[Bender]

So you are ready to sacrifice thousands of lives for that?

It's not up to either of us but to your point I suspect that will occur regardless of what you or I desire. We stepped into the bog of eternal stench that is country #7 Iran. This has been planned for a very long time but every president has been able to back out of it.

Trump started it and only has authorization for about another 5 business days but I suspect congress will begrudgingly approve bipartisan authorization to not only keep our soldiers on the ground but to send another 500k to 700k as anything less would likely be ineffective against their defenses. This can not be solved by technology alone. I can only hope that we undo what we created 50 years ago and give Iran back to it's people and stop the endless proxy wars. Since I can spend hope it's free and nearly meaningless I also hope we welcome our soldiers back with more dignity than we did for the Vietnam veterans this time.

[olelele]

Is Iran yours to "give back" to its people?

[Bender]

Is Iran yours to "give back" to its people?

Obviously not me personally but is absolutely up to the USA that created the current Iranian government to do so. We made the mess and should clean up the mess. Iran used to be one of the top five most technologically advanced countries and one of the most progressive countries in the middle east up until the point we twerked it up by putting zealots in power and repeatedly funding them.

[olelele]

From what I know the Islamic republic was founded in part as a reaction to US & British meddling in the internal Iranian affairs. Do you really think the US can achieve anything positive by putting troops on the ground? Have you learned nothing from Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam or Korea?

[Bender]

From what I know the Islamic republic was founded in part as a reaction to US & British meddling in the internal Iranian affairs.

Yes, exactly this. The US (CIA) and Britain (MI5) were playing let's topple a government and this was the outcome. Even if indirect the end result is that we created the current mess. What I stated holds true.

Do you really think the US can achieve anything positive by putting troops on the ground?

I did not say that. I said that is the only way the desired end result is going to happen and that toppling them through technology will not work such as air strikes, electronic warfare and such. There will be mass casualties, I said that.

Have you learned nothing from Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam or Korea?

It is not up to me to learn something. If it were up to me there never would have been any kinetic wars at all. I prefer to start with economic warfare and then use discreet covert operations until they succeed. It takes longer but people are impatient and greedy. That's not my fault as far as I know.

I've enjoyed our conversation but I must get back on the gaming machine and sink some pirate ships to get my reputation up with the Brethren. Perhaps we can pick this back up tomorrow.

[olelele]

I'm not sure the desired outcome will be achieved. Iran is not a pushover. Good night!

[Bender]

I'm not sure the desired outcome will be achieved. Iran is not a pushover.

I have no idea what the actual outcome would be other than it would take a massive force and there would be significant (greater than 13%) losses. I defer such simulations to W.O.P.R. and I agree they are not push-overs. That's why every president when suggested to take them on has declined. There are some theories that have suggested they would eventually have to be taken on as part of some global reset and some global push back to the petro-dollar but they are just theories.