Iran: the case for regime change.

• Author: Williams, J. Edgar
• Position: Brief article

IRAN: THE CASE FOR REGIME CHANGE

By Michael Rubin, Resident Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/viewarticle.cfm/iran-the-case-for-regime-change-15400

Reviewed by J. Edgar Williams

Writing for Commentary, Michael Rubin, a Middle East expert who also lectures at the Naval Postgraduate School and Johns Hopkins, makes a strong case for American action designed to bring about regime change in Iran. He sees this as the only way, short of military strikes, to keep Iran from developing nuclear weapons. So far, the U.S. has only sought to engage the Iranian authorities in hopes of successfully negotiating with them. These efforts have been useless. The Iranian leadership uses diplomacy only to lull its adversaries into complacency.

Rubin maintains that a large segment of Iran's population looks to the U.S. for support in bringing about a popular, democratic government. To that end, he recommends active American--including financial--support to pro-democracy groups. The U.S. should also provide funding for Iran's nascent trade-union movement and impose sanctions...