The author's first sentence equates support for the Shah with support for the Iranian people. That is nonsense.

Democracy for Iran must be an Iranian effort.
Pressure on Iran by other countries is very unlikely to bring it.
Meanwhile there are other urgent issues with Iran that need addressing.

1. I agree with you david f.

Up until 1979, the US government supported the secular Shah of Iran http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Reza_Pahlavi as a "Deputy Sheriff" for US interests in the Middle East. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_Revolution

In the years prior to 1979 the rule of the Shah was seen by an increasing number of Iranians as repressive and anti-Islamic. The Shah's "Secret Police" (Security Service) known as SAVAK steadily lost its ability to effectively terrorize anti-Shah opposition elements. In 1979 a popular Iranian uprising (the anti-Shah, Islamic Revolution) unseated the Shah.

The US sees Iran as the main threat to the US' 2 main client states in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and Israel.
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2. So where does this leave the author? It would appear from his previous article of October 2019 http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=20565 that he is connected with the Washington DC Pheonix Project, a US Government supported information operation against Iran.

The address of the Pheonix Project is:

"Phoenix Project of Iran

611 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE #350,

Washington, DC 20003-4303

United States of America."

see http://iranprojectphoenix.org/en/contact-us/general/

It certainly was a disastrous decision by hick president Jimmy Carter to undermine the Shah. We cosy up to Communist China now. but the halfwits back in the day though it was a good idea to toss out a monarch in favour of a lunatic religious dictatorship. Look where that got Iran. Look at the ongoing international threat that a country that used to mind its own business has become.

Why must it be us and our blood and treasure spilled/wasted and for what? So another dictator can replace those removed?

If these folk need help? So do 50-60 million displaced (climate change/desertification), refugees!

I've just turned away two evangelical folks from my door. Who wanted to engage me in a conversation by questioning my values and belief.

Like all control freak bible bashers. If ignorance is bliss, tis folly to be wise.

I'm sorry for the plight of young Christian Iranians who must be almost the most persecuted folk almost anywhere and womenfolk who have less rights than cattle!?

We have interfered too many times in the miscreant middle east. And tolerated the intolerable, given the tyrannical bastard was our tyrannical bastard.

Some of who could even be elected bible bashing, fire and brimstone breathing, absolutists?

Who may even believe like the current Iranian theocracy, that homosexuality is a lifestyle choice/form of insanity? And shared, cradle to the grave, brainwashed into almost every Iranian citizen? And you would have us assist that?

Personally, I think we need to ramp up the sanctions and then ramp them up again in the knowledge that the folk that are the tyrants are old men and the coronavirus could remove them, (God's hand) without us needing to lift a finger to help.

And those not taken this time? Gotten via circulating reinfection carried by the wind, birds or flea carrying rats/whatever?

More young GI's were sacrificed trying to liberate South Vietnam than spent in the totality of WW11!

Let's not repeat that for less! And for no thanks, just endless hate and anger/Iranian sponsored/financed terrorism?!

If we need a solution? Then let it be a single cruise missile delivered, neutron bomb exploded over Tehran when all the Aytollys are in the capital? The "secret network" can alert our inside operatives when and where and enough time to seek shelter at a safe distance?

The device would also completely sanitise the area and make it coronavirus free? And safe to reenter, with no infrastructure damage, in around six months.
Alan B.

The reality of humanitarian intervention is the horror of Libya.