Nuclear Exchange between Iran and Israel

[Papewaio]

If the war lasted for more than a week, I would expect a full-scale mobilization in the US.

Iraq:
Pop:28,221,181
"mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey"

Iran
Pop:65,875,223
"rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts"

So 3 times the population in mountains... I think it would be more then a week. And you would have to get China & Russia on side as India and Pakistan probably wouldn't.

[TinCow]

So 3 times the population in mountains... I think it would be more then a week. And you would have to get China & Russia on side as India and Pakistan probably wouldn't.

Oh, I wasn't trying to say that Israel or the US would defeat Iran in a week with ground forces. I'm simply talking about the reality that in an all-out nuclear exchange, the war is likely to end before much conventional warfare is involved. Any post-war occupation would definitely be messy, but the US would probably be willing to accept the costs. 9/11 alone is enough to keep support for Afghanistan relatively high to this day. A nuclear first strike by Iran would put the US public on in an unconditional victory mentality for a long, long time.