Quote from Vespasian:
Can the US afford a war with Iran ?
Yes, if we
1) use a sudden, unannounced 3 week air campaign only. Start by using every available cruise missile and stealth fighter/bomber, to flatten every radar installation, ship, airfield, missile site, military compound, propaganda, television, regional/national political and military building DURING THE WEEKDAY, when every possible cleric or military leader is at WORK.
Think 1,500 cruise missiles, launched simultaneously.
2) STAY AWAY from every moderate/liberal-inhabited site. Destroy the conservative/military leadership, that controls everything
3) Do not touch financial sectors, factories, residential areas or anything else that houses or employs the average Iranian. Take away his job/relative, and anyone can become a terrorist.
4) Do NOT retry the failed "Win the Hearts and Minds" that worked REALLY well in Iraq and Afghanistan
