Regime Changing

“A fiscal crisis, divided elites, a diverse oppositional coalition, a convincing narrative of resistance, and a favorable international environment. This winter, for the first time since 1979, Iran checks nearly all five boxes.” The Atlantic (Gift Article): Is the Iranian Regime About to Collapse? “Still, one group of elites remains united: the country’s security forces.”

+ “Israeli strikes across Iran destroyed much of its military leadership, and the follow-on U.S. bombing campaign struck a heavy blow against Iran’s nuclear program. It was a humiliation for a regime that had invested so much of the country’s national wealth into a proxy network that was designed to deter exactly this sort of assault on the homeland.” WSJ (Gift Article): Weakened by War, Iran’s Regime Faces Its Toughest Challenge Yet.

+ Iran was shown to be a paper tiger when challenged by strong militaries. But the regime is still plenty strong enough to murder its own people. Time: Death Toll in Iran May Already Be in the Thousands. Here’s the latest from CNN.