The cognitive dissonance I felt when DT told the people of Iran who were rebelling against the repressive regime there to essentially “hang on”
because help was on the way, was significant. When I didn’t hear any
further statements from DT about
helping the democratic rebellion in Iran, I assumed someone in Trump’s
regime reminded him of his mission to stamp out democracy and replace it with an autocratic theocracy, much like Iran’s.
Please don’t misunderstand me Ambassador McFaul—I appreciate your meticulous “prescription” for the advancement of democracy in Iran,
but it does add to my longstanding cognitive dissonance about where the U.S. is headed in the grand scheme of world affairs. Personally, I view the current years-long attempt to replace our democracy with a repressive theocratic system of governance as a
temporary, but painful prelude to a
revitalization of our democratic ideals.
I admit I occasionally backslide from
that viewpoint from time to time, but
I think your prescription for Iran is also illustrative of exactly why a repressive theocracy will not be our fate. The
people of America have only known freedom since its inception. Over time we’ve always become more tolerant of cultural choice in important matters like religion, marriage, education and
scientific advancement.
We’ve always more or less welcomed those from other cultures who’ve been willing to adapt their culture to ours. Yes, there have been hiccups in our tolerance of others who are “different,” but we’ve always, over time, accepted and even celebrated differences. That is our heritage. Mean-spirited, repressive intolerance and strict adherence to a religious belief system without exception will never gain traction in the U.S. because we have never accepted it as a country.
The beauty of America has always been in its freedom of choice. If you
want to live with strict religious beliefs
you can do so, but you can’t force
others to live that way. We’ve always been a society of laws that apply equally to everyone. Autocracy/theocracy does not allow for laws that
apply equally to everyone. Autocratic regimes make exceptions for those who are perpetuating the regime.
In other words, the ruler or autocrat unfairly decides what the laws are for everyone else, and they are subject to change on the autocrat’s whims. Thus
it’s inherently unfair and dictatorial.
Americans will never agree to live that way once they understand what it is. I
firmly believe the only reason Trump’s repressive regime has come this far is because most of its adherents have no understanding of what it’s about.
What it’s about is having a repressive regime of sycophants who do what they want, whether it’s rigging the economy in their favor or raping little
girls, there are no restraints on them.
The restraints are on everyone else.
That will never work in America. The
very same people who claim to want it
will never agree to live that way once they understand it. The only question is how far in that direction we will go before they realize it. The people in power know their army of thugs called “ICE” won’t perform if they can be identified and called out for what they are doing by their neighbors, relatives
and friends. That’s all we need to know about where this is headed.
Trump is doing nothing to support democracy in Venezuela, where Maduro's political prisoners are still in prison. Why should anyone expect him to support it in Iran? What puzzles me is why Iranians took him seriously when he said help was on the way.
Thanks for the summary of what could be done. But it makes me wonder (1) why London and the UK have allowed Khamenei's son to set up shop there and (2) how anyone could seize those assets? Is that even legal? Why is the US not hammering the UK about allowing the many corrupt oligarchs from all over the world live, work, and bank freely there. BTW, here's a free link to the paywalled Bloomberg article: https://archive.ph/ELnjx
Hard to argue with the premise - "A Democratic Iran that does not kill their citizens is in the US national interest". Also pretty naive to think that is at all likely in our lifetimes. I generally try to think WWHKD (what would Henry Kissinger Do). It does feel like Trump's team is more aligned with this pragmatic and practical course. I argue HK would advocate for Containment (check), Preventing Nuclear capability (check), Isolation (check). Choose Stability over Democracy and change Iranian behavior. Supporting democratic reformers should be at most a secondary tactic.
The cognitive dissonance I felt when DT told the people of Iran who were rebelling against the repressive regime there to essentially “hang on”
because help was on the way, was significant. When I didn’t hear any
further statements from DT about
helping the democratic rebellion in Iran, I assumed someone in Trump’s
regime reminded him of his mission to stamp out democracy and replace it with an autocratic theocracy, much like Iran’s.
Please don’t misunderstand me Ambassador McFaul—I appreciate your meticulous “prescription” for the advancement of democracy in Iran,
but it does add to my longstanding cognitive dissonance about where the U.S. is headed in the grand scheme of world affairs. Personally, I view the current years-long attempt to replace our democracy with a repressive theocratic system of governance as a
temporary, but painful prelude to a
revitalization of our democratic ideals.
I admit I occasionally backslide from
that viewpoint from time to time, but
I think your prescription for Iran is also illustrative of exactly why a repressive theocracy will not be our fate. The
people of America have only known freedom since its inception. Over time we’ve always become more tolerant of cultural choice in important matters like religion, marriage, education and
scientific advancement.
We’ve always more or less welcomed those from other cultures who’ve been willing to adapt their culture to ours. Yes, there have been hiccups in our tolerance of others who are “different,” but we’ve always, over time, accepted and even celebrated differences. That is our heritage. Mean-spirited, repressive intolerance and strict adherence to a religious belief system without exception will never gain traction in the U.S. because we have never accepted it as a country.
The beauty of America has always been in its freedom of choice. If you
want to live with strict religious beliefs
you can do so, but you can’t force
others to live that way. We’ve always been a society of laws that apply equally to everyone. Autocracy/theocracy does not allow for laws that
apply equally to everyone. Autocratic regimes make exceptions for those who are perpetuating the regime.
In other words, the ruler or autocrat unfairly decides what the laws are for everyone else, and they are subject to change on the autocrat’s whims. Thus
it’s inherently unfair and dictatorial.
Americans will never agree to live that way once they understand what it is. I
firmly believe the only reason Trump’s repressive regime has come this far is because most of its adherents have no understanding of what it’s about.
What it’s about is having a repressive regime of sycophants who do what they want, whether it’s rigging the economy in their favor or raping little
girls, there are no restraints on them.
The restraints are on everyone else.
That will never work in America. The
very same people who claim to want it
will never agree to live that way once they understand it. The only question is how far in that direction we will go before they realize it. The people in power know their army of thugs called “ICE” won’t perform if they can be identified and called out for what they are doing by their neighbors, relatives
and friends. That’s all we need to know about where this is headed.
PS: I’m pretty sure Starlink is compromised.
We might have to fix “our house” first.
Impossible. Look at the US situation first.😄
Trump is doing nothing to support democracy in Venezuela, where Maduro's political prisoners are still in prison. Why should anyone expect him to support it in Iran? What puzzles me is why Iranians took him seriously when he said help was on the way.
Thanks for the summary of what could be done. But it makes me wonder (1) why London and the UK have allowed Khamenei's son to set up shop there and (2) how anyone could seize those assets? Is that even legal? Why is the US not hammering the UK about allowing the many corrupt oligarchs from all over the world live, work, and bank freely there. BTW, here's a free link to the paywalled Bloomberg article: https://archive.ph/ELnjx
Hard to argue with the premise - "A Democratic Iran that does not kill their citizens is in the US national interest". Also pretty naive to think that is at all likely in our lifetimes. I generally try to think WWHKD (what would Henry Kissinger Do). It does feel like Trump's team is more aligned with this pragmatic and practical course. I argue HK would advocate for Containment (check), Preventing Nuclear capability (check), Isolation (check). Choose Stability over Democracy and change Iranian behavior. Supporting democratic reformers should be at most a secondary tactic.