Bean, I agree with your feelings toward a scorched earth policy. I think that deep down, those of us with any conscience would as well. Still, as a student of warfare, you also realize that to win a war, you have to breakdown your foe to a point that they feel that their only hope of salvation, is reaching out to the very ones that are trying to destroy them. Stockholm syndrome on a mass scale as it were.
I would couch the aforementioned with the caveat that as far as Iran goes, at one point not so long ago, they were a pretty "westernized" country. The ayatollahs and the clergy over there keep things pretty stirred up. I would definately go with with the bombing of the reactors, ports, supply and what not. See if the people of that country wouldn't then throw the fundies out.
Another point that you approached was the thought that sanctions against America; total condemnation, etc. would have serious consequences. I don't think so, especially from China. Americans are the largest consumers in the world. We use more of everything, and I think that these 3rd world countries that manufacture the stuff we so desperately crave, don't want to suffer anymore than they are. They've a taste for capitalism now, and like that US dollar. WalMart on its own could probably buy a few of these countries. I am sure that there is no end to the desperate little countries who love to have that US money.
The world does not want Iran to have nukes. No one in their right minds would, except for maybe N. korea, a few ME countries and Venuzuela.