The 12-Day War With Iran: Too Short?

It's still the same people that tortured CIA station chief, Bill Buckley, for over a year before killing him in 1985 and sent films of it back to Langley. This regime isn't going to change its stripes willingly. And re-attacking Iran is politically problematic. Not impossible, but a lot harder than it was two weeks ago.

- GRANT NEWSHAM

might have avoided everything that's happened since—to include: Al Qaeda, 9/11, the Iraq War and the Afghanistan War. That would have been a small price to pay.

American leaders sometimes just can't finish the deal, it seems.

Recall letting Osama bin Laden escape Tora Bora after bringing down the Taliban in record time. It would have been enough of a thrashing for us to change our behavior...but maybe not for Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

President George W. Bush was also too quick to declare victory in Iraq in 2003—and hurrying to withdraw US forces. Remember "Mission Accomplished?"

But can't the US just return and hit Iran if the need arises and it doesn't agree to a deal?