DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - How close would we be to war with Iran if McCain had been elected?

**Falik** · 03-05-2010, 02:21 AM

Lost in all this is the general lack of need to put ground troops in… at least in any large numbers or formations.

A very doable plan might go something like this:

An air campaign to remove their air defense systems and coastal
An air campaign to damage their nuclear facilities
An air campaign to destroy their major military formations and equipment not listed above.
A sea blockade shutting down all oil exports and all imports of any type including gasoline.

All the while calling for the current government to surrender and hand themselves over to the UN. Not the US… to the UN. The UN then to sponsor, and monitor new free and open national elections in 90 days.

If necessary take and hold (from the sea):
Kharg Island,
Lavan Island
Kish Island,
Abadan,
Bandar Mahshar,
and Neka,

While keeping the Strait of Hormuz, open and flowing.

40k air and sea personal?
12-15k Marines IF, if we have to take the oil terminals. And hey… just what might they do? Human wave? They don’t have an air force. They don’t have much of a Navy… and will have less after the first 24 hours. Army? Most would be destroyed in the same opening air assault. So… they going to fade away? Fine… won’t be a guerrilla war if there is no occupying force now will there? Attack the Marines holding the terminals? With full air and naval support? Good luck with that.
On a limited, but overwhelming force campaign it is Iran that quickly runs out of options not the US.

If we wanted to go a step further, the regime is already on unstable footing. It wouldn't take a whole lot for us to disrupt the regimes forces, and let the Iranian people already in the streets do the rest. Having a few division sized formations set loose in the Iranian interior to help secure the major cities would go a long way.

The greatest risk is the stranglehold the regime has on the mechanisms of civilized life. We saw in Iraq what happens when the trained bureaucrats pack up and go to ground. In this case I think there is enough opposition politicians to fill the gap, so that we can avoid a long term occupation.

On that same note, thats why it is so vital at home to avoid dependence on government.

03-05-2010, 02:21 AM	#22
Falik Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 518 Senior Member	Lost in all this is the general lack of need to put ground troops in… at least in any large numbers or formations. A very doable plan might go something like this: An air campaign to remove their air defense systems and coastal An air campaign to damage their nuclear facilities An air campaign to destroy their major military formations and equipment not listed above. A sea blockade shutting down all oil exports and all imports of any type including gasoline. All the while calling for the current government to surrender and hand themselves over to the UN. Not the US… to the UN. The UN then to sponsor, and monitor new free and open national elections in 90 days. If necessary take and hold (from the sea): Kharg Island, Lavan Island Kish Island, Abadan, Bandar Mahshar, and Neka, While keeping the Strait of Hormuz, open and flowing. 40k air and sea personal? 12-15k Marines IF, if we have to take the oil terminals. And hey… just what might they do? Human wave? They don’t have an air force. They don’t have much of a Navy… and will have less after the first 24 hours. Army? Most would be destroyed in the same opening air assault. So… they going to fade away? Fine… won’t be a guerrilla war if there is no occupying force now will there? Attack the Marines holding the terminals? With full air and naval support? Good luck with that. On a limited, but overwhelming force campaign it is Iran that quickly runs out of options not the US. If we wanted to go a step further, the regime is already on unstable footing. It wouldn't take a whole lot for us to disrupt the regimes forces, and let the Iranian people already in the streets do the rest. Having a few division sized formations set loose in the Iranian interior to help secure the major cities would go a long way. The greatest risk is the stranglehold the regime has on the mechanisms of civilized life. We saw in Iraq what happens when the trained bureaucrats pack up and go to ground. In this case I think there is enough opposition politicians to fill the gap, so that we can avoid a long term occupation. On that same note, thats why it is so vital at home to avoid dependence on government.
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