When Dictatorships Fall

Last week mainline news outlets gave truly abysmal coverage of the uprising in Iran. The story, if presented at all, made brief reference to demonstrations resulting from collapse of the currency along with water and food shortages.

Only CBN and Tousi.TV gave a fuller explanation of what was happening. Tousi gave far and away the best coverage by devoting hour after hour exclusively to covering the unrest.

It might be true that there was desperation due to shortages and an economic collapse, but the rioters were not rioting purely because of either that or the nationwide strike which had closed all businesses. They were rioting because they’d had it up to the gills with the Islamic Republic.

They weren’t shouting for food, water, or money.

They were shouting: “Death to the dictator.”

They were also shouting: “Long live the king.”

By that they were referring to the son of the former king who has been living in the United States for most of his life. Reza Pahlavi has been waiting for decades for the Islamic Republic to fall. He doesn’t want to be dictator. He favors a democratic government voted in by the people (something similar to what exists in Great Britain). More importantly, the people seem to want him. There’s even a song making the rounds in Iran about the return of Pahlavi.

There have been past uprisings in Iran. People have filled the streets with demonstrations, only to flee when the Islamic Republic began shooting into the crowds. It was expected that the same thing would happen this time, but it didn’t. To an extent that was because previous fighting had killed off some of the Republic’s stooges. To an extent it was because wars outside of Iran had depleted the number of paid extremists who could be called into Iran to shoot protesters.

For whatever the reason, there were fewer shooters, and the deaths which resulted only incensed the crowds. They weren’t dissuaded by blood or by the number of protesters arrested or taken hostage. They rioted for days. They were very selective, however, in how they rioted. They left businesses alone. They only burned the buildings and vehicles belonging to the Islamic Republic.

About the time the Republic started shooting in earnest, President Trump warned that if the Islamists killed protesters he would do the same to them. Then Israel started bombing the Republic buildings that remained. That was followed by Reza Pahlavi urging protesters to take back their country. The rioting had turned into a revolution.

As I write this, it’s too soon to tell whether the revolution will be successful. The chances, however, seem very good. If it succeeds, that will solve a good many of the world’s problems (including a hefty chunk of terrorism as well as the Republic’s threat to build a nuclear bomb).

Meanwhile, the Donald has just done a lightning invasion of Venezuela and captured its dope-dealing head. He says he’s going to try Maduro as well as oversee Venezuela’s conversion into a well-financed democracy. Rather than putting the peace prize winning opposition leader into a position of authority, however, he seems committed to making a deal with Maduro’s chozen vice president. They’ve evidently discovered that she’s amenable to change. Trump has indicated he believes the opposition leader doesn’t have enough support to run the country. It’s more probable, however, that he realizes he won’t have to fight Venezuela’s military if the V.P. becomes president and toes his line.

Wouldn’t it be amazing if both Venezuela and Iran tasted freedom on the same week. Donald Trump must be doing something right!.