Frank's Musings

The unrest in Iran and the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol are similarly leaderless insurrections. Therefore, neither of them has or had any chance of accomplishment.

Consequently, while Trump may be chargeable with inciting a riot, he was not capable or guilty of fomenting an insurrection. He was only a cheerleader, not a serious rebel. What he did was surely a crime, but not a threat to the American republic.

Furthermore, the attack on the Capitol building, like many other of Trump’s stunts, was an ineffectual, though scary, outburst of childish rage. Its perpetrators need to be punished; but trying them for insurrection gives them and their plotters undeserved credit for the goal-directed and thoughtful planning that would actually threaten to upset a 230-year-old democracy.  Similarly in the absence of sustainable leadership, the demonstrations in Iran will not change political order there either.   

Such tantrums will not be permitted by a repressive regime, like the Islamic Republic of Iran   A viable liberal democratic system of governmental rule like the U.S. can usually tamp them down, as well, without violent oppression. The challenge will be to prevent recurrences.