Is the Unrest in Iran Real?

There have been protests against the ruling regime in Iran all across that nation for the last few days.  Because of the difficulty in getting news from inside Iran, we don't know the full extent of what is going on there.  In many ways, this may be the newer version of the 2009 street massive street demonstrations that then president Obama ignored.  The mullahs eventually cracked down on the demonstrators and crushed the opposition.  If these protests are real, however, they give President Trump a chance to remedy Obama's mistake.

Just imagine if there were a true uprising in Iran that overthrew the theocratic regime.  Imagine a new Iranian government that gives up regional hegemony as a goal.  Imagine a new regime that stops development of missiles and nuclear weapons.  Imagine a regime that invests in peace rather than war.  Imagine a regime that considers the USA to be a friend rather than an enemy (or at least not an enemy any longer.)  Such a development would change the status in the Middle East and the world for years to come.

It may be time for the USA to announce support for the crowds in the street.  There may be other actions that can be taken with a lower profile that would allow us to support the protesters without leading to a military crackdown in Iran.  I don't know what the right course is to follow.  I do know that we cannot just ignore the protests if they are real.