1980. That's 40 years ago. Iran's military is completely and utterly different than it was back then. It is an advanced and modern military that would also have been capable of destroying Iraq by air in a few weeks.
5) Iran has "home-field" advantage. The US would be operating a remote war, while also needing to defend against China and Russia on separate fields (Ukraine and Taiwan); and against N. Korea and pressuring Venezuela; and defending troops in Syria and Iraq. This is a very multi-front war. Iran could create chaos from Lebanon, Syria, Iran and Iraq.
6) Iran does not need to defeat the US military. It can defeat the US by blowing up oil production in Saudi Arabia or by blocking the Straight of Hormuz.
These facts create such problems for the US, that trying to compare victory against Iran with the military defeat of Iraq is pointless. Iran is a much more powerful and potent potential adversary, and it is hubris to believe that they can be defeated without devastating consequences for the USA.