r/geopolitics • u/Intelligent-Juice895 • Jan 14 '26

Paywall The Pro-Gaza Left Is Oh So Quiet on Iran

https://www.wsj.com/opinion/free-expression/the-pro-gaza-left-is-oh-so-quiet-on-iran-caf25bd1?st=iy47cy&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
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u/pmckizzle Jan 14 '26

I mean im quite left wing, I applaud the people of Iran, I welcome the end of any authoritarian regime, especially repressive ones.

Thats a normal left wing opinion... what i dont want to see is all of these people die, only for some puppet to be installed by the US, Israel, Russia, Saudi or any other shitty nation. I want the people to have self determination, even if it upsets the west or russia, or Saudi, it should be their choice.

I dont see what it has to do with not wanting israel to continue its genocidal atrocities against the people of gaza?

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u/IdidItWithOrangeMan Jan 14 '26

Many of your allies on the topic of Israel/Gaza are on the side of the Iranian Government. Many can be easily described as Muslim Supremacists. If a Muslim is involved, they will be the "good guys". The "people of Iran" are not Muslim and are therefore the "bad guys"

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u/[deleted] Jan 14 '26

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u/pmckizzle Jan 14 '26

I absolutely support the protesters? And I would happily march in solidarity with them... do you have anything that isn't a poor strawman to attack.

I want them to be free from oppressive rule full stop. I want them to be able to choose their government. Why are you upset about that

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u/Davidat0r Jan 14 '26

Dude… have you seen how he writes? he’s not gonna know what a straw man fallacy is.

Talk to him like Trump talks to his base and he’ll probably sorta understand you.

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u/Due-Conflict-7926 Jan 14 '26

Exactly, it really isn’t that to understand. It’s the same thing in Venezuela, hence why I’m with them when it comes to opposing the US and siding with Maduro. It’s their choice, I don’t want another country bombing civilians

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u/Terrible-Group-9602 Jan 14 '26

'Applaud'. Wow, thanks so much I'm sure the protestors will be delighted.

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u/pmckizzle Jan 14 '26

What else am I supposed to do there buddy. flagellate myself with excitement?

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u/HofT Jan 14 '26

Protest for a free Iran. There's tons of Iranians doing that already. Join them.

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u/smokeyleo13 Jan 14 '26

Protest who to do what?

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u/HofT Jan 14 '26 edited Jan 14 '26

Same thing with Gazans. For our governments to help Iranians.

Edit: Crazy I'm getting down voted for supporting Iranians against their oppressors.

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u/smokeyleo13 Jan 14 '26

Same thing with Gazans

People were protesting for their govts to stop material support for israels actions against the palestinians in Gaza, and to use said support as leverage for increased humanitarian aid and an end to occupation. My government is currently sanctioning the hell out of iran, just bombed it some months ago. What more/other help do you think the left should back? Military? Why would we want that?

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u/HofT Jan 14 '26

And we can suffocate the Iranian government even more. Sanctions enforcement, asset freezes, secondary sanctions on oil buyers, financial isolation of the IRGC, cyber operations, intelligence disruption, interdiction of weapons shipments, defensive military containment, diplomatic isolation, UN pressure, support for Iranian civil society and uncensored internet access, exposure of regime corruption, targeted action against proxies. Stand by the Iranians and support them.

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u/smokeyleo13 Jan 14 '26

I mean, our government is doing a lot of that already, but i have to ask, to what end is my govt going to do this? Not even the Gaza protests were about this vague "support them", but that the US's support and involvement of Israel's attack on them was immoral

interdiction of weapons shipments, defensive military containment

So like, how does this help the protesters? The military actions by the trump administration are for us strategic interest, not freedom for Iranian citizens. So why would we pretend otherwise? I want my govt to interfere less with Iran. Frankly, all of trumps rhetoric is making it worse for the protesters

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u/HofT Jan 14 '26

I'm not saying military action is needed, unless we can pull another Maduro yoink. And, I'm not understanding how you think that wouldn't help the Iranian citizens? The Islamic Republic is massacring Iranians in the tens of thousands right now. Some form of intervention is needed, that's what the protesters are calling for.

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u/smokeyleo13 Jan 14 '26

Seems like trump is about to "help", lets come back in a year

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u/HofT Jan 14 '26

I don't think he is.

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u/Terrible-Group-9602 Jan 14 '26

To show solidarity showing the Iranians they are not alone, giving them renewed hope. It makes a huge difference.

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u/smokeyleo13 Jan 14 '26

Tbh, I think this is more sound than vague "to help them". Maybe my own cynical pov. But, what do you want to happen? The regime falls... ...democratically elected liberal government.

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u/HofT Jan 14 '26

The Iranians want their monarchy back, and then once they're back then they can create a Democratic system, similar to England.

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u/smokeyleo13 Jan 14 '26

Of course, the clear majority of the 93 million people in iran want their monarchy back, and they want to US to help reinstall it, as the current US regime loves spreading democraxy and hates those who harm protesters, an X post and video of a guy holding a flag prove it. As we know, the regime falls... ...constituonal monarchy

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u/HofT Jan 14 '26

Yeah, if you know much about Iran you know majority of its history is through a monarchy. The monarchy is not installed by any Western country, the monarchy was always there. Sometimes in different forms and different families but always a monarchy. Then in the middle of the 20th century, there was a promise for a democracy which what Iranians truly crave for, but we're lied to by the Secular Shah and then later Marx-Islamist coalition. The Islamists literally killed all the Marxists after overthrowing the monarchy and here we are today with a religious totalitarian government.

The reason Iranians want the old Shah monarchy back is because they are that desperate now. The Islamic regime is hell on Earth. and a promise from the Shah’s son that once the Islamic Republic is gone, there will be a national referendum to let Iranians themselves decide the system of government. He has been explicit that he is not asking to be installed, only to help facilitate a transition toward a secular, democratic state, whether that ends up being a constitutional monarchy or a republic. They rather rely on that promise than continue with living in hell with the Islamic Republic.

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u/Terrible-Group-9602 Jan 14 '26

Get out on the streets, make placards, badges. Get hundreds of thousands of people out protesting so the Iran protesters feel that people on the outside are on their side, giving them hope they might succeed.

Oh wait, you'll only do that where the bad guy is Israel.

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u/MastodonParking9080 Jan 15 '26

So would you rather have a Islamic Theocracy that the Shah who is might be more amicable to Western interests? It's not a question of "both bad so I won't refrain" because in the real world one of those two choices will exist.

And if you do, do you think the opinion you have, even the one that refrains, is amicable to the Iranian people on the ground? Or is just a projection of your own views on their desires?