I guess it was a couple of years ago, I spoke to a veteran of the war in Iraq. I said, given what you know now, do you think the war was worth it.

He said, "Yes, if Iraqis have freedom and democracy and better lives."

I was a bit flabbergasted. At this point I think the average American does not think the lives of our soldiers are worth elections in Iraq. But presumably he had people he knew who died, and he thought it was worth it. Perhaps the alternative thought that it was all a waste is too hard to bear.

There is a strong isolationist feeling in the USA now because of the pointlessness of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. If there is ever war with Iran, I suspect there will be very few boots on the ground. It will be an air war and missiles and drones from the US side. With no attempt to take over the country or build anything.

Iran is not going to wipe Israel off the map, Israel would do it itself.

Do Iraqis have better lives now?? How about Afghans?

I don’t think Iran would let the hit and run strategy go smoothly as Iraq did. And I think US knows that. Otherwise it would have hit us many times by now.

I have had a few Afghan helpers and they are the most hard working and dedicated people i know. Some times between the work, we sit and talk about their beautiful country, their tradition, their culture and then we both quietly start crying hiding our face behind the coffee mugs thinking they would never have a home.

Iran is my home and has been their home for decades, we are not going to let anyone take it from us.

I apologize for coffee comment. I did not realize i am posting in a heavily LDS member message board. I would have said tea, but i assume tea is as offensive as coffee?? And I would never have hot chocolate, so coffee it is.

US should be scaling down its Middle East operations. That's the rationale for Obama-Clinton's "Pivot to Asia."

The high rates of suicide, alcohol and drug poisoning among whites catapulted this POS into the White House. Blame immigrants, blame Muslims, blame everyone but themselves.

I don't think people here care.

We hear that there are some women in Afghanistan that now have better lives. But who knows.

I heard 2nd hand a comment that stuck with me. She told a family member that having been in Afghanistan, on a tour, she said "It's not a country worth saving." I.e. the attempts of America to make it a better place would not work, and were foolish.

George Will was right. Get out of Afghanistan, and if you need to attack the terrorists, do so from the air.

The documentary Restrepo also pointed out absurd that conflict has been.

It's not up to us to make any other people's lives better. We can't. They have to do it themselves. They have to define "better." If they want to turn their soccer fields into places to hang women, what are we going to do about it?

Nobody in America wants to take over Iran. We are told that Iran is fueling conflict over the entire region. Iran says it is not.

Afghanistan is one of the best place to live. Amazing lands great climate superbly intelligent hardworking people, Akhone Khorasani, Rumi to name a few. So it IS worth saving. Although, Hadn’t the world superpower invaded it at the first place there would be no need to sacrifice US money and men to save it.

Fortunately we are living in an era that it is really hard to remain ignorant. There are enough sources to verify different claims directly or indirectly.

we are the people who wanted to get ride of Shah and have a democratic elected government. Look what has been done to us. From toppling down Mosadegh in 1935, till after the revolution, the Iraq-Iran war which had the whole world supporting Saddam for eight years and then pressuring our new inexperienced government with whatever means until now. Do you think Iran and its people have had any chance to build the better world for themselves?

I admit that we have used scary words and tools to push forward our agenda but its not because we are bad people it’s because we haven seen a lot of betrayal to trust the world and take off our gloves.