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Confronting a Dangerous Iranian Regime Likely to Lead to a Better Outcome

(The Hill) Stuart Gottlieb and Danielle Pletka - The Iranian people are not fools. They know better than most exactly what the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its Quds Force - led by the late Gen. Soleimani - are all about. They know, as most Americans do not, what the IRGC mission is - regime protection at home, terror abroad - and the costs it has imposed on Iranian society to carry it out. Americans are being fed a steady diet of press stories conjuring tales of Iranian affection for the IRGC and its ruthless leadership. We are told that Iran is now united behind regime hardliners and that Soleimani's killing will "backfire." In fact, history suggests the opposite is true: Confronting a hostile and dangerous authoritarian regime leads to better policy outcomes. Rather than accelerate a spiral of attacks and retribution, there is a chance that, understanding the consequences, Tehran's leadership may hesitate before goading the U.S. into steps that may well threaten the regime itself. Stuart Gottlieb teaches at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. Danielle Pletka is senior vice president for foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute.
2020-01-10 00:00:00
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