Reply #50: Well, Perhaps some members of the Washington establishment have learned their lesson,

[Gen. Jack D. Ripper]

but many have not, and a person who doesn't learn from his/her mistakes is sure to repeat them.

"But, no, the US will not preemptively bomb Iran. The Persians are quite capable of inflicting very heavy damage on US forces in the region, Israel, and the Gulf States. The resulting regional war would escalate and the aftermath would slide into a slow, painful suicide for the US. We would cease to be a global superpower. Everyone knows it. So, I don't believe it will happen."

True, any rational person would agree with your statement, but the people of this nation and the fore mentioned Washington Establishment have demonstrated over the last six years just how irrational they can be, given the right set of circumstances. I hope it won't come to that, but I have grown to distrust my government so much that I wouldn't put anything past them, not even this.