Iran is not an easy prey

But what makes some think that Iran will be that easily defeated?

AIR WAR - If just looking to do a decapitation strike on the leaders, and nullify their ability to make war, then such strikes would be fairly simple, and we'd easily be victorious. The majority of their Air Force would be destroyed on the ground before they knew what hit them. Likewise with C&C centers and supply lines. Those that did get moving, are now cut off from their command and wandering aimlessly to be picked off at will. The nuclear issue is really nullified. The down side being that we'd have to reveal a little more secret stuff than we may want to (HEL, etc.).

INVASION - On this I'll agree. This would make Iraq look like a cakewalk. Presently, the US does not have sufficient forces to even pursue this option without International assistance, and that is unlikely at best. Insurgents in Iran would be better armed, and with a variety of chemical weapons. If any nuclear material survived, this too would be catastrophic.

Originally posted by vincere7

Right taibunsuu, but they have already ruled out ground forces as they would have to commit on a large scale and they do not want another quagmire. When I said ground forces I should have been more specific. Ground campaign is what I should have said.

The country is too big for current operations to maintain strongholds on cities. Rangers, Delta, and SEALS for key installations? You bet. CIA green beret para's - absolutley. 1st, 3rd infantry, 101st - not gonna happen.

Iraq didn't become a quagmire until we tried to occupy the place. Rolling in and killing everything in sight was the easy part.

Anyway, I hate armchair general type stuff. I prefer talking about geostrategy in general. There are ways to apply a military solution, but of course that's only an extension of diplomacy. In that sense I admire what Iran's done in the Middle East to this point with their resources vs. what the US has done with theirs.

Originally posted by Gazrok

But what makes some think that Iran will be that easily defeated?

AIR WAR - If just looking to do a decapitation strike on the leaders, and nullify their ability to make war, then such strikes would be fairly simple, and we'd easily be victorious.

Decapitation strike was not so decapitory only 18 months ago.

Iran is not dependent on a dictator who uses a cult of personality like Iraq was. It was too hard to kill Saddam by air. It'd be impossible to destroy Iranian government by air.