I don't remember which language it is, but there is one where // is the modulus operator...
I realize that all my examples could be worked around (especially the Gauss solution), but that's not the point. If you want to do a loop with a simple command, especially when done from the command line, you currently have to use a lot of worthless garbage.
I don't think including for loops makes ++ and -- necessary (I agree they'd suck)... I prefer to have the incrementing built into the loop, like in BASIC.
My biggest reason for having it as an identifier is so it could be used to make simple iterative tests easier. Like finding the first time another identifier matches a given criteria. Unlike $*, it should not execute the statement that contains it multiple times. It should only execute the command that's passed to it multiple times.
I like foreach structures... but how would mIRC determine what's an element in a list?