What Are Your Thoughts On Iran?

Since many of you have privately contacted me with my thoughts on Iran, I will tell you. I am happy the Ayatollah is dead. First off I have family in Iran and Israel. They are safe right now, which is good news. Second, I only visited Iran when I was very little boy (see picture before) weeks before the revolution, so I don’t remember much but am very proud of my Iranian heritage. I identify as an American first, since I was born here and plan to only live here for the rest of my life.

My family is not Muslim and are very opposed to the Iranian Islamic Republic and have always been so. Again, not opposed to Islam, but the Islam Republic and its oppressive ways. Unlike America, there is no separation of church and state. Many (if not most) Muslims from Iran are also against the regime.

But removing an 86 yr old Ayatollah who by all accounts, was not really running the country for the last year is not the “win” you think it is. It is largely a symbolic move. He was a tyrant who is responsible for so many deaths of young people and political opponents, but by all credible accounts, was not the one calling the shots on the latest attacks on Iranian protestors. There is a group of people responsible for this and all the counter attacks we are seeing from Iran right now. Iran don't have a centralized leader but a group of people who governs. The real question is what will happen next. Will the world and the US remove the real people in power. Can America stomach what is actually needed to do that?

Unless America and the world is ready to do the hard work to eliminate the real leaders of Iran and actually support the Iranian people (money, weapons, troops) to create a non-oppressive regime, all of this is for nothing and could be even more costly for Iran. And by costly I don't only mean American dollars and lives but also the lives of many innocent Iranians, as we have already seen. If America and Israel pulls out too soon, so many more lives will be lost at the hands of the regime. If America stays too long, American lives will be lost. Not to mention the other costs of war.

Perhaps Iran will elect a real democratic government but right now, that is not an easy task and of course, but many Iranians would be skeptical of whoever Trump picks (He said "I must be involved" in choosing Iran's next supreme leader) and some are skeptical of the Shah’s son who has his own problems and some people feel, has connections to Israel (which may be a good thing for peace?). Either way, American does not have a good track record in providing democracy to Iran (google 'Mossadegh election')

And while I have always dreamed of returning to Iran to see the places that I hear about from my parents and family, I have absolutely no faith in the Trump administration to do the right thing or to even have a long term goal with Iran. Time and time again, they have failed to think long term, which is what is needed in Iran. In all other areas, this administration only looks for short term “wins” which are nearly always long term losses. Look at all the ICE Constitutional violations (and cover ups), DOGE, and all the DOJ losses for Trump’s vengeance tour against Tish James, James Comey and now Don Lemon. (Remember these losses will also result in civil lawsuits and malicious prosecution claims which is again, paid by American taxpayers, not DJT). They are not chess players.

Iran is a unique country with a rich history. None of the people in the room right now making decisions are serious people with any knowledge of Iran and I don’t trust them to consult with the people who do know. They have alienated all of them and those in Europe who could also help with what is needed for regime change. If you don’t know the history, you can’t understand how to succeed. And many of the people who did know the history, especially in the CIA and FBI are now gone. The neocons of the past, who, while I may not have always agreed with them, had experience and knowledge about the region and they all decided, time and time again, against warring with Iran. So when Trump says “rise up” to the people of Iran, I say "how?" They don’t have an army or weapons or money. They need military support to finish what Trump and Netanyahu unilaterally started.

So yeah, I don’t have TDS and I am 100% happy about the death of the old Ayatollah but that’s just the beginning of what will be a long process that I don’t think America is ready for, let alone has capable leadership to accomplish. But I hope to be wrong.

Here is a picture of me in Iran in 1980, giving you the bird.
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