Original sentence: As the United States government threatened a military strike against Iran in 2005 and 2006, even as violence continued in Iraq and Afghanistan, a growing number of Americans spoke up against military conflict with the country sitting between Iraq and Afghanistan
Edited sentence: As the United States government threatened a military strike against Iran in 2005 and 2006, even as violence continued in Iraq and Afghanistan, a growing number of Americans spoke up against provoking a war with this country sitting between Iraq and Afghanistan