The regime change crowd is using an old script
Cibolo, Texas: I read with interest the administration’s enthusiastic suggestion that the demise of Iran’s latest supreme leader presents a golden opportunity for the Iranian people to “take back” their country and stroll briskly toward democracy. History, however, is not quite so breezy.
When Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini died in 1989, many observers predicted a turning point. What followed was not a town hall meeting and a crash course in civics, but another ayatollah. Revolutions, it seems, have a way of replacing crowns with turbans rather than ballots. The idea that the mere absence of one religious strongman will cause Jeffersonian democracy to bloom overnight is touching — almost Hallmark-worthy. But governance is not a light switch. You don’t flip from theocracy to “The Federalist Papers” in a long weekend. For decades before clerical rule, Iran endured absolute monarchy under the shah. Autocracy has been the political language for generations. Expecting a population raised under monarchs and mullahs to improvise a constitutional republic on short notice may be less strategy and more wishful thinking.
Of course, one hopes for freedom and self-determination for the Iranian people. But hope is not policy, and slogans are not institutions. If democracy were that easily installed, we’d export it in flat-pack boxes with an Allen wrench and a set of instructions. Perhaps a little humility — and a glance at history — would serve us better than premature celebration. John Di Genio
Predicted outcome
Tomkins Cove, N.Y.: It was repeatedly stated that if I voted for Kamala Harris, we would become involved in another forever war, this time with Iran. Well, I voted for Harris and sure enough, we’re stumbling into a forever war with Iran. Doug Slotolowicz
Board-approved?
Forest Hills: Before President Trump attacked Iran, did he run it by his Board of Peace? Alan Hirschberg
Fighting for injustice
San Mateo, Calif.: How do we explain this illegal war (according to the UN)? It’s definitely not “America First.” Iran is no threat to us. Why sacrifice our troops and create more Gold Star families without an intelligent explanation? Barack Obama, along with the Russians, Chinese and Europeans, hammered out the JCPOA, which kept any nuclear program in a bottle for years to come. Now we want an entirely new agreement? Iran can have no nuclear enrichment, no ballistic missiles and no alliances with other groups that oppose Israel’s behavior toward the half of its population that it doesn’t allow to vote. Israel uses a legal system that changes depending on which district you live in. “Equal justice for all”? Is this the noble cause that our grandfathers would have shed their blood for 85 years ago? Mike Caggiano
One-sided support
Woodside: Wow. I remember Vietnam. Lots of Americans died — 58,000 of us. No Israelis joined us. No Israelis were there to help us. Why are we helping them? Richard Tobiassen
Requested & received
Forest Hills: Oh, I get it! Our whiney leader, instead of using reason or thinking through anything, is just out for revenge — an old man’s perceptions of grievances from the taking of U.S. hostages in 1979 to recent attacks on Israel; perceptions that our world’s largest and controlling economy is somehow collapsing; that people asserting rights are killing our culture; that somehow an attempt to make everyone have some form of equality is destroying you; that renewable resources and science are witchcraft — it all sounds like a combination of wing-nut conspiracy theories, the Weekly World News and plain ignorance. You voted for chaos. You got it! Matthew N. Ross
Look who’s talking
Brooklyn: Is it ironic that Trump refers to the Iranian government as a “sick and sinister regime”? Robert Braunstein
Squeezed at the pump
Carmel, N.Y.: Oil and gasoline dealers are once again ripping off the public. Hours after our “Dear President” decided to unfurl America’s fury on the Middle East, the price of a gallon of gasoline at two service stations in Putnam County increased their price of fuel by 6 cents per gallon. Same fuel in the tank, mind you. Purveyors of home heating oil are also playing the price game with a gallon of fuel rising by 7 cents less than 24 hours after the initial attack by U.S. warplanes. Didn’t King Trump say America manufactures plenty of oil of its own? Why is the 20% produced overseas causing such havoc on the consumer? Eric Gross
Unchecked power
Peconic, L.I.: Our local representatives continue to support the head of their party as the world rushes toward another world war. The power to declare war is in the hands of Congress. The unlawful attacks and murders by the Department of Homeland Security are another dereliction of congressional oversight, and both should be stopped before further harm can be done. Joel Reitman
Secure the home front
Terre Haute, Ind.: To Sen. Chuck Schumer and his childish Democrats: End this DHS shutdown! This agency and its sub-units must be funded. The U.S. is on a war footing. Iran is not about to capitulate. This theocracy is dangerous. These despots will continue to lash out at America. Of all times when DHS is needed, it’s now! Coast Guard, Secret Service, cyber defense, counterintelligence and the TSA are instrumental to the nation’s defense. If Iran has terrorist sleeper cells throughout the U.S., they’ll soon be awakened. Their infrastructural targets are limitless. Attacks are coming. Wake up, Schumer. Quit advocating the welfare of illegal aliens over that of Americans. Allow funding of DHS as the instrumentality that will defend the U.S. against these domestic-based Iranian terrorist cells! Earl Beal
Up the ante
Manhattan: ICE has been active in NYC since Trump took power, and with so many of us now prepared to recognize and confront them, they’ve turned to disguise and subterfuge. Federal agents pretended to be NYPD plainclothes officers looking for a missing child to kidnap a Columbia University student in university housing. The city housing department has an Instagram video teaching how to ID its inspectors. With a secret police invasion, who can you trust? Schumer’s demands for unmasking ICE, requiring body cams and proper ID and judicial warrants before Democrats will vote for DHS funding now look quaint. As public opinion sours radically on ICE, Schumer can up the ante. Roll back its insane billions and reimburse Medicaid. No more random goons without background checks, and fire all who never should have been hired. Stop the warehouse conversions to concentration camps. Madrid Poultney
Revealing reply
Forest Hills: During a congressional hearing in December, the chairman of the FCC was asked a pretty basic question about conflicts of interest, nothing terribly heavy. His disturbing response, with a giggle, was, “How am I supposed to know that?” Isn’t that like a tell in poker? What’s the giggle about? Dismissiveness? He didn’t want to answer? The continued arrogance. Stew Frimer
