As of now, more than 12,000 protesters have lost their lives and countless more have been wounded. The hospitals can’t keep up with the wounded, but it some places they don’t have to. In Tehran, there are reports that security forces are taking away gunshot victims as soon as they arrive, even prior to medical treatment. In Isfahan’s Milad hospital, forces from the Ministry of Intelligence conducted a raid during which they abducted several doctors who had treated those wounded during the protests.
Thousands are being detained by the police, and people are starting to disappear from custody. I have been praying for the life of Erfan Soltani, a 26-year-old shopkeeper, who was scheduled to be executed January 14. For now, it appears that his sentence has been stayed, but that is a minor victory overall. His death would have simply been the first official execution. The police forces and military have been executing people without ceasing over the past days.
Where are the protests over this brutality and these deaths? It took until two days ago for the UN Human Rights Commission to finally condemn Iran’s actions. Leftist activists and politicians have either kept silent or provided tepid statements against Iran’s murdering of their citizens. Compare this to the vitriolic outrage that would be voiced by these same people if a Gazan simply got nicked while getting a shave at an Israeli barbershop. If these hatemongers and antisemites, both the professional and the weekend hobbyists, are truly all about protecting the rights of the oppressed, there should be marches in support of the Iranian protesters in every city in America. But there aren’t, because no Jews, no news.
So far, the protests are maintaining their intensity, but that can only last so long without outside help. The Islamic regime shut down the internet a week ago, then shut down Elon Musk’s Starlink after he sent it in to restore outside access. But that didn’t stop Musk. His brainiacs at SpaceX found a way to reactivate the service and Elon is offering it free of charge in the country.
If the ayatollahs do survive this onslaught, they will still be left with a broken country. Five Iranian banks are on the verge of collapse, according to “The Wall Street Journal”. As for their currency, it has finally bottomed out with one Iranian rial being worth 0.000001 USD, meaning it is utterly worthless. That’s no concern for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, however, whose personal fortune is valued at $250-300 billion, or about three times more than the national budget of Iran.
Israel’s Response to Iran
Threats have been flying back and forth between Tehran and Jerusalem. The ayatollahs desperately need something to distract the people from their hatred of them, so they’re trying to direct it at Israel. Israel’s response is essentially, “Bring it on!” Just in case the Islamic regime is dumb enough to try something, Iron Dome batteries have been transferred to Jerusalem.
Before acting, the mullahs need to consider the fact that with a single strike, Israel can take out two-thirds of Iran’s economy. Using just a handful of precision bombs on critical oil infrastructure sites, the IDF could destroy the final pillar from the country’s economic foundation. Israel held this action in reserve during the June war. If Iran attacks, that forbearance may likely come to an end.
Many believe that a US attack on Iran is imminent. Forces at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar have been ordered to leave immediately, and Americans have been warned against traveling anywhere in the Middle East. When asked what he might have planned for Iran, Donald Trump’s standard answer is “Watch and find out.” But what does that mean? Recently, a senior American official told the “New York Times” that the goal of any attack against Iran is to send a message to Khamenei over the killing of protesters, as opposed to overthrowing the government.
What are the potential targets for a US strike in Iran?
Another lesson learned in Venezuela is that Trump is not focused on regime change. Reza Pahlavi, son of the last shah of Iran and currently the crown prince, is waiting in the wings for a shot at leading the country. He has a plan that will end Iran’s support of terrorism, confront the vast criminal elements in the country, normalize relations with the United States, and recognize immediately the State of Israel. As wonderful as that all sounds, it is unlikely that Trump will give him a shot. That is disappointing, but it also is a recognition of real life. Based on practical considerations and existing circumstances, Pahlavi’s vision for a throwback 1970’s style Iran is somewhat “pie in the sky”. While its ideological, moral, and ethical principles are appealing, it doesn’t mesh with the realpolitik of today’s Iran.
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