General Discussion

The great risk of starting this thing in the first place is we have no leverage unless a number of improbable things happened as a result. The primary one being regime collapse. That didn't happen. It was a long shot to begin with. So now we have no options. Not even paper ones since we've been shown to be a paper tiger for all the world to see. No options short of a full US military mobilization which is politically and economically suicidal. And Gulf fossil infrastructure would catch even more damage, perhaps irreparable, and we may still not win it.

There's a very good reason no US admin since Reagan attacked Iran militarily no matter what Iran was up to. It's a trap. Geographically and economically. Donnie was stupid enough to go there. Now, we have no viable options other than take the best bad deal we can get and hope for the best.

Sometimes shooting is the worst possible option you can take. The blowback can be immense and last for generations. We're now living exactly that.