Bill M.:

I think going in would be a good thing, but with provisos. If we knew enough about the players to pick a side. If we were willing to run that side strongly. if we were really willing to back that side with whatever it took to win. if we actually decided we really wanted to win. If we would determine that we would persevere despite inevitable setbacks. If we were willing to change sides depending on how the situation played out. If we were willing to tell the Russkis to go stuff it. If we told the Iranians they ain't seen nothing yet if they keep horsin' around. If we told Israel that the days of us dancing to their tune were over, they will survive as a state but we play the music. Same thing with the Gulf States, especially the Gulf states. And finally if we were willing to frankly explain all this to ourselves and how these efforts would benefit us and the whole region. The Americans would see it and go along in my opinion. The Americans would.

The problem is the inside the beltway elites won't do any of this stuff, so we shouldn't do it. But we will do it because there are bureaucratic bones to be made in the spook and State worlds; and political bones to be made elsewhere. They don't serve us anymore. They serve themselves.