The problem with Iran is that essentially Washington has tried to avoid dealing with them.
Trying to get the rest of the Middle East to oppose Iran lead to even further coddling of the Saudis and their ilk.
Containment has a bad track record.
you’re right.
our men deserved better than to suffer hundreds of thousands of head injuries at the hands of IEDs, without being able to inflict WHOLESALE slaughter.
but you can’t go all Roman when you go in under the guise of freeing a country.