[Wallace T.]

Lightly armed and unorganized civilians don't overthrow governments, even with foreign intelligence assistance. The military can overthrow the regime and did so against the pro-Soviet Mossadegh government in 1953. When there are civilian uprisings, they succeed only if the army and police stand down, as happened in the Eastern Bloc nations in 1989 and 1990.

[lodi90]

This is not enough US military power to topple the regime and the Mullah’s know it. That’s why they are not budging in negotiations. I’m not sure what Trump’s end game is here.

[Antoninus]

When there are civilian uprisings, they succeed only if the army and police stand down, as happened in the Eastern Bloc nations in 1989 and 1990.

Those could work in countries which have a Christian heritage. Even the cold, atheistic Soviet Bloc governments were not able to completely wipe that out.

For Islamic countries, the accepted cultural mantra is inevitably: "Shoot 'em all and let Allah sort 'em out." Thus, popular uprisings are rarely effective.