In the run-up to the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Saturday, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency assessed that even if Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the operation, he could be replaced by hardline figures from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), two sources briefed on the intelligence said.
The agency’s assessments, which were produced over the past two weeks, looked broadly at what could occur in Iran following a U.S. intervention and the extent to which a military operation could trigger regime change in the Islamic Republic – now a pronounced objective for Washington.
IRGC figures taking power was among the multiple different scenarios that emerged, a third source familiar with the matter said.
Gee, it’s almost like power vacuums tend to be detrimental to the stability of a country.
Yeah no shit. We signaled these attacks enough, I’m sure they’ve had successors named for weeks.
Some analysts say Khameini was holding the more extreme hardliners in check. If so, we might still see worse to come first. Perhaps the people may have a chance, but I’m not so sure.
Citizens of Iran! The cruelty of the old Ayatollah is a thing of the past! [crowd cheers] Let a whole new wave of cruelty wash over this lazy land!
That’s great news for Trump. Nothing will stabilize his regime more than having a really bad ™ enemy.
Sorry for the cynicism.
These MAGA dipshits NEVER consider Step 2. It was all “Hey, let’s bomb his house and kill him and his family, won’t that be wicked cool?” without once wondering what would replace him.
It also doesn’t seem like they considered that killing a state leader opens the door to nations trying to kill OUR “leaders?” I wouldn’t want to be in the same room or car with Trump for the next several years.
