Persistence Resistence

I had mentioned back in mid-March if this current military operation with Iran ran more than the 4-week maximum time limit President Trump had placed. We would start to see rising prices on most consumer products and an increase in inflation. Unfortunately, that time limit has now passed. And it doesn’t take an Economist to realize the increases are happening. Now, the question is when will it stop? The recent killings of the top leaders in the Iranian regime structure have caused a complex question as to who is actually running the country now. It’s been reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has emerged as the dominant force in Iran’s political system. Which means nothing has changed in their current system. It is not our decision to decide or be involved in such an enormous high-profile regime change choice. What we want is normalcy back here in United States. Where we can go back to the grocery stores and fill up our vehicles without seeing the weekly price increases. Most military egressions do not happen overnight. The days of going in and getting out do not happen in modern times. All you have to do is look at the Russian – Ukrainian war which started over 4 years ago with no end in sight. For any real change to happen it is going to have to come from the Iranian population with courageous resistance and the yearning of freedom and change. The Iranian people have been suffering persistently for over 47 years from fear, surveillance, and economic despair when the Monarchy fell and the Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini was born. They have faced violent crackdowns on dissent and social unrest with violence and intimidation mostly against the youth and woman. This is displayed by the frequently utilized public hangings that occur in the public square with a crane. Executions and arrests are increasing across the country as we continue to bring strikes on Iran. Most revolutions are started by organized protests and civil disobediences to oppose oppression and corruption with policy change. This military escalation by the U.S. and Isreal cannot be categorized as a common revolution for the Iranian people. Over 80% of their citizens desire a regime change. And for that to happen they must change the entrenched loyalty of the IRGC security with an organized opposition leadership. As mentioned, we cannot make that happen. But organizations that claim to be philanthropic can help! Of course, I’m referring to the organization, the Open Society Foundation started by George Soros, and now run by his son Alex, with a $25 billion investment. It would be great if they spent their time supporting people who are under brutal repression. Rather than organizing “No King” rally’s here in the U.S. that have no bearing to reality. Their mission statement is “promoting justice, equality, human rights, and accountability, funding efforts that counter authoritarianism, protect marginalized communities, and foster free expression.” I don’t know about any of you, but doesn’t this sound like the Iranian people could use some of that? You would think an organization who claims to promote democracy, human rights, justice and equality invests their time and money for individuals that truly need it. There were claims in 2018 that the Ayatollah regime has frequently collaborated with the Open Society Foundation. This link between an organization that wishes to promote freedom of expression from a regime that imprisons political dissent, prosecutes homosexuals and segregates women is concerning. Can the people of Iran find a legitimate global organization to help their cause? Mao Zedong was good at winning the People’s War with “Propaganda Work”. By turning activism into propaganda and then propaganda into political and psychological weapons. But he was also a communist with evil intentions. We have contributed support with military strikes on the regime’s command structures but that could backfire with hardening nationalistic resistance. I’m afraid the only way the people can make a significant change is through internal military support by defections and a broad societal consensus with a comprehensive national coalition in a cohesive form. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen overnight. As average hard-working Americans, we need to hope and pray these military operations do not become a knock-down, dragged out escalation with increasing boots on the ground. We need an exit plan where everyone wins.