This Time, Regime Change is the Goal
February 28, 2026
American woke up today with televised images of smoke emanating from Tehran from American bombs.
President Trump bombed Iran six months ago and claimed that their nuclear program had been destroyed. So why do we have to bomb Iran again?
Apparently President Trump believes that Iran still has the capacity to resurrect their nuclear program. He claims that Iran, if not deterred, will someday have nuclear-armed ballistic missiles that can not only strike American territory, but destroy Israel.
My Congressman, Democrat Jim Himes issued the following statement:
“Everything I have heard from the Administration before and after these strikes on Iran confirms this is a war of choice with no strategic endgame. As I expressed to Secretary Rubio when he briefed the Gang of Eight [Congressional leaders of both parties who are briefed on intelligence matters], military action in this region almost never ends well for the United States, and conflict with Iran can easily spiral and escalate in ways we cannot anticipate. It does not appear that Donald Trump has learned the lessons of history.”
The Congressman is incorrect when he states this war has “no strategic endgame.” President Trump stated that the military “should lay down their arms” and told the Iranian people that when the bombing stops “take over your government. It will be yours to take.”
But this does not mean Congressman Himes is totally wrong. How are we going to make the Iranian military “lay down their arms?” Offer them tickets to Disneyland? And how are the Iranian people going to “take over [their] government” if the military does not lay down their arms? Slingshots? Bows and arrows? Thirty thousand Iranian citizens were shot and killed by the military during the recent rebellion against the Ayatollah.
First some quick background. Iran is the cradle of the oldest civilizations on the planet and to this day, is comprised of multiple ethic groups, the largest being the Persians, which is why the country was once called Persia. Its history is very complex but for the past few centuries, it was mostly controlled by leaders called shahs. But Iran edged towards democracy and by 1907, had its first Prime Minister. But in 1951, Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh nationalized British oil companies that invested heavily in Iran, and England along with the CIA arranged a coup that put Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in power.
Under Pahlavi, Iran boomed. But the Shah was never popular and ruled brutally while perceived as an American puppet. Dissention increased and in 1979, the Carter administration allowed the Shah to be deposed and replaced with Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Iran was renamed the Islamic Republic of Iran and has been ruled by ayatollahs, Shiite Muslim religious leaders, to this day.
Shia law was imposed and Iran become a theocracy dedicated to spreading its religion throughout the Middle East. Internecine wars with Iraq (Sunni Muslims) resulted in over a million casualties. Iran is dedicated to destroying Israel and funds both Hezbollah and Hamas, Islamic groups that border Israel and foment attacks.
Thus the present mess. Which is why Congressman Himes warns the Trump administration “military action in this region almost never ends well for the United States.”
At the time of this writing, Iran is bombing Israel and American bases in the other Arab countries of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait. But it is unlikely that Iran can sustain a war against the superior fire power of the United States and Israel.
A former CIA agent Dan Hoffman stated today on Fox News that the United States needs for the Iranian military to turn against the present regime. But he had little insight as to how this would happen. And it does not appear that the CIA has armed any Iranian factions to internally fight the military.
Hostilities will probably end in several weeks. But who knows? As generals who plan wars like to say, “We plan our attacks for months and we throw them out minutes after the war begins.”
But President Trump may simply leave the present regime in power even when victorious. This is exactly what he did in Venezuela. After he removed Maduro, he made no attempt to replace the socialist Vice President. And it appears that Venezuela is slowly releasing political prisoners, stopping drug runs to the United States, diminishing the flow of illegals into the United States and allowing American oil companies to invest there.
Is it possible that a cowered Ayatollah will stop funding terrorism, trying to destroy Israel while abandoning its ballistic missile and nuclear agenda? Will they agree to allow inspections?
If President Trump neuters Iran, peace could break out in the Middle East and President Trump will deserve the Nobel Peace Prize each year for the next decade.
Or will Congressman Himes prediction be correct: “It does not appear that Donald Trump has learned the lessons of history.”
Time will tell.
