On Saturday, Feb. 28, it was announced that Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Khamanei had been killed after his residence compound in Tehran was hit by precision airstrikes.
Additionally, the Ayatollah’s daughter and grandchild were reportedly killed in the attack along with his daughter-in-law and son-in-law. It is also believed that the Iranian Minister of Defense, Head of Intelligence, the Ayatollah’s top security advisor and an additional 40 administration leaders in the Islamic Republic were successfully eliminated in the effort named “Operation Epic Fury.”
Iranians took to the streets in celebration as they have finally been liberated from the Ayatollah’s rule. Iranian-Americans and Israelis showed similar displays in solidarity with the Iranians. Just like the removal of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, who was lucky to be apprehended alive in his case, the Ayatollah was removed surgically with as small of a footprint as possible. No U.S. troops were harmed, and the collateral damage was minimal.
“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead. This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS,” President Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
“This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country… Hopefully, the IRGC and Police will peacefully merge with the Iranian Patriots, and work together as a unit to bring back the Country to the Greatness it deserves,” President Trump added.
It is clear from President Trump’s tone that he has no desire for a prolonged military conflict and costly occupation of Iran. His foreign policy is showing how threats can be neutralized without the U.S. acting as overlord in the aftermath. President Trump hopes that the Revolutionary Guard can come to terms with the people to create a government that actually respects basic human rights, stops giving material support to terror groups, and he will certainly be negotiating toward those ends.
Now that the Ayatollah is gone and the message has been sent that this sort of behavior will not be tolerated, the people of Iran have a chance to put together a functional government. They know the U.S. will be watching and has the capability to intervene so they better get it right this time, or else. The stage has been set effectively for a freer Iran through President Trump’s bold maneuvers projecting peace through strength.
But this will not be enough for the neocons and the military-industrial complex. They will attempt to use the removal of the Ayatollah to precipitate the rise of a full-scale, protracted war effort. They have learned nothing from the failures in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya; in fact, they believe the only problems with those efforts were that we pulled the plug after untold years of losses and misery. They also want to make sure that globalist corporate interests who they serve profit mightily for the effort. They are using flattery right now in an attempt to move the Trump Administration closer to their goals.
“I am focused on our magnificent commander-in-chief, our courageous military warriors, and our wonderful Israeli allies, who are fighting a righteous and monumentally important battle for freedom, security, and humanity. They will be victorious,” said unhinged radio host Mark Levin following the strike on Iran.
“Pres. Trump is the most courageous commander-in-chief in modern American history … What he just did is the bravest move by a president of the United States of my lifetime, bar none, without a doubt,” said pro-war podcaster Ben Shapiro after President Trump removed the Ayatollah.
With the midterms around the corner, a long effort in Iran could spell doom for Republican chances to keep the House and prevent impeachment of President Trump. Polls show a firm majority of Americans opposing war with Iran. Removing the Ayatollah is a far more popular proposition as long as it does not ensnare the U.S. into another quagmire.
The neocons base their entire ideology off of the second-hand glory of taking the U.S. into foreign wars. They see the world as their chess board, and our nation’s military personnel not as heroes but as pawns who are expendable to achieve their foreign policy aims. They look for any excuse to exponentially increase militarism abroad. The Trump administration must be on guard to ward off their influence in these unstable times.
