The Israel-Iran War ?

[Zoupa]

I still believe the Morgenthau plan would have been better. 

[Sheilbh]

On that - saw the Jerusalem Post editorial to Trump a couple of days ago which is a little Morgenthau-ish:

Trump needs to take decisive action against Iran
Mr. US President Donald Trump: It's time to match words with decisive action.

• Embrace regime change as a policy. Iran's leadership has shown time and again that its ideology is impervious to deterrence; military strikes only feed its propaganda. You should publicly declare that the Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Khamenei is an outlaw regime and that its removal is a US strategic objective.
• Sharpen economic warfare to knife-edge precision. Existing sanctions must be intensified to target every revenue stream sustaining the regime. Freeze all assets tied to the IRGC and its Quds Force, sanction the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and levy secondary sanctions on foreign banks and firms transacting with Tehran.
• Ramp up covert operations inside Iran. If Tehran welcomes violence, let it find the fight at home. Expand cyber offensives to disable IRGC command-and-control networks, disrupt missile guidance systems, and interfere with nuclear control software.
• Designate the IRGC a foreign terrorist organization and pursue its global networks relentlessly. Force banks worldwide to choose between processing dollar transactions and facilitating money laundering by the IRGC.
• Project overwhelming military readiness. Surge US carrier strike groups into the Persian Gulf, pre-position Aegis destroyers in the Arabian Sea, and deploy long-range bombers to deter any Iranian reprisal.
• Forge a Middle East coalition for Iran's partition. Encourage long-term plans for a federalized or partitioned Iran, recognizing that Khamenei's theocratic regime cannot be reformed. Offer security guarantees to Sunni, Kurdish, and Balochi minority regions willing to break away.

Khamenei's genocidal rhetoric demands a radical response. A half-measure of sanctions and occasional airstrikes will only embolden Tehran's hard-liners and lengthen the regime's lifespan.

Mr. President, this extreme theocracy needs to fall. Make its destruction as explicit a policy as the defeat of Nazi Germany or Saddam Hussein's Iraq.

Harness every tool of American power, be it diplomatic, economic, covert, or militarized, to dismantle Ayatollah Khamenei's regime before it can realize its vow to erase Israel and America from the map. Only then can the region breathe free of tyranny and terror, and the cancer of radical theocracy be excised once and for all.

[Jacob]

I think Trump will really enjoy this proposal. It makes him out to be a veritable emperor who can reorganize the world at his whim, as lesser kings line up to entreat him or quail with fear at the prospect of his displeasure.

As such, I think Trump will seriously consider the proposal and probably talk about it too.

But I doubt he'll do it. He lacks the character and mental fortitude to follow through on pretty much anything, much less something as momentous as this. His career and being is all about bloviating, posturing, and then not following through - benefitting from stabbing people who rely on him and took him at his words.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

I think Trump will really enjoy this proposal. It makes him out to be a veritable emperor who can reorganize the world at his whim, as lesser kings line up to entreat him or quail with fear at the prospect of his displeasure.

As such, I think Trump will seriously consider the proposal and probably talk about it too.

But I doubt he'll do it. He lacks the character and mental fortitude to follow through on pretty much anything, much less something as momentous as this. His career and being is all about bloviating, posturing, and then not following through - benefitting from stabbing people who rely on him and took him at his words.

he'll probably inform us in two weeks that he'll inform us in two weeks

[Razgovory]

I still believe the Morgenthau plan would have been better. 

No Mercy for Fascists!*

*Arabs are incapable of fascism.

[frunk]

I'm sure there's tremendous pressure on Trump right now, between the Israelis/Saudis on one side and Putin/base cowardice on the other.

[Josquius]

I've met a few expat Iranians in my time, never met one who was anything but strongly anti-clerical regime. But that's a very self-selecting population, the vast majority of Iranian expats are expats because of the regime.

My boss is an Iranian exile (though he strongly prefers the ethnonym Persian and often corrects people--he associates 'Iran'/'Iranian' with the current regime).  He insists that if the current government fell, there would be rejoicing in the streets and that most people despise the government, they are just afraid to stand up to it.

His father in law still lives in Tehran and I imagine he's quite worried for his safety at this point.

A ton of people do hate the regime and there would be much rejoicing if it fell.

But is it the majority of the people? No idea.

And while the opposition might agree the current regime sucks, who knows if they agree on much else.

The vibe I get is there would be widespread rejoicing in the streets of Tehran and maybe other cities. Though more rural areas....

[Tonitrus]

I think Trump will really enjoy this proposal. It makes him out to be a veritable emperor who can reorganize the world at his whim, as lesser kings line up to entreat him or quail with fear at the prospect of his displeasure.

As such, I think Trump will seriously consider the proposal and probably talk about it too.

But I doubt he'll do it. He lacks the character and mental fortitude to follow through on pretty much anything, much less something as momentous as this. His career and being is all about bloviating, posturing, and then not following through - benefitting from stabbing people who rely on him and took him at his words.

I think if were to be in for regime change, it'd be something stupid like putting in the Shah's son. That'd fit his demeanor more than an ethnic partition (which is also likely a stupid idea).

[HisMajestyBOB]

I think Trump will really enjoy this proposal. It makes him out to be a veritable emperor who can reorganize the world at his whim, as lesser kings line up to entreat him or quail with fear at the prospect of his displeasure.

As such, I think Trump will seriously consider the proposal and probably talk about it too.

But I doubt he'll do it. He lacks the character and mental fortitude to follow through on pretty much anything, much less something as momentous as this. His career and being is all about bloviating, posturing, and then not following through - benefitting from stabbing people who rely on him and took him at his words.

I think if were to be in for regime change, it'd be something stupid like putting in the Shah's son. That'd fit his demeanor more than an ethnic partition (which is also likely a stupid idea).

He'll have Jared Kushner crowned as Shah.

[grumbler]

I think Trump will really enjoy this proposal. It makes him out to be a veritable emperor who can reorganize the world at his whim, as lesser kings line up to entreat him or quail with fear at the prospect of his displeasure.

As such, I think Trump will seriously consider the proposal and probably talk about it too.

But I doubt he'll do it. He lacks the character and mental fortitude to follow through on pretty much anything, much less something as momentous as this. His career and being is all about bloviating, posturing, and then not following through - benefitting from stabbing people who rely on him and took him at his words.

A smart editorial board would encourage Trump to embrace the Khamenei regime, since Everything Trump Touches Dies.

[Tonitrus]

I think Trump will really enjoy this proposal. It makes him out to be a veritable emperor who can reorganize the world at his whim, as lesser kings line up to entreat him or quail with fear at the prospect of his displeasure.

As such, I think Trump will seriously consider the proposal and probably talk about it too.

But I doubt he'll do it. He lacks the character and mental fortitude to follow through on pretty much anything, much less something as momentous as this. His career and being is all about bloviating, posturing, and then not following through - benefitting from stabbing people who rely on him and took him at his words.

A smart editorial board would encourage Trump to embrace the Khamenei regime, since Everything Trump Touches Dies.

ETTD doesn't make a good acronym like TACO has.  I'd recommend Trump Inevitably Kills It.

[grumbler]

I think Trump will really enjoy this proposal. It makes him out to be a veritable emperor who can reorganize the world at his whim, as lesser kings line up to entreat him or quail with fear at the prospect of his displeasure.

As such, I think Trump will seriously consider the proposal and probably talk about it too.

But I doubt he'll do it. He lacks the character and mental fortitude to follow through on pretty much anything, much less something as momentous as this. His career and being is all about bloviating, posturing, and then not following through - benefitting from stabbing people who rely on him and took him at his words.

A smart editorial board would encourage Trump to embrace the Khamenei regime, since Everything Trump Touches Dies.

ETTD doesn't make a good acronym like TACO has.  I'd recommend Trump Inevitably Kills It.

ETTD is a long-standing phrase, though.  It dates to his first presidency (in a Rick Wilson book with that title).

[Zoupa]

I still believe the Morgenthau plan would have been better. 

No Mercy for Fascists!*

*Arabs are incapable of fascism.

What?

[Razgovory]

I still believe the Morgenthau plan would have been better. 

No Mercy for Fascists!*

*Arabs are incapable of fascism.

What?

You wouldn't suggest a Morgenthau plan for Gaza...

[Jacob]

Raz, if you want to discuss Gaza do it it in the thread devoted to that purpose.