Regime Change in Iran Is Neither Necessary Nor Prudent: New at Reason

Despite threat inflation by Iran hawks, the country has limited capabilities and U.S.-driven regime change is a bad idea.

Bonnie Kristian writes:

There’s mischief afoot in the White House, and it’s the familiar mischief of regime change. Some in President Trump’s advisory circle are reportedly pushing for an official embrace of regime change as the United States’ policy toward Iran.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) is at the forefront of this ill-advised endeavor. “I don’t see how anyone can say America can be safe,” he told Politico, “as long as you have in power a theocratic despotism” in Iran.

Well, senator, let me explain.

First, let’s agree the government of Iran is an unsavory regime. Tehran has a well-documented record of human rights abuses, so Cotton’s “theocratic despotism” label is not unfair. Iran also has a reputation for sponsoring terrorism and backing Syria’s genocidal government.

To be sure, the recent re-election of President Hassan Rouhani, who campaigned on a message of moderation and liberalization, is a step in the right direction. Rouhani’s hardline opponent was considered the favorite of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and his voters hailed the win as a victory for peace and positive international diplomacy. More importantly, younger Iranians are increasingly secular and pro-Western. They are challenging their government’s strict social controls and have a positive view of America. As these generations mature and Khamenei’s cohort dies off, political evolution (if not revolution) is likely.

View this article.