Painful lessons of past wars have taught state leadership how to avoid mistakes that can drag the country into interminable conflict.  If the order to pounce is given, the outcome will soon be decided and the winner never in doubt.  The foregoing is offered as the naive view of US foreign policy.

But maybe the one currently in charge of the planet has digested Sun Tzu.  Maybe the blatant seriousness of the threat will frighten the enemy into submission without a single shot — or missile — being fired.  But what happens after they surrender?  In the case of Iran, does the US state funnel every Iranian to Netanyahu for summary execution?  One would think he might be too busy eliminating Palestinians for that option.

The big state needs to worry about the small state's friends when considering an attack.  Iran and Russia signed a partnership in 2025 that has recently been superceded by one that includes China.  According to a report,

It explicitly combines the three powers in a coordinated framework, aligning them on issues ranging from nuclear sovereignty and economic cooperation to military coordination and diplomatic strategy.

What exactly does it mean if the US attacks Iran? Russia has been fighting the US in Ukraine by proxy for years.  Perhaps it would find reasons to help out a partner in distress, with help from China.

Certainly US military leaders are advising the Commander-in-Chief of this and many other possible contingencies.  One of them, Air Force General Dan "Raizin" Cane, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in effect don't do it.  Air strikes would be too risky.

General Caine has reportedly cautioned that a military action could have repercussions across the region, potentially including retaliatory strikes by Iranian proxies or a larger conflict that would require more US forces.

President Trump, however, doesn't believe the report, considering it fake news. "If a decision is made on going against Iran at a military level, it is his [Cane's] opinion that it will be something easily won, the president wrote" in a Truth Social post.

Without US aid, Russia likely would have crushed Ukraine long before now.  Why does the president seemingly discount the possibility of Russia aiding Iran?  And if Netanyahu tells Trump to destroy Iran once and for all, will Trump tell him no?  Given their relationship, that's hard to envision.