President Donald Trump appears tempted to use military force against Iran, perhaps even to push for regime change. The temptation is understandable—but must be resisted. Trying to topple the Ayatollah would be bad politics and worse policy, endangering American lives and making the Middle East less secure for decades to come.
Hawks in Washington have been advocating for regime change in Tehran for decades. No president has yet been willing to adopt their most extreme ideas. Today, however, key variables seem to be aligning in the hawks’ favor, leading some to speculate that Trump could be convinced to deliver a death blow to the regime.
According to the hawks, Iran is a sitting duck. Most obviously, the regime is under serious—perhaps fatal—pressure at home. Iran’s economy is in freefall. The most recent protests showed that ordinary Iranians are fed up with the mismanagement of their country, while previous protests revealed popular revulsion at the regime’s hardline social policies.
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