is war with iran a good idea?
362550
No. We are spread pretty thin right now. How many wars or peace keeping missions do you think that we can handle at one time? Let us try to to do all we can to try to prevent any more wars with other nations. We need to clean up our messes in Afghanistan and Iraq before we can get involved with another country.
519674
I see the Point of the Article.....But  I think the Administration is taking the right Approach here,This is my opinion why:1-The younger Generation of Iran do not like its Gov. Policies.Wouldnt be surprised if some or all allied nations trying to stir people against war.2-Irans leader has been making unprovoked threats to many nations,making this a European problem as well.Because of types of threats,War could very well mean WWIII.I think Administration is hoping that our Allies take the lead in any negotiations because Irans military capabilities make it a bigger threat to europe.3-If it comes to American military involvement,look at a map,to see where our soldiers are with regards to Iran.With Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan,Fleets in Persian Gulf, And our bases in Europe and Asia,we are well positioned Militarily.Although my personal belief is that Iranian leader is Crazy(literally)I hope this situation resloves itself.The majority of young Iranians are just like us,they want to live like us and european nations,its just that they have a lunatic with a very large military loyal to that lunatic for a leader.Please note that my opinion is based on what I know and learned through discussions with Iranian Immigrants at school.\nSorry 4 any typos...heavily medicated....
674029
Absolutely NO, the war is over.\n\nEDIT: Not even Iran, there is no reason whatsoever to EVER use an atomic bomb.
1017539
No war is not a good thing, and anyone who thinks so should enlist instead of watching for updates on 'their side' on CNN.\n\nThere is never a good enough reason to kill innocents and you can't avoid killing innocent people in a war, no matter how hard you try.\n\nI truly hope, and my hope may be foolish that we'll one day see a time without war, without the world having to come to an end.
523838
If we invade Iran it will be a grave mistake for one they can fight back ,its not as easy as invading Iraq (and we've turned that into an impossible situation). Also my personal opinion is that whilst were pointing the finger at Iran and getting all above ourselves there are bigger nuclear issues  that are being avoided like North Korea and China that have nuclear capability and would without a shadow of a doubt, whilst every ones focus is off them attempt to take over the world. (and could quite possibly succeed)
353218
Why do people keep asking this question?\n\nThe US isn't invading Iran anytime soon.  Besides, in order to have a World War, you generally need most of the countries in the world to pick sides and fight each other, and that's NOT going to happen.
563474
yes, Iran would be justified to fight back.\nWould the US come and help out?  More than likely so.\nThere are treaties indicating that one country would come to the aid of another ally should that ally be attacked.  That is how WWI turned into a WW from an internal thingamajig of the Austrian Empire
1167061
Some strategist with the grand plan had to know this, so I'm not sure what the logic was in dismantling Iran's enemies before going after them.  Maybe the same logic at work that said toppling the sectarian dictator of Iraq who was keeping the religious fanatics from tearing each other apart was a good idea.  Or maybe the same logic that said starting 2 or 3 major wars in the Middle East would curb Islamic fundamentalism.\n\nAll I know is that our economy absolutely cannot mathematically sustain a 3rd war, and I estimate 6 to 8 months after the first bomb hits Iran for total "Great Depression" style economic collapse of the US.   This collapse was inevitable in 20 to 30 years before, but our government spending spree has accelerated this enormously, coupled with the "housing boom" that has seen $9 trillion more in home loans.  Over the next 30 years we, as American taxpayers and private citizens, will end up owing $54 to $100 trillion, and that is ONLY if we start doing balanced budgets NOW (it could get much, much worse).  Another war will absolutely break us.\n\nOnce it becomes more and more clear that we won't be able to pay this off, the dollar takes a nose-dive.
358761
It is dangerous for numerous reasons:\n\n1.  The Iranian President is a madman, who threatens to destroy Israel and Western civilizations because he feels they are attacking Islam.\n\n2.  If he acquires nuclear weapons, the US has roughly 150,000 troops in the region.  They would be sitting ducks...\n\n3.  If Iran attacks Israel, the US will have to get involved militarily.\n\n4.  The Iranian President came to power by fixing the election in his favor.  One who achieves power this way cannot be trusted.\n\nDid I forget anything?
145148
I think so. Iran is wanting nuclear weapons. They should live under the same rules as everyone else.
221682
If the US went to war with Iran, I would side with the Iranians. I am not sure we would have ANY allies. \nYes, we have the technological capability to project force and \ninflict major losses to the Iranian military. This would put " paid" to any expectations of maintaning control in Iraq and we would be seen as a nation of war criminals.\n\nAs a Muslim country, Iran would be seen as a victim of US military aggression throughout the Islamic countries and this might cause irrepairable harm to any standing we still have in the Middle East.  We would become the Great Satan, as we were described in the years following the Iranian Revolution.\n\nSuch an attack could unify much of the Middle East in a way not previously achieveable and have disasterous social, political and economic consequences.  Forget oil from the UAE.\n\nAS to nuclear devices: Iran is at least 10 years away from having nuclear weapons. Recently India, ( which like Pakistan developed nuclear weaponry ) was allowed futher access to American nuclear technology even though it has never singed the Non Prolifertion Treaty. \nNorth Korea has developed its own program as well.\n\nBased on the foolish rhetoric coming from the early days of the Bush Administration, Iran probably feels threatened by being labeled as part of an Axis of EVil by a hypocritical United States president who led his nation into a war for access to Middle Eastern Oil - under false pretenses. \n\nHaving already mired us into a 3 year quagmire, our forces would be stretched to a breaking point if we open another major front.  Not only would world opinion condemn the US, but most of the poplation would hold this government accountable as well.  I could be the end of a lot of things. \n\nThese are interesting times.
408433
Prepare yourself for the unthinkable, war againsty Iran may be a necessity.\n\nThe UNIMAGINABLE but ultimately inescapable truth is that we are going to have to get ready for war with Iran.\n\nTehran threatended the US with 'harm and pain' for hauling them before the UN Security Council over its nuclear program. The rapidly intensifying crisis is like a train on a collision course.\n\nWhile we were chasing phantom nukes in Mesopotamia, next door, Iran was busy building real ones.\n\nThe unavoidable reality is that we now need urgently to steel ourselves to the ugly probability that diplomacy will not now suffice, one way or another, unconsciounable acts of war may now be unavoidable.\n\nThose who say war is unthinkable are right. Those who say the US should not send young boys to die in the Middle East far from home are right. Those who say war will foster more violence in the Middle East are right.\n\nMilitary strikes, even limited, targeted and accurate ones, will have devastating consequences for the region and for the world.\n\nAll the argument against a strike are fearfully powerful. But multiplied together, squared, and then cubed, the weight of these arguments do not come close to matching the case for us to stop, by whatever means necessary, Iran from becoming a nuclear power.\n\nIf Iran gets safely and unmolested to nuclear status, it will be a threshold moment in the history of the world, up there with the Bolshevik Revolution and the coming of Hitler.\n\nIran has stated that they will 'wipe Israel off the face of the map." They've stated that the 'holocaust was fake.' And the kind of society we live in and cherish in the West will change beyond recognition if Iran becomes nuclear. We balk now at intrusive government measures to tap our phones or other intrusions into our civil liberties. Imagine how much more our freedoms will be curtailed if our government's fear we are just one telephone call or e-mail, one plane journey or truckload away from another Hiroshima.
299349
I'm sure the USA would never be so stupid as to get into a war with Iran. \n\nDoes anyone really think we could withstand a war against Iran when China and Russia will back Iran? I'm not sure if N.Korea would get into it but for sure it would be WWIII.
37791
The answer to that question is both yes and no. Iran’s President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, understands that the world is still suffering oil shock from the recent natural disasters, in addition to the fact that the majority of the US Army and Marines are stabilizing Iraq. This entire plot to stare down the world is merely a tactic of “shock and awe”. \nThe bottom line is no other Middle Eastern country other than Syria has shown support for their actions. Also, no European or North American countries are supportive of their actions. \nIf embargos were enacted and Iran began withholding its oil, the world would not come to an end. Sure prices would rise, but often the will of the people is stronger than any economy or dictator. \nIf all trade was ceased between the majority of the world and Iran, the economic repercussions for Iran would be disastrous. As it is, the government is terribly unstable, faces daily democracy marches, and only gains support through Islamic extremism and terror. \nFinally, if war were to break out, Iran is positioned right between two US allies, Afghanistan and Iraq. This would provide ample staging areas for any type of offensive. Also, as demonstrated during the first gulf war and to some extent during the second, the American and European militaries are designed for short term hit and run tactics which allows modern technology to be used most efficiently. If Iran was to stop selling its oil, it would hurt many countries that might have had a neutral stance at the beginning. With this being true, any military action could easily see the most global coalition that modern warfare has ever seen.\nacansco@yahoo.com
402373
I just spoke with a friend who's preparing to go to Iraq for the military.  Now he's not sure where exactly he'll be headed (Iraq or Iran).  But he and I agree that it is best to address the Iran issue BEFORE it becomes a PROBLEM.  It's easier to fix now than later.
561339
Don't think for one second that we are not considering it. Anyone who thinks we is just plain naive. The problem is that if Iran acquires Nuclear capabilities the fear is that they will use it against us. It is not so much the threat of an outright attack from Iran as it is them giving some terrorist group a bomb to smuggle into Washington. The difficulty is, that shortly after 9/11 took place Iran signed a military agreement with Russia. If we attack Iran then by agreement Russia would defend them. That is just as DANGEROUS as the first possibility. The proverbial fit is about the hit the shan. We have worked hard over the post WWII decade to avoid nuclear devastation. It looks like now the lid is about to pop off either way we go.
227977
We probably will go to war with Iran, but not until 2007.  This is an election year and Congress is not going to approve anything which will infuriate the public right before half of them are up for reelection.