By threatening to turn off the lights in Tehran U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened the existence of the regime in a way even the Iranian hardliners can't wish away.
Turning off the power takes down the scaffolding of repression that the regime depends on to survive.
Cell towers, CCTV, surveillance equipment, and even the ability to charge batteries for phones and drones at scale would come to an end.
The regime would be left facing millions of people who hate them in the dark and without the tools of 21st century repression.
And with power plants destroyed for months the regime would be alone and crippled.
This threat likely also resulted in an intelligence bonanza for the U.S. and Israel.
Since Trump issued that threat this past Saturday the security services, Basij and IRGC (Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps) reacted and made a great deal of electronic, changed traffic, and unusual movements.
This is like "flushing" the game in quail hunting.
These appreciably altered communication patterns and unusual movements exposed a lot more of the Basij and IRGCC to potential airstrikes.
Over the next several days, watch for increased Israeli airstrikes on the regime's security apparatus.
Will the people of Iran rise-up or will the Iranian hardliners fool around, then find out, and as a result be left in the dark?
We may well know a great deal soon!
John Jordan, former Navy intelligence officer, pilot, attorney, international economist, overseer at Stanford's Hoover Institution and conservative political consultant. He is a regular contributor for Newsmax. Read more John Jordan Insider articles — Click Here Now.
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