Yes

No

1. Many U.S. soldiers would be killed and wounded. An already exhausted U.S. military has already lost thousands of men and women in a war that's likely to be much easier than that of attacking Iran. Most of the technology that's being used to kill American troops such as improvised explosive devices (IEDs) is being supplied by Iran. How many soldiers will be killed if this technology is used first hand by the masters? Iran is likely to be better financed, more organized, and better prepared to fight than Iraq; thus, things are likely only to get worse for the U.S. military.
   
   
2. A large number of civilians would likely be killed and wounded. There are a wide range of estimates as to the number of civilians killed in Iraq. Some reach the hundreds of thousands. Do we want to repeat this scenario, especially when so much of the population is young and pro-Western?
   
   
3. World opinion, which is already heavily anti-American, would only get worse, with Iran garnering sympathy. Most countries in the world view the Iraqi invasion as an illegal war. The U.S. is frequently seen as an imperialist bully forcing their will on the rest of the world. As we've seen with Saddam Hussein, what happens before the war is likely to be completely forgotten or overlooked. Since the war started, how many news stories can you remember seeing chronicling life of Iraqis under Saddam? Saddam ran one of the most vicious regimes in history, yet the Americans are still largely seen as the villains in this whole war. Thus, an invasion of Iran is likely to generate more hatred for the United States and generate sympathy for the evil, destructive regime of Iran.
   
   
4. With a largely fundamental Muslim population, an Iran guerilla war could be ten times worse than what it is in Iraq. The Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s proved more than anything just how fanatical the Iranians can be if their country is invaded. Hundreds of thousands died fighting the superior military power of Iraq as human waves of "martyrs" were sent to sacrifice themselves against the approaching tanks. Iran is very much a fundamentalist religious population, unlike the secular society that dominates in Iraq. As such, death and sacrifice is glorified far more. Thus, a guerilla war fought in Iran is likely to get far worse than the already difficult situation in Iraq.
   
   
5. Younger pro-American & pro-democracy parts of the Iranian population may turn against us as they rally to defend their country. Western culture and values are popular with the younger generation. Iranians that escaped the repressive regime of Iran tell of a largely pro-American population that longs for democracy. However, like almost all people around the world, Iranians are patriotic. They may turn against America and defend their own country in the event of an invasion.
   
   
6. The U.S. military is already strained and occupied in Iraq & Afghanistan. It took a "surge" of American troops in 2007 to really start getting any results in the rebuilding of Iraq. Troops are already spread thin to not only Iraq, but Afghanistan and other hotspots around the world. Recruitment of new soldiers has plummeted. How can we possibly take on a military task that could be far worse than the war in Iraq?
   
   
7. There are less costly solutions like deterrence and sanctions. We could also allow Israel to do our dirty work or battle covertly through the CIA. War should always be the option of very last resort. It would likely cost hundreds of billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of lives. Far cheaper options are available such as sanctions and a CIA-led covert war. Sanctions that cut off oil, military, and other resources going to Iran are by no means a quick fix. They take time to be effective, as they wear down the will of those that are punished. Because so much of the population is pro-American, a covert war led by the CIA and internal Iranian groups opposed to the current regime may be able to topple the government from the inside. A combination of other solutions seriously need to be tried before we undertake such a destructive step as another war.
   
   
8. Rogue regimes like North Korea are more likely to stir up trouble with the U.S. military tied up in Iran and Iraq. We've already seen how Hugo Chavez wiped out democracy in Venezuela while we were occupied in Iraq. What's going to happen to other shaky governments and rogue regimes when the U.S. military is tied up fighting in two Middle Eastern countries? Their main deterrent threat would be somewhat powerless to stop them. Would this mean the toppling of more democracies? The invasion of other countries? The ignoring of several treaties and U.N. mandates?
   
   
9. The cost to the U.S. taxpayer would likely be in the hundreds of billions, money which could be spent on education, homeland security, etc. The United States has already spent in the hundreds of billions in Iraq. That cost may eventually reach or exceed a trillion dollars. Who knows how much a war with Iran would cost, as well as the inevitable retaliation? We have so many other needs to address such as a social security system approaching bankruptcy, a 9-trillion dollar national debt, a strained military that needs to be built back up, a worsening education system, and on and on. We simply can't afford another war, nor can the rest of the world which is so heavily dependent on the U.S. economy.
   
   
10. Iran has close connections to terrorist groups around the world and is likely to unleash these groups in the event of an invasion. Perhaps the most frightening aspect of a war with Iran is what would happen if Iran unleashed all its terrorist resources to Western nations? In other words, what would happen if the individual members of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, Al Aqsa Martyr's Brigade, and countless other Islamic terrorist groups were unleashed in the United States? We haven't had a terrorist attack in America since 9/11, but how would you like to see suicide bombers blowing themselves up in shopping malls? How about busloads of kids exploding on the way home from school? How about stinger missiles being launched against civilian aircraft? How about rockets fired randomly into civilian towns? All of these are popular attack methods against Israel but has yet to be brought to the United States. The endless possibilities are too terrible to imagine.
    
    

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