Every Monday, the WoW! community and our invited guests weigh in at the Forum, short takes on a major issue of the day, the culture, or daily living. This week's question: Are Sanctions On Countries Trading With Iran Wise Policy?
Don Surber:Yes. Given that the Iranian protests are in their second month, there is a chance for a regime change. Women are doffing their headgear, and drivers are parking their trucks. The Grand Bazaar in Teheran shut down. 40 years ago, merchants in the Grand Bazaar backed the Iranian Revolution. Now they seem to want a regime change.
The only influence the United States has is in commerce. President Trump wisely is avoiding too much public support, and I doubt we are doing clandestine operations, as well. Why risk being associated with the rebellion? Any conection betwen us and them will end the revolution. The one thing we can do is not trade with Iran, and tom punish those who do.
This is the latest sign that the New World Order failed. Brexit, Trump, Macron, AMLO in Mexico, and now this. There are many other examples of regime changes because the old order failed The People.
Patrick O'Hannigan:I wish I could be more original on this question than to say that I agree with Don, but -- I agree with Don!
Deterrence does not have to be exclusively in the military realm. The sanctions game (and it is a game, of sorts) amounts to "Leave the gun --Take the cannoli" writ large.
Rob Miller: Oh, I think it's imperative. Iran's economy is in free fall. No one wants the rial, inflation is rampant and the prices of food and other necessities is skyrocketing. That's a big part of what's behind the protests. Iran will not be able to continue to financially afford adventures abroad in Yemen, Syria or Lebanon for too much longer, and even Iraq's kingmaker Muqtada al-Sadr is inching away from Iran somewhat. This will get even worse once Trump's sanctions on countries buying Iran's oil and natural gas take effect. Iran also my not have the funds needed to continue to be Hamas's pay master along with Erdogan. The EU, BTW are looking like they're reluctantly going along with the sanctions. They need our markets far more than Iran's, and their choice will boil down to paying Putin's atrocious prices or buying U.S. LPGD.
I also think our President and his team members are making a mistake by NOT informing the American people what a hideous regime this is...how it brutalizes its own people, the corruption of the Ayatollahs, and that Iran is not in any sense a 'democracy. They need to explain that Iran has been in a state of war with America since 1979. They need to tell the American people that Iran never actually even signed th eso called 'Iran Deal.' They need to remind the American people about Iran's complicity in 9/11, and how the rhetoric of both Ayatollahs Khomeini and Khamanei focus on the Twelver Sect's open embrace of apocalypse as a necessity for the Hidden Imam to return to rule the world for their brand of Islam.
The days of Iran's despotic regime aren't over yet. That won't happen until the Army turns. But this is a great way to get the ball rolling.
Bookworm:I'm going to be so original that I'll say I agree with both Don and Patrick! Honestly, I'd love to add some unique, wonderful insight, but I think they said it all.
What I will tack on, because I'm petty, is that one of Obama's most significant failings as president happened early in his administration when he refused to give the Green Revolution any moral support. As we know now, the self-centered Obama had his own grand dream of "solving" Iran and was content to let people die in the streets rather than risk losing the halo he envisioned for himself.
Laura Rambeau Lee:I must say I agree with everyone, also. Sanctions hit them where it hurts most and can often lead to cooperation where and when we need it.
Well, there it is!
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