OBVIOUSLY, I do NOT have all the information that Trump has, but I would have handled this somewhat differently than Trump has done ...
* I would have declared a ceasefire (to reset the 60-day clock on The War Powers Act, if for no other reason) and asked for a meeting with the Iranians. In this meeting, I would have informed them that there would be no negotiating - they either agree to all of our terms or else. After they would have said no and stormed out, I would have rescinded the ceasefire and commenced U.S. and/or Israeli strikes to assassinate preselected Iranian leaders (especially heavy on those from the IRGC)
* I would have blockaded all Iranian ports and bombed all of their cross-country pipelines heading towards their eastern borders.
* I would have used the U.S. Navy to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping NOT heading to or from Iran with orders to destroy any drone, missile, plane, or boat sent against them by Iran. I would have U.S. drones, attack helicopters, A-10s, F-15s, and F-18s flying overhead to immediately hit the sites from which these Iranian attacks were launched. If necessary, I would have carpet bombed any areas where such launchings were frequently initiated.
* I would have allowed the Kharg Island facilities to fill up to overflowing and force the Iranians to cap their wells, and like Trump, I would just let it sit there - no need to further endanger the lives of U.S. military personnel trying to take the damn thing.
* I would have told the Israelis to annihilate Hezbollah, period, end of story. And, I would have ordered the Houthi areas of Yemen along the Red Sea to be bombed into oblivion - and would have tried to get the Saudis to participate in these attacks since the Houthis like to fire missiles into Saudi Arabia.
* I would have bombed all known IRGC bases and any known concentrations of IRGC personnel.
* I would have continued to use all of the financial measures at our beck and call to strangle Iran's economy.
* About 2 or 3 weeks after the failure of the first meeting with the Iranians, I would have called another ceasefire (while still blockading Iranian ports, keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, pounding the hell out of Hezbollah and the Houthis, and sustaining all financial pressures on Iran's economy) and asked for a second meeting with the remaining - and any newly selected - Iranian leaders. Again, I would inform them that there is no negotiation - they either agree with all of our terms or they die. If they say no, then I would rescind the ceasefire and start all over again. Wash, rinse, repeat. Wash, rinse, repeat. Wash, rinse, repeat ... until the Iranian regime is emaciated enough for armed (by us, of course) Iranian counter-revolutionary forces to eliminate the current regime's forces.
The main difference for me is that I would have put this on a much shorter timeframe and continued pressing with deadly force. I might be engaging in some wishful thinking ... and we would have suffered some more losses in personnel and equipment (such casualties would have been inevitable) ... but, I do believe this toxic thing with Iran would be pretty much over by now if we had done this.
If you are going to do it, do it right, as quickly as possible, and without any remorse.
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