I don't think Jon will EVER make a PROMISE to fans that Richie will be on a tour again. Richie isn't reliable. According to that interview with Phil X (which you can find the link to in the Philx X thread in the tour forum) they already had him on stand by before Richie went to rehab on the Circle tour, so it wasn't unexpected that Richie would drop out of that tour on a moment's notice. There was another interview he gave where he talked about Richie bailing on the Canadian show on the WAN tour and it basically boiled down to plane trouble that he wasn't at that show that night.

So why would Jon ever market a "reunited Bon Jovi" when Richie CAN NOT be counted on to show up? Richie might say he's going to do a tour and mean it with his whole heart when he says it, but in the middle of the tour decide he doesn't want to anymore and then it's a case of him bailing again and pissing off the fans again, and once again, it's the BON JOVI name/brand that's sullied because of Richie.

I can see more of a situation where if they get back together you MIGHT get Richie at a show or MIGHT NOT. Luck of the draw, no guarantees.

I agree with never say never but I think it will be a very long time. The last couple of snippets I've heard from Richie it's as if he's trying to soften things a bit because for me - when he was on video, in the airport and the statement was for "an exorbitant amount of money". I felt it was final.