The end of the Ayatollah, a man at the forefront of a regime that financially supports international terrorism, that brutally represses dissidents, that subsidizes the Chinese economy with petrochemicals at a discount, is a step in the right direction for democratic societies across the world.

As responsible citizens, in the wake of this good news, we must address two questions. First-what happens next? Trump encouraged Iranians to “take over” their government. While that is a noble prospect, we must consider the feasibility that a people’s revolution will indeed produce a democratic, peaceful government.

Let’s look at places where America has pursued a policy of regime change. Was there a grassroots movement towards democracy in Afghanistan? No. A western-friendly government owed its existence to American military presence. With that presence gone, the Taliban once again rules in Kabul. Was Iraq reborn as a stable democracy after the fall of Saddam? No again. Instead, America’s exit from Iraq opened the door to ISIS, which necessitated more US involvement. In Libya, where the US last attempted regime change exclusively through the air, there is an ongoing civil war, 15 years removed from the ousting of Gaddafi.

Second-a question for ourselves. If I support this operation–why? Would I have supported this before? Trump ran promising “no new wars,” and yet, he started a new war. Many of his supporters now praise a war they used to claim needed to be avoided at all costs. If this is you, be honest. Have you had a change of heart on Iran, or are you blindly supporting a policy, strictly because you support the man implementing it?

This is an opportunity for unity, but we must be honest with ourselves, and we must demand honesty from our leadership. Why now? And above all else, what’s next?

Phillip Murray

Alpena