Originally Posted by
hunterboy
My Iranian neighbours here in my neighbourhood have been talking for years about the power struggle between the vast majority of moderate Iranians and the “old guard “ represented by the Revolutionary Guard. What a pity such a historic and cultured people are being held hostage by a small minority of radicals.
The Iranians aren’t doing so well either.
Which goes to show what a dilemma the West faces in its policy options. Externally-enforced regime change is (rightly, IMHO) considered toxic by most after the debacles since 2003. But enabling the regime to sit comfortably, as it would do under the JCPOA, is no help to the good people of Iran over the long run. Change has got to come from within to stick, but that’s not to say an external catalyst would be illegitimate. Look at the revolutions that made the West what it is; many were triggered by interference from afar. Trump’s sanctions may be controversial but if they helped to precipitate a counter-revolution then how harshly would history judge them? I don’t pretend to know for a moment what the answer is and am bemused by the absolutely certainty of some that whatever Trump does is wrong wrong wrong.