restraint on such an action. Or at least according to the Pentagon and Secretary of Defense Panetta - there simply are no bunker buster bombs capable of penetrating Iran's most fortified underground facilities. The idea of supporting multiple bunker busters’ assaults with Special Forces would require deploying them deep inside heavily fortified hostile territory where they will almost certainly be greatly outnumbered. The dangers of this would come close to being almost prohibitive.
Anti-missile shields might have significant success in intercepting some of Iran's more advanced systems. But they will largely be useless in preventing Iran from using its enormous numbers of low tech missiles which are deeply buried in almost unapproachable terrain.
The pipeline can keep a fair amount of oil flowing - but not enough to satisfy all the market demands. Roughly 30% or more will still flow thought the Straits of Hormuz
And all of this based on an assumption that Iran has a nuclear weapons program. I don't know if they do. The IAEA doesn't know if they do. The United States military and intelligence services don’t know if they do.
Another assumption is that Iran will be in such a state of shock and awe that they will not resort to more drastic measures which few doubt that have the capability to perform if they so choose. Iran is a fiercely nationalistic society. Even those that we describe as liberals and pro-democracy are fiercely nationalistic and even more supportive of Iran's nuclear program.
If Iran so chooses they do have the ability unleash quite a bit of chaos onto the Gulf States - enough to cause crisis in the oil markets and in the global economy.
I agree that the possibility of war is now greater than at any previous time. But I am quite certain that the planners of the Pentagon and the U.S. Intelligence services do not think it wise or in America's national interest.
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