The US is always going to slap a JDAM kit on for better effect.
reply> That the US decided to expend it's precision weapon stockpile on a conflict of choice with no ground or dumb bombing campaign to fallback on is a mystery for later generations.
replyThere is no mystery. A dumb bombing campaign requires air superiority, and Iran actually has reasonable anti-air defense. They're not a bunch of guys running around with AK-74s.
The US absolutely can achieve that. But it _will_ result in aircraft losses, and it requires detailed planning. Both of these are not acceptable anymore.
> Iran actually has reasonable anti-air defense. They're not a bunch of guys running around with AK-74s.
replyTo help put that in perspective: Iran's GDP today is a ~7x stronger than Iraq's was (in 2003) relative to the US GDP at each time.
In other words, they can spend more on military stuff making them a tougher opponent by default. Plus multiples of population, more land-area, etc.