I literally could watch this on a loop all day long.
maybe all week long until the Canes beat Ole Miss next week!

1/2 دارم میرم به تهران pic.twitter.com/rZ9LrMUuDG

— Sina 🇮🇱 (@SinaIspahbadh) October 31, 2024

YouBet said:

---

Iran poses not threat to us? lol.

They are the biggest terrorist threat on the planet.

---

The mullahs ruling Iran are. Not the people. The people are getting rid of Islam and want to join the mainstream world. The mullahs hold them back.

infinity ag said:

---

YouBet said:

---

Iran poses not threat to us? lol.

They are the biggest terrorist threat on the planet.

---

The mullahs ruling Iran are. Not the people. The people are getting rid of Islam and want to join the mainstream world. The mullahs hold them back.

---

Not all of them. There are plenty of islamists in Iran still. It's a mixed bag.

While it would be great, there's nothing to support this statement:

Quote:

---

The people are getting rid of Islam

---

Regime change encouraged but not engineered by the US would be another foreign policy feather in Trump's cap. It make mage the Middle East and the world an infinitely better place.

fc2112 said:

---

ABATTBQ11 said:

---

fc2112 said:

---

Saw this news story earlier - 'll believe it when i see it.

Turns out life under the Shah wasn't so bad.

---

It was for the commies and islamists that overthrew him. Explains why the left hated him so much despite his land redistribution and giving women the right to vote.

---

The Shah was a lesson to much of the rest of the ME. He wanted to Westernize his country and went faster than the people were probably ready to do. The Kingdom, in particular, goes as slow as they do to keep the Wahhabi clerics at bay.

---

That was certainly the narrative pushed but the reality is the Soviets were bankrolling the Ayatollah and mujahudeen as well as the propaganda campaigns against the Shah. At the same time you had Carter being incredibly weak and not supporting the Shah as he was sick and putting pressure on him to allow the Ayatollah to come back and to put a collar on his secret police that kept the radicals under control. Carter was such a naive idiot. Of course then the Ayatollah went full bore radical and took the hostages and we ended up in the mess we are today.

Iran is an incredibly complex country and very different from the Arab countries of the ME that it is so often mixed in with. It is very diverse in terms of the types of people who live there and the geography of the country which is larger than most Americans realize. You also have different classes of people there with it being the most educated country in the region that has a TON of PhDs while also having lots of rural folks that are basically living like time stopped hundreds of years ago and everything in between.

A great book to understand what happened during the Revolution and some of the history and culture of Iran is Whirlwind which was James Clavell's last book. He wrote the book in the early 80s and did heavy research with people that were there and really understood the country from all angles. Book itself isn't as good as Shogun or Tai Pan in terms of story but very educational and interesting. Another interesting movie to watch for a different perspective is The Physician which is also a mediocre fictional story but it is about a Middle Ages guy that travels to Isfahan to learn about medicine from the great Avicenna who wrote "The Canon of Medicine" that later became the standard medical textbook for centuries. At the same time they delve into the complex issues of Jews and Christians in Persia at the time and the radical elements of Islam that were battling with the Shah. The Shah was the epitome of the cultural elite and even back then was very tolerant by today's standards.

In terms of Iran overthrowing the Ayatollah that's hard to say. It absolutely has to be an internal movement, there is no conquering of Iran. Also one thing that Iran has done is allow people to leave and so those who are educated or hate the government just move to Europe or the US, many people don't even realize how many Persians they know (for instance Steve Sarkisian and the Kardashians are of Persian descent). Most Persians are light skinned as well. They also don't have a significant movement among expatriates to retake Iran like the Irish did for instance, most just kind of accept that their home country is lost and they have moved on.

ABATTBQ11 said:

---

infinity ag said:

---

YouBet said:

---

Iran poses not threat to us? lol.

They are the biggest terrorist threat on the planet.

---

The mullahs ruling Iran are. Not the people. The people are getting rid of Islam and want to join the mainstream world. The mullahs hold them back.

---

Not all of them. There are plenty of islamists in Iran still. It's a mixed bag.

---

Another "not all" argument. There will never be 100% of anything. But the trend is away from Islam.

infinity ag said:

---

YouBet said:

---

Iran poses not threat to us? lol.

They are the biggest terrorist threat on the planet.

---

The mullahs ruling Iran are. Not the people. The people are getting rid of Islam and want to join the mainstream world. The mullahs hold them back.

---

Without civil war its a pipe dream

Im Gipper said:

---

While it would be great, there's nothing to support this statement:

Quote:

---

The people are getting rid of Islam

---

---

Government Study Shows Iranians Less Religious Than Before
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202402245769

Quote:

---

A study by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance reveals a significant decline in adherence to religious values, despite extensive ideological propaganda by the government in Iran.

---

Quote:

---

(for instance Steve Sarkisian and the Kardashians are of Persian descent).

---

I believe that is incorrect. From what I have read, both are of Armenian descent. Armenians and Persians are distinct peoples with different cultures. Not relevant to the main discussion here, just wanted to put this out there.

1) We have problems at home and shouldn’t be wasting military resources on another country’s internal affairs.

2) Military strikes on Iran require Congressional authorization.

3) This threat isn’t about freedom of speech in Iran; it’s about the dollar, oil, and Israel. pic.twitter.com/820E6HMoMk

— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) January 2, 2026

How long until the CIA whacks a few protestors?

47 years later the Shah is coming back!!

در ایران هزاران‌هزار پرچم شیروخورشید آماده بر افراشته شدن است. هزاران‌هزار تصویر وارث تخت طاووس آماده بالا بردن است. ایران، جهان را شگفت‌زده خواهد کرد.

آیا سرود پرچم را از بر کرده‌اید؟pic.twitter.com/65LK4hcLMz https://t.co/fPYaC5R6eX

— Jahangir☼𓃬 (@JahangirTaban) January 2, 2026

neil88 said:

---

Quote:

---

(for instance Steve Sarkisian and the Kardashians are of Persian descent).

---

I believe that is incorrect. From what I have read, both are of Armenian descent. Armenians and Persians are distinct peoples with different cultures. Not relevant to the main discussion here, just wanted to put this out there.

---

Neil is correct.

Armenia was mostly Christian

and hundreds of thousands were slaughtered by the Ottoman Turks in World War I.

I didn't say I agreed with Massie. I was just sharing for the awareness that Trump continues to fight against the headwinds of isolationist wing of his own party.

Rossticus said:

---

I didn't say I agreed with Massie. I was just sharing for the awareness that Trump continues to fight against the headwinds of isolationist wing of his own party.

---

Isn't Trump an isolationist who is against us interfering militarily in places that aren't American or directly harming Americans?

these Iranians are out in the streets risking rape, prison, being murdered to get rid of the Islamists.

simultaneously, New York City elected a communist Islamist.

ویدیوی رسیده به ایران اینترنشنال نشان می‌دهد که شهروندان در هفشجان، استان چهارمحال و بختیاری، در جریان اعتراضات پنجشنبه ۱۱ دی‌ماه شعارهایی از جمله «این آخرین نبرده، پهلوی برمی‌گرده» سر دادند. pic.twitter.com/LPYLvBIB4H

— ايران اينترنشنال (@IranIntl) January 2, 2026

LMCane said:

---

neil88 said:

---

Quote:

---

(for instance Steve Sarkisian and the Kardashians are of Persian descent).

---

I believe that is incorrect. From what I have read, both are of Armenian descent. Armenians and Persians are distinct peoples with different cultures. Not relevant to the main discussion here, just wanted to put this out there.

---

Neil is correct.

Armenia was mostly Christian

and hundreds of thousands were slaughtered by the Ottoman Turks in World War I.

---

Not hundreds of thousands but over a million Armenians were killed by the Turks. Also over a million Anatolian/Pontic Greeks were killed in this time period.

Quote:

---

Wow. I wonder who's behind this since USAID isn't a thing anymore. Maybe these protests are actually real.

---

Daycares and Autism centers.

Rossticus said:

---

No Spin Ag said:

---

Rossticus said:

---

I didn't say I agreed with Massie. I was just sharing for the awareness that Trump continues to fight against the headwinds of isolationist wing of his own party.

---

Isn't Trump an isolationist who is against us interfering militarily in places that aren't American or directly harming Americans?

---

Trump seems to have the ability to discern where intervention benefits American interests with a net positive cost/benefit profile. If call Trump's approach something closer to strategic isolationism than exclusive isolationism.

There's a mass uprising in Iran that threatens to oust the oppressive fundamentalist regime that is closely aligned with China and Russia. Facilitate that overthrow while enabling the return of what would now be an indebted ruler and you've achieved a high benefit, low risk win that pays dividends across multiple foreign policy arenas.

That's wiser than being a strict isolationist, IMO.

---

Agreed.

I've always been for seeing Iran go back to what it was before the a-holes took control over half a century ago.

Well, getting close to do-or-die at this point for this sequence of events. The regime can't tolerate the capital having their symbology torn down.

Will it last? There have been several protests over the years…I hope this is it but I’m skeptical of course. https://t.co/gHmPqm7Apl

— CA ET Nerd (@earlyvotedata) January 2, 2026

Good way to put it.

And factor in him leaning on VZ and you have the trifecta of Iran, VZ, and Cuba, who are all heavily connected and incentivized to keep one another's autocracy afloat, in a historic opportunity to upend all of them at once.

Rossticus said:

---

No Spin Ag said:

---

Rossticus said:

---

I didn't say I agreed with Massie. I was just sharing for the awareness that Trump continues to fight against the headwinds of isolationist wing of his own party.

---

Isn't Trump an isolationist who is against us interfering militarily in places that aren't American or directly harming Americans?

---

Trump seems to have the ability to discern where intervention benefits American interests with a net positive cost/benefit profile. If call Trump's approach something closer to strategic isolationism than exclusive isolationism.

There's a mass uprising in Iran that threatens to oust the oppressive fundamentalist regime that is closely aligned with China and Russia. Facilitate that overthrow while enabling the return of what would now be an indebted ruler and you've achieved a high benefit, low risk win that pays dividends across multiple foreign policy arenas.

That's wiser than being a strict isolationist, IMO.

---

I don't think he's an isolationist…but I don't believe there's a strategy either…

HOWEVER, I do believe he has an instinct to jump on a situation when he think it's to his advantage.

Burdizzo said:

---

Burrus86 said:

---

IYKYK

---

I was in junior high during the hostage crisis. One of my classmates got sent home for wearing this shirt

---

Same thing with one of mine, except, I think they either had him turn it inside out or his mom brought him another one. His wasn't in color though -- the cheaper looking one. He walked around school long enough before he was caught that we all saw it and broke up!!

I can't say I really liked the guy that much (he was always calling me by another guy's last name for some stupid reason -- he wasn't the sharpest guy in my class), but it was stunts like this that got everyone rolling. I was sad to hear that he passed a little over a decade ago.

If what's to his advantage is also generally in line with American interests then that's a major departure from the previous administration's. I think both what's happening in Vz and probably Iran are in America's interests .

halfastros81 said:

---

If what's to his advantage is also generally in line with American interests then that's a major departure from the previous administration's. I think both what's happening in Vz and probably Iran are in America's interests .

---

I'm a bit more of a prioritization of limited resources against issues of importance guy…and while I think we're doing the right thing with Iran, I think we're overvaluing the amount of resources against Vz.

With regard to VZ I guess I wonder what resources are being used that wouldn't otherwise be essentially idle .

halfastros81 said:

---

With regard to VZ I guess I wonder what resources are being used that wouldn't otherwise be essentially idle .

---

Idle? Using them, even for presence, elicits a cost…and I would have rather seen them being allocated for deterrence against China than Vz.

I feel like the costs are mostly fixed wherever the resources are used . I could be convinced there is a higher priority use , I'm just not sure what it might be. You suggest using the resources be used versus China but in what way. I know they are rattling sabers again wrt to Taiwan .

Im Gipper said:

---

While it would be great, there's nothing to support this statement:

Quote:

---

The people are getting rid of Islam

---

---

In addition to the government website posted, non-government surveys have shown that the population that self identifies as Muslim in Iran is 40%. The apostasy rates among young Muslims is 26%, but I'm not sure if that's a Western or Mid-Eastern number. That's up massively from 20 years ago where apostasy was almost nonexistent.

Islam is having serious trouble trying to survive with the internet.

Quote:

---

3) This threat isn't about freedom of speech in Iran; it's about the dollar, oil, and Israel.

---

Correct!

And?