WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- The U.S. administration is stepping up plans for a
possible air strike on Iran, despite publicly pushing for a diplomatic
solution to a dispute over its nuclear ambitions, according to a report by
influential investigative journalist Seymour Hersh.

A former senior defense official is cited as saying the planning was based on
the belief that a bombing campaign against Iran would humiliate the leadership
and lead the Iranian public to overthrow it, adding that he was shocked to
hear the strategy.

(quoting ends)

Now I'm not a historian, and I'm not a war expert. But I seem to remember
bombing runs, even constant, massive bombing runs, haven't had a lot of luck
making the population rise up against the controlling power. Examples I can
think of offhand are London in WWII, Berlin in WWII, Japan in WWII, North
Veitnam, Gulf War I, and Gulf War II. And (with the exception of Japan, maybe)
these governments were _not_ based on a religious theocracy with strong ties
to martyrdom. Am I missing something? When has this _ever_ worked?

Shinarae Lluminus