yes... and Iran, instead of using the opportunity to normalize relations with the West by dismantling their terror infrastructure and rebuild their economy - which is really what Obama wanted, a new ally in the Middle East as the GCC countries were incompetent - instead took that as a cue to expand beyond their borders, adding Iraq, Syria, Yemen to their religious empire. These militia and their increasing arsenal of ballistic missiles and other weaponry threatened Israel & GCC and put their lobbies and soft power at work, rest is history.
It's very hard for the US and the West to continue dealing with Iran, while religious zealot militias roam Iraq as a pseudo-army, secretly targeting troops based in Iraq.
Iran has internal threats due to instability. Not surprising their people are protesting because of a sinking economy, while they see how religious zealots created another army (IRGC) to protect their power and continue to expand their terror infrastructure throughout the region, spending billions to prop up Syrian leader who butchers his own people by bombing hospitals. Now their external threat just shot up exponentially with aircraft carriers sitting out in their front lawn.
Lol, what kind of country maintains two separate military, one to defend the border, one to fight the other in case it tries to conduct a coup?
Yep, and
now IRGC gave them the justification they needed. They didn't bring their carrier battle group, bombers, additional troops to the Gulf for no reason. Iran foolishly took the bait and that too, without having anywhere near enough firepower to win. There is a chance US might not attack, there is a chance it may. Before this incident,
all Iran had to do was wait it out like Pakistan and many other countries under threat do. You lay down, play dead, and let the bear lost interest.
Yep, so what? Unless a country has the might and power to take on the US, it should just shut up. Even China is not foolish enough to target US ships & aircraft flying near its territory. Do you want to ask PLA why it doesn't scream the "ghairat" argument and shoot? What about Russia trying to stop US onslaught in Syria, why doesn't it bother? US has enough firepower to take on world's countries and still win in a conventional war. It is precisely because of this reason, Pakistan's military didn't even bother engaging US during humiliating OBL raid and made up excuses like radars being shut off, lol.
@LeGenD can break it down for you what the US can do.
