This is a topographic map of Iran, the quintessential existential threat to America due to its placement next to numerous US military bases.

A little information is in order. Iran is 2.4 times the size of the state of Texas. It is almost the size of Alaska, the largest state in America, and has a terrain which matches. The greatest difference between Iran and Alaska is the climate, where Iran is generally warm while Alaska is cool/cold. Or maybe it is the population–Iran has about 92 million people, while Alaska can’t even break the 1 million mark.

Without ever getting into the geo-political ponderings about “regime change” in Iran, I simply cannot imagine the success of a ground-based assault on this country by anyone, including the world’s hegemon and its lapdog, Israel. Or is it the other way around? The logistics alone would (should) generate hysterical fits for generals and planning staffs. Let’s forget about budgets, air superiority, military size, economies, etc., for the moment and concentrate on what it would take to put boots on the ground here in a successful invasion and overthrow of the current government. Remember Iraq? Iraq, a much smaller country with a tabletop flat landscape, was a cakewalk compared to what Iran would be. Boots on the ground simply will not work and the DOD knows it. You might be able to completely control the airspace so your warplanes can fly with impunity, but if you do not have control of the local neighborhoods beneath the rooftops and awnings, you have nothing.

The West has nothing. And it will break its teeth if it decides to make this a matter of actual muscle.