The United States is running an empire and its goals will generally conflict with many people's aspirations for democracy and national self-determination.

If 775 isn't a huge number to Obama, then 56 is practically a fraction. That's the number of children executed by US drones in the first 20 months of the Obama administration.

Still suckered by Obama's claim to be different from other presidents? See his glorification of Israel -- the country guilty of violating more international laws than any other in the world.

Like Iraq, sanctions are likely to intensify the crisis, impoverish ordinary Iranians and psychologically prepare the ground for war because of the demonisation of Iran.

There is nothing noble about invading and bombing a country into regime change if what one ushers in is mass instability along with tyranny and abuse by a different regime.

The generation that opposed the Afghan and Iraq wars in their millions is not going to stand for yet another conflict to waste resources, destroy lives and make the world an even more dangerous place.

There is no more evidence that Iran is developing nuclear weapons than there was for Iraq's weapons of mass destruction but that hasn't stopped the media stoking the flames of war.

If there was ever a time to own up to the "blood and treasure" - not just American, but much more Iraqi - that was lost on an illegal war that permanently damaged the US' position and respect in the world, this was it.

It's as if Tahrir Square was built for that day, awaiting to receive the deluge of waves upon waves of human crowds all converging on the square to help it live up to its name - liberation square.