Weeks before the first atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan sent a telegram to the Soviet Union expressing its desire to surrender and end the war.

Widespread and impenetrable false beliefs in the realm of foreign policy means that the political leadership can pretty easily launch a war if and when they decide to do so.

As long as the decision-making processes that made Iraq possible remain shrouded in secrecy, then there is nothing to stop something similar happening again.

Human rights activists and civil society actors in Iran say a US/Israeli war would undermine the democracy movement and be an absolute tragedy undoing its hard work for reforms.

The US, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey have established a secret base near the Syrian border to help direct vital military and communications support to Assad's opponents.

Those who want NATO to intervene "humanely" in Syria often say that Syria will not be like Iraq. They are right: it would be much worse, and could also be the prelude for war on Iran.