The Iranian uprising.

Unlike in V for vendetta , there is usually an abrupt and bloody outcome when "people without guns stand up to people with guns .(Start watching at 4:40)" *link fixed*

I am afraid that this is what we shall see in Iran. I believe that the shooing off of international press is a prelude to some particular nastiness which the perpetrators of which wish to leave no witnesses. 

Unlike the movie, reality has this startling problem. The men with the guns, in resorting to brutality, have made a deal with the devil. They are already linked to the regime which they serve. Now, if they had done nothing wrong, and there were no secret police, and there was no fear of government reprisal, then they would not open fire on civilians. OTOH, if they had been complicit in the crime of the regime, then they are linked to it's future, and if the regime were to fall , all they can hope for at best is eeking out some squalid existence for the rest of their lives, and at worst, punishment for their crimes. As you can see, this leaves jackbooted thugs, already accustomed to dishing out mindless brutality with little incentive for anything besides to keep doing the same, but only more urgently.  The fierce urgency of now, indeed.

Here, now, is a very good opportunity for a number of birds to be killed with  one stone. First, we owe the Iranian regime payback for their actions against our troops. Second,it would be nice if a more western friendly regime were to take over. They may not be ideal, but turning a theocracy into a true democracy is not by necessity must be handled in a single step.

In short, this is an opportunity on a silver platter for us, and I do not see our government exploiting it, when we have every right and reason to do so. I do not know if this is because of some innate reluctance to action, a lack of leadership, an unwillingness to be the one who stands up and makes a decision, or a shabby political tack focused on ensuring that the previous administration is in no way tied to a successful policy that dramatically reshaped the middle east (and this last one is the one that is most doubtful and would be most worrisome).

Whatever the reason, we have here an opportunity to assist a people in the triumph of the individual over the state. Of liberty over theocracy. Of nationalism over tribalism. We have here this opportunity, and it appears that we are squandering it.

Perhaps I am wrong, and the messiah is secretly and frantically using covert assets to assist and ensure that the mad mullahs of Iran are overthrown, and people not bent on nuking our ally Israel to glass come into power. I hope I am, but I am concerned and saddened that there will transpire a vast horror while we stood impotent only by our own self-doubt.

We are better than to just let these people get chopped up.

Well, at least we were.

Respectfully Submitted,
-doc Russia