The mainstream media is obsessed with hoping Trump fails in Iran

 Jack Hellner - American Thinker  

"And the public is told that these people are the adults in the room, the compassionate people, the progressive people, the smart people by most of the media as they seek to destroy Trump every day of his presidency."

"What is with the media these days?

"Here is an article by people posing as journalists at Reuters whose writing would make you think they are deer in the headlights. 

U.S. President Donald Trump demanded Iran's "unconditional surrender" on Friday, a dramatic escalation one week into the war he launched alongside Israel that could make it more difficult to negotiate a swift end to hostilities.

"They think it is terrible that Trump demands unconditional surrender from Iranian leaders as they are pounded to oblivion because it harms "diplomacy" as if that has worked for 47 years to end the destruction of the Iranian people and the damage to the world. 

 

"They loved Presidents Obama and Biden as they catered to Iranian leaders and gave them boatloads of money to build weapons and support terrorist groups. They didn't mind when Obama shipped the Iranian leaders cash and when he let Hezbollah off the hook for drugging in the U.S to appease Iran. They probably thought that was "smart" diplomacy. 

 

Another article from Reuters says that Russia and China demand an immediate end to the war in Iran as they continue a four-year war on Ukraine. This is what they wrote:

 

• China's Wang says killing of Iranian leader unacceptable
• Wang, Russia's Lavrov call for immediate end to strikes
• Russia says security of Gulf states must be guaranteed

  U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran are unacceptable, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday as he called for an immediate ceasefire and the resumption of talks to prevent a wider regional conflict.

 "The Reuters writer probably doesn't see a problem with that or think that Russia and Chian should have a say. They clearly don't care that Iran has had a policy of death to America and death to Israel. 

 

"And here in this United Nations press release are the UN experts on human rights demanding an end to the war because it is a threat to the right to life. "  . . .More

Democrats go to war - Against Trump

Don Surber

   "In a world where the media spares Democrats scrutiny, Democrat lies pile high."

"The Democrats’ knee-jerk reaction to Operation Epic Fury is another step toward irrelevancy by the Party Of Obama. The party ran out of good ideas when Clinton left office. He left Dubya a balanced budget. Now the party embraces every bad idea that comes along. Reparations for Oprah! Spaying and neutering teens suffering sexual dysphoria! Open borders!

"In Trump’s first year back in office, Democrats have denounced his every single action as commander-in-chief. Even the Army’s parade to celebrate its 250th anniversary drew plenty of whine from the Democrat vineyard, falsely labeling it a birthday parade for Donald John Trump.

"Planning for the anniversary celebration began under Biden when he still thought he’d be re-elected.

"Trump began his second term as commander-in-chief by deploying the 10,000 soldiers to the Mexican border. Jack Reed, top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the deployment was “dangerous and an inappropriate use of the U.S. military to carry out his immigration enforcement campaign.”

"Reed called the soldiers a “de facto border police.”

"In response, War Consigliere Pete Hegseth awarded Mexican Border Defense Medals that replicated the 1918 Mexican Border Defense Medal issued to soldiers in General Blackjack Pershing’s expedition to Mexico in 1916-1917.

"When Operation Midnight Hammer destroyed Iran’s nuclear labs, Democrats condemned him. AOC’s word salad said, “The President’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers. He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.”

Are Democrats that Stupid or Just Gas Lighting the Public?

  Larry Horst; The Punching Bag Post  

"That same language used by Tehran, China, Russia. In their irrational hatred of Trump, Democrats make common cause with America’s mortal enemies. As I said in a previous commentary, these Democrats are reprising the role of Tokyo Rose, the voice of anti-American propaganda in World War II."

"I pose the headline question because have been listening to one Democrat after another – and every talking head on MS NOW – say that President Trump attacked Iran without a plan or a reason. They say the current situation it his fault for tearing up President Obama’s deal that would have prevented Iran from having nuclear weapons for ten years. (Yeah, I know that Democrats keep saying the deal prevented Iran from ever getting nuclear weapons, but that is … a bald-faced lie.) 

The Legality

"Democrats say that Trump’s action is illegal – that he had to get the approval of Congress. Not so. First of all, it is the Supreme Court that determines the legality of presidential actions — not a bunch partisan political hacks. I have not yet seen any Democrat running to the Supreme Court. Methinks, they know that Trump currently has the power under the War Powers Act and they would lose. Democrats are pushing for passage of a War Powers Resolution in an attempt to stop or restrain Trump. Hmmm. Would they be doing that if they really thought his actions were already illegal? Regardless, it is not likely to pass Congress – and if it did, Trump would simply veto it. It is an exercise in futility – the kind of meaningless theatrics Democrats love.

"The issue of legality brings up another issue – one not raised by the press, unfortunately. Since many Democrats claim both the actions in Venezuela and now those in Iran are illegal actions, I would ask them if they believe Trump is a war criminal — and if they believe that the military – from generals to troops on the frontline – should disobey Trump’s orders. How would Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, and the others who appeared on those videos, respond?" . More...

. . . Larry has an extensive background in economics and public policy. For more than 40 years, he ran his own Chicago based consulting firm. His clients included such conservative icons as Steve Forbes and Milton Friedman. He has served as a consultant to the Nixon White House and travelled the country as a spokesman for President Reagan’s economic reforms. Larry professional emphasis has been on civil rights and education. He was consultant to both the Chicago and the Detroit boards of education, the Educational Choice Foundation, the Chicago Teachers Academy and the Chicago Academy for the Performing Arts.  . . .

SOTU and Iran: not Democrats finest moments

"They invoke the Constitution against Trump — even as history and their own record tell a different story." And they support those wearing Hamas scarves while they assault Jews in Western cities. TD

 The Democrats’ Epic Fury Over Iran Strikes | The American Spectator

"And no Trump-ordered operation would be complete without a denunciation from that widely-respected foreign policy authority, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez " 

"It was hardly necessary to consult Nostradamus to predict that the Democrats, who profess to abhor oppressive authoritarian theocracies, would denounce President Trump’s decision to topple the government of Iran — the very definition of such a regime. Nor was it a surprise that they downplay or simply ignore the obvious elation with which the Iranians themselves greeted the long overdue demise of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. It is striking, however, that the Democrats fail to see that their reflexive attacks on Trump for taking action against such a dangerous regime and indifference to the response of the Iranian people reinforces the public perception that their party is weak and out of touch.

"The last two Democrat Presidents have already damaged their party’s credibility where Iran is concerned by coddling the Khamenei regime with financial, diplomatic, and political concessions. Nonetheless a key architect of the Obama administration’s disastrous 2015 Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA), Ben Rhodes, had the unmitigated  audacity to post the following on social media: “Trump lied about being against forever wars, he broke the most basic promise he made to his own supporters.” Rhodes’ comments were not well received. Former acting Director of National Intelligence Richard A. Grenell responded, “You were part of the team who gave billions of dollars to the Iranian Regime … Once again, President Trump is cleaning up your mess.” . . .  More...

War With Iran: Justified Strike, Uncertain Horizon  . . . "It is a prime responsibility of reporters and columnists to get the facts straight. In war, this is almost impossible to do with any speed so the urge to get a scoop that beats the competition is a recipe for getting the facts wrong.

"We have to assume that the air strikes — which may not be accompanied by landing forces in Iran — will go on for days, weeks and, possibly, months. Mr. Trump and his administration have also to be prepared for other hotspots — such as Taiwan — which could erupt in days or weeks because other nations will want to take advantage of our preoccupation with Iran. If a war breaks out over Taiwan, it’s highly questionable whether we can cope with that while operations are going on in Iran. Russian President Putin will be tempted to try to push his luck in Ukraine.

"Chinese intervention is also possible if we bomb Iran’s principal oil export facility at Kharg Island. If we hit Kharg Island quickly, we could cripple both Iran’s and China’s economies. It would be entirely worthwhile to do so but there are risks.

"Mr. Trump has indicated that regime change in Iran is his — and our Israeli allies’ — goal. That will take more than air strikes to accomplish.

"Who will govern Iran after the ayatollahs’ regime falls?" . . .More... 

Here's the Geopolitical Mistake Iran Made That Only Led to More Nations Lining Up Against Them

 How must Democrats feel? What if Kamala had been President? How have the enslaved people of Iran fared under other Democrats in office? Jimmy Carter? Barack Obama, who forsook them to feel that he and the Iranians he feared were friends who would not harm him?

Matt Vespa; Townhall   

“Many people in the Gulf woke up Saturday pissed off at the United States and Israel, and went to sleep pissed off at Iran,” 

Broc Smith –

Iran had to act, but it only worsened their situation: the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was dead, and their military leadership was eliminated. They responded with missile strikes against Israel and other Gulf nations. The idea was that this would turn those countries against the United States and pressure them to stop the air campaign. However, it backfired, causing the entire region to turn against Iran—Saudi Arabia, in particular, sided with the US, which is expected. While the kingdom often follows a narrative to placate anti-Israel sentiments, it remains a rival of Iran both geopolitically and religiously—the Saudis are Sunni and the Iranians are majority Shiite, two branches that aren’t too cozy with one another (via WSJ):

So far, this calculus seems to have backfired. Gulf states, rattled by volleys of Iranian drones and missiles targeting their hotels, ports and airports, are concluding the Iranian peril must be confronted. Rather than seeking an offramp, the prevailing mood in the Gulf—at least for now—is that the Iranian regime can’t be allowed to get away with this unprecedented onslaught on its neighbors.

"The subplot to Iran’s nuclear ambitions was Saudi Arabia’s declaration some 20 years ago that it would start its own nuclear weapons program if Tehran acquired the bomb. No one wants a nuclear arms race in the Middle East."  . . .

"Iranian Exiles Dance to Trump's YMCA After Khamenei's Death in Strikes "Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, died on February 28, 2026, in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian leadership amid rising tensions; Trump confirmed the action due to imminent threats, and Iranian media verified it the next day with 40 days of mourning declared. Exiles in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco celebrated with Trump's signature YMCA moves to the Village People's song, led by monarchist supporters hoping for regime change after decades of Khamenei's rule. While some condemned the festivities as tasteless, the scenes highlighted deep diaspora resentment and rare unity with America and Israel." https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HaIkAVRmuaI

The Women Who Would Not Kneel; As Iran’s regime wages war on its own daughters, the U.S. now faces a test that is both moral and strategic.

Presently, purple-haired, pierced semi-women in America hold their pre-printed, pre-planned professional posters in protest of our President's actions.

 The American Spectator

"During the Biden administration, I attended a small dinner with Iranian dissidents living in the United States. As they spoke, quietly, intensely, of a free Iran, I asked what they wanted most from American leadership.

Their answer was simple.

“ 'We do not want you to fight for us. We just want to know you will not abandon us when the time comes.”

"Earlier this year, tens of thousands poured into the streets across Iran in the most profound protest movement since the Iranian revolution in 1979. Many were women. (RELATED: Iran Is Not That Simple)

"The courage required is difficult to comprehend from a distance. Iranian women and girls stepped into public squares under a regime that has never concealed its capacity for cruelty toward them. For decades, they have lived with midnight arrests, endless interrogations, murder carried out by morality police, and prisons that swallow dissent without a trace. Still, they chose to stand openly. (RELATED: Time to Stand With the People of Iran)

"What followed ranks among the most grotesque displays of state violence in recent memory.

"Accounts from detainees, families, and medical personnel describe women raped in custody, mutilated, and returned to their loved ones in conditions that defy comprehension. There are credible reports of uteruses removed, scalps taken, and bodies so desecrated that families were denied the chance to see or bury their dead. Some never received remains at all. In a system long accustomed to repression, these acts are meant to extinguish resistance and memory." . . .

These protesting Iranians remember too well Democrat President Obama's betrayal of their Green Revolution in 2009:

Barack Obama Is to Blame for Iran. Here’s Why.  

Iran’s reign of terror finally faces the hammer of justice with Operation Epic Fury, proving Trump’s strength buries Obama’s shameful appeasement forever.

Had to keep his base happy.

 "Americans woke up Saturday to something big. The United States and Israel launched a massive joint offensive against Iran’s regime, known as Operation Epic Fury. According to reports, targets included Iran’s supreme leader and president. Major combat operations are now underway, and the implications are global.

"Predictably, Democrats in Washington and even some Republicans are questioning the strikes. But let’s be honest — this moment was long overdue. Iran’s reign of terror didn’t start yesterday. In fact, this confrontation is the direct result of the Obama administration’s disastrous decision a decade ago to appease, enrich, and embolden Tehran.

"Barack Obama and his administration sold the world a fantasy with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly referred to as the Iran nuclear deal. This treaty was so bad that Obama didn’t even attempt to get the Senate to ratify it. He just pretended it wasn’t a treaty and signed it unilaterally, claiming it as a foreign policy victory for himself.

"In fact, Obama was so desperate to make the deal a defining foreign policy achievement of his presidency that the lies about the deal from the left have never stopped. He told us it was a historic diplomatic breakthrough that would block Iran’s path to nuclear weapons. In reality, it handed the mullahs a lifeline and a fortune. Sanctions were lifted. Tehran gained access to roughly $150 billion in frozen assets, and there was that infamous $1.7 billion in cash sent to the regime, much of it delivered on pallets in the middle of the night. Every step of the way, Obama was emboldening Iran, not containing it.

"It didn’t take long for Iran to show what a joke the deal really was. Just three months after signing the deal, Tehran test-fired ballistic missiles in open violation of U.N. resolutions. German intelligence later reported that Iran was still seeking technology for a military nuclear program. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed repeated violations of material limits — all while Obama kept reassuring us that the agreement was “working.” Even he eventually admitted Iran was violating the “spirit” of the deal, and that was as close as he’d ever get to admitting that his deal was a sham." . . .  More...

The Line That Held on Iran

First some history about red lines: 10 years after Obama's embarrassing 'red line' retreat | Responsible Statecraft    "Unfortunately, Obama learned his lesson from the Syria episode, and the lesson he learned was that he would never again seek Congress’s approval for military action or involvement anywhere else"   More... 

The American Spectator  

"More than his support for Israel, more than displaying empathy for the Iranian people, he had to stand by his word."

Remember Obama's red lines?

"What is it about Switzerland? Three Presidents have tried their luck at dealing with blatant insanity. Obama played his cards in Lausanne in 2015 while Biden bet on Vienna five years later. Geneva’s turn had come. The President’s golf pal Witkoff went through the motions. Last night Trump gave thumbs up. The Mullah team had its final chance. At that moment in Tehran all hell broke loose.

"Of all murky lunacies, redoing nuclear talks with born liars and lunatics is the most comic, the most idiotic, the most perilous. “The president wants diplomatic solutions. He prefers them greatly.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio had to mask Trump’s serial ultimatums tagged with frantic appeals for Tehran to negotiate. He’d risked sailing close to the wind, given Obama’s “worst deal ever made,” that crude denouncement now putting the President’s political life at risk. The Special Envoy was having a third stab at a nuclear  deal. The Mullahs would have been relishing one cop-out after another. And they slipped a fourth round of playing postman’s bluff onto the rumor mill.

"Never mind the MAGA movement. A poll from The Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs conducted in February 19-23 found that both the left and right view Iran’s nuclear program as a threat. At the same time they lack trust in the President’s judgment. As for the isolationist crowd, a military escapade in the Middle East scares the hell out of them. Zionists getting America to fight their wars are not the flavor of the day. Bait clicks for populist Tucker Carlson and professor John Mearsheimer were as likely as the risk of Iran’s ballistic missiles to de-escalate.

"Many in the MAGA movement look askew at the President’s involvement in Ukraine, Venezuela, and Gaza as a betrayal of his vow to put “America first.”  It would all have blown up in his face had Trump not bombed the terrors of Tehran to smithereens but cut a deal which froze rather than dismantled their nuclear program, declaring it better than Obama’s excuse for a deal.

"For sure, the motives of the 44th and 47th Presidents were poles apart. A signature legacy motivated the former to bargain with the devil. And he meant to empower Iran’s theocracy, not bring it down. Indeed Obama was about to turn the old order upside down. Iran, hitherto America’s number one foe, was going to be, in the world’s number one hotspot, America’s number one ally. A detente brewed between the world’s powerhouse and the world’s sour pickle jar." . . .  More...

A little sarcasm from this commenter at the NY Post:

Trump will never be forgiven by the dems for taking out their beloved Ayatollah. They worshipped him like Luigi.......

Fact Check: Did the US Under Obama Give Iran $150 Billion?

 Did Obama pay a ransom to Iran for our captured sailors? - American Thinker

 The payment of ransom will only encourage future kidnappings by the Iranians. Beyond that, the mocking, sneering rhetoric from Tehran toward the United States and our weakness in the face of aggression shows that our [groveling] response has emboldened the Iranians.  

US Navy under Democrat command

2016 U.S.–Iran naval incident - Wikipedia  "Follow up all links for more details on the ransom and the actions of those Democrats in a crisis."  Then Democrats were intimidated; in 2026 one has to see them as allies of any enemies of Israel and the United States. TD

. . . "One day after Iran released the 10 sailors they had abducted for straying into Iranian territorial waters, the administration released $1.7 billion in taxpayer dollars to Iran. The money was part of a settlement of a decades old legal claim by Iran and came from a special fund that the executive department can tap to pay claims against the US.

"Or was it a ransom paid for the kidnapped sailors?

"The administration insists the timing of the released funds is coincidental. But legislation introduced in Congress now seeks to discover the truth of the matter." . . .

Congressman: Classified Details of Iran’s Treatment of U.S. Sailors Will Shock Nation

 "Forbes suggested that Iran’s treatment of the U.S. sailors—which included filming them crying and forcing them to apologize at gunpoint—may have been much worse than what has been publicly reported."

 Pictured: US Navy mocked at Iran parade:

 Newsweek, 2023 "Relations between the U.S. and Iran worsened this week as Iran's foreign minister said the United States would suffer "heavy losses" if the Israel-Hamas conflict expanded.

"As tensions simmer, conservative commentators shared claims that President Barack Obama's administration had given $150 billion to Iran, effectively, they argued, funding Hamas.

"The Claim"

"A post on X by Jack Posobiec, posted on October 16, 2023, referenced a Charlie Kirk tweet from September 11, 2015, which stated "Iran funds Hamas. Hamas kills Americans and Jews. Now we give Iran $150 billion. Where do you think that money will go? #IranDeal"

"Posobiec wrote "Charlie warned us and now people are mad at him."

The Facts: 

Kirk, founder of conservative student group Turning Point USA, was likely referring to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which granted Iran access to frozen assets." . . .

False.  The U.S. did not "give" $150 billion to Iran in 2015. In 2015, as part of an international deal with Iran called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran agreed to cut back on nuclear enrichment programs in exchange for the unfreezing of its own assets.The U.S. taxpayer paid nothing toward this, as might be implied by the post, and the value of the assets was said by some, including the U.S. Treasury, to be less than $150 billion. FACT CHECK BY Newsweek's Fact Check team" . . .

In another incident: Obama administration acknowledges $1.7B transfer to Iran was all cash - CBS News:   2016-- The Obama administration is acknowledging its transfer of $1.7 billion to Iran earlier this year was made entirely in cash, using non-U.S. currency.

"A Treasury spokeswoman says the cash payments were necessary because of the “effectiveness of U.S. and international sanctions,” which isolated Iran from the international finance system.

"The $1.7 billion was the settlement of a decades-old arbitration claim between the U.S. and Iran. 

"An initial $400 million cash delivery was sent Jan. 17, the same day Tehran agreed to release four American prisoners.

"The Obama administration had claimed the events were separate, but recently acknowledged the cash was used as leverage until the Americans were allowed to leave Iran" . . .

Politifact:  2016, PolitiFact | Fact-check: Handel claims Obama flew $2 billion to Iran, admitted it is being used to fund terrorism 

Remember This? Obama To Iran Green Revolution Dissidents: Drop Dead

 From Obama to Trump: How U.S. Resolve Has Shifted the Balance of Power in Iran - الوطن العربي

Our Middle Eastern allies usually are abandoned by the Democrat Party in the U.S.; In this case, Democrats hero worship of Obama led them to promote a man totally unprepared in the area of international relations and Foreign Policy. TD

"The contrast between Washington’s response to Iran’s unrest in 2009 and today could not be clearer, and it explains why Donald Trump’s position now appears structurally stronger, both in deterrence and in moral clarity.
"When Iranians poured into the streets after the disputed 2009 election, demanding accountability and dignity, the Obama administration chose caution. President Obama spoke of being “deeply troubled” by the violence, affirmed universal values, but ultimately emphasized non-interference. The intent was understandable: to avoid legitimizing Tehran’s claim that protests were foreign-engineered. Yet the effect was demoralizing. Many Iranians felt abandoned at a moment when the regime was uncertain, divided, and vulnerable. The Green Movement was crushed, and the Islamic Republic learned an important lesson: mass repression would carry limited international cost. This post, written in Arabic, reads from right to left, thus the original version is in that form. 

Michael Oren: Obama rejected Iran Green Revolution for nuclear deal | The Jerusalem Post   

"Former US president Barack Obama chose not to support the 2009 Iranian Green Protest Movement because he hoped to reach a deal with Iran on its nuclear weapons that he signed six years later, Deputy Minister Michael Oren (Kulanu) said on Monday.

"Obama’s failure to help Iranian protesters has been criticized since then by Israeli officials, led by Jewish Agency chairman and former Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky, who has called it the biggest failure to help human rights in modern history.

"Oren, who was the ambassador to the US at the time, said Obama initially claimed he would not support the protesters because the CIA helped overthrow nationalist Iranian prime minister Mohammad Mosaddegh in 1953 and that he wanted to show the Iranian people that he respected their sovereignty. Oren said the Obama administration had told Israelis behind the scenes that the protesters themselves did not want an American endorsement because it could discredit them in the eyes of the Iranian people.

"“In retrospect, those explanations are less credible,” Oren told The Jerusalem Post. “ . . .

Trump, Biden, Obama: How past presidents handled Iran's nuclear program

Why Iran is teetering and what Trump might do - POLITICO  

"President Donald Trump has signaled in recent days that the U.S. is poised to take action against the Iranian government for its violent crackdown on widespread protests in the country, which has left more than 500 people dead and thousands jailed.

"In response, Iranian officials have privately suggested that the two countries work things out through diplomacy, though publicly, Tehran has warned it’s “prepared for war,” according to the country’s foreign minister.

"Relations between the Trump administration and Iran have been icy since the disintegration of nuclear negotiations and the U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities in June. But the current unrest in the country has the potential to tip that dynamic into a more active conflict.

"Here are five things to know about the situation in Iran as Trump weighs a potential response:"   More...

UPDATE:  Trump’s powerful call on Iranian patriots to ‘keep protesting’ oppressive regime

The Toppling of Villains Has Begun in Earnest. It Must Continue.

The American Spectator  

"So it’s OK for the Cubans to exercise imperialism over Venezuela but not for the U.S. to do it?"

                                              Maduro Challenged The WRONG Man  

. . . "What I predicted was that the ruling regimes, both Iran and Venezuela, would go by the boards, and the benefits coming to everybody in America not affiliated with the Democrat Party would be manifold.

"Iran, I noted, is going to collapse on its own, mostly because the ayatollahs are so incompetent at the basic functions of government that they’ve allowed the reservoirs which supply water to the 15 million people who live in and around Tehran to go almost completely dry. And with a pretty rough drought hitting that country, they’re now talking about moving Iran’s capital and relocating — assumedly by force? — most of the population elsewhere. (RELATED: Unmasking Iran’s Hidden Footprint in the Americas)

"This is quite possibly the single most pronounced confession of governing failure in world history. Especially in light of all the money wasted by the Iranian regime on utterly idiotic things like Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and a nuclear program that American and Israeli airstrikes reduced to ash last year. The desalination plants and water pipelines Iran desperately needs could easily have been built over the course of the past couple of decades, and everyone knows it. (RELATED: Trump’s Declawing of Iran Is Reshaping the Middle East)

"Which is why they’re in the streets in Iran again, and this time it’s serious enough that the head ayatollah in charge is apparently making travel plans…

Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has a back-up plan to flee the country should his security forces fail to suppress protests or desert, according to an intelligence report shared with The Times.

Khamenei, 86, plans to escape Tehran with a close circle of up to 20 aides and family, should he see that the army and security called on to quell the unrest are deserting, defecting, or failing to follow orders.

“The ‘plan B’ is for Khamenei and his very close circle of associates and family, including his son and nominated heir apparent, Mojtaba,” an intelligence source told The Times.

Beni Sabti, who served for decades in Israeli intelligence after fleeing the regime eight years after the Islamic revolution, told The Times that Khamenei would flee to Moscow as “there is no other place for him.”

Nationwide protests triggered by economic hardships have gripped cities across Iran, including in the holy city of Qom, over the last week.

Protesters accuse anti-riot forces — made up of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Basij militia, the police and the army — of using violent means including live fire, tear gas and water cannons to suppress the demonstrations.

The forces are under the total command of Khameini, who is the supreme source of power in the Islamic republic, overruling the army, courts and media. He relies on the IRGC to enforce his bidding as a central source of power.

The escape plan will be activated should Khamenei feel his security forces are not following orders. Desertion and defection are not easily undertaken, with Khamenei protecting loyalists, controlling key appointments and their safety, according to a psychological profile of the leader done by a western intelligence agency and seen by The Times.

But the same assessment said Khamenei was “weaker, both mentally and physically” since last year’s 12-day war with Israel. He has barely been seen in public and, notably, has not been seen or heard from during the last several days of protests. For the duration of war, Khamenei holed up in a bunker, avoiding the fate of several other high-level IRGC officials and feeding his “obsession with survival.” . . .  More...

 Scott McKay is a contributing editor at The American Spectator  and publisher of the Hayride, which offers news and commentary on Louisiana and national politics, and RVIVR.com, a national political news aggregation and opinion site. Scott is also the author of The Revivalist Manifesto: How Patriots Can Win The Next American Era, and, more recently, Racism, Revenge and Ruin: It's All Obama, available November 21. 

Maduro Arrest Is 'America First' - Until We Start Painting George Floyd Murals

Ann Coulter; Substack  

Send all the Venezuelans who’ve fled to our country home. Every single bad thing that happens in the rest of the world has GOT to stop ending with us having to take in millions of third worlders — the very third worlders who caused the problem in the first place.

Thoughts on the military seizing Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife.

1. It’s about time. Maduro and his fellow cartel members top government officials have been indicted over and over and over again in the U.S. for drug trafficking. As I wrote recently, it’s pretty clear by now, we’re not going to indict our way out of this.

From Innocent Venezuelan Fishermen: ‘Hands Up! Don’t Shoot!’

"The entire government of Venezuela is a drug cartel. Their No. 1 export is cocaine. Their No. 2 export is cocaine boats. The national coat of arms is a coke spoon and two straws.

"Under President Barack Obama, U.S. attorneys in Miami and New York indicted some of that country’s top military and law enforcement officials, accusing them of working with Colombian drug kingpins to move drugs through Venezuela to the United States.

"Nothing changed. Venezuela continued working with the Colombian cartels, and virtually the same indictments were handed up during the first Trump administration, charging government officials with enriching themselves by flooding “the United States with cocaine and inflict[ing] the drug’s harmful and addictive effects on users in this country.”

2. Unlike, say, for example, off the top of my head, Iran, which poses exactly zero threat to any American, the drug cartel known as “the Maduro regime” is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of young Americans and will continue to kill them, unless we crush it.

3. Drop the horseshit about making Venezuela great again Other than Uruguay (88% White European), no Latin American country has ever achieved long-lasting peace. The rest are cauldrons of revolution, civil war, coups, military dictatorships etc. They did this to themselves. It’s what they like.. . . More...

Venezuelans celebrate -- and Trump-hating Democrats make fools of themselves  "As Venezuelans in their millions dance in the streets worldwide, Democrats have been left holding the bag on quite a few stupid statements, seemingly siding with dictator Nicolas Maduro amidst calls to let him continue as dictator of Venezuela.

"Kilmar Abrego champion Sen. Chris van Hollen was one of the first to step into the trap full of his own goo:Trump and his cronies can try to dress this up, but it is an illegal act of war to replace Maduro and grab Venezuela's oil for his billionaire buddies.