From what I understand from friends 90% of the people want free elections after a interim government.The Iranian people can now stand a chance to decide for themselves what kind a secular gov they want. They have oil and a region that ripe for new business relationships. As of today there is a great chance for peace in the mid east.
I asked why you were confident there was a succession plan. You're responding with an anecdote about the impressions of friends you know want, but that's not a succession plan, it's a dream.
I can't say this without coming off as blunt.
Wanting something is great, but it still needs to be organized. Even voting has to be organized. Interim governments don't just materialize out of thin air. They have to be organized. And maybe they have elections the young reformists won't get everything they want. Maybe they'll get very little of what they want.
They need to form a government. They need a constitution. What if they wind up with so many parties that some kind of theocracy ends up with the majority? What if the Taliban from Afghanistan comes over the eastern border and imposes rule in some areas?
I just think what you are hoping for, while noble, isn't going to happen without stability, and the stability isn't going to just sprout organically, and if U.S. troops are going to try to keep the peace, that's never led to good things.
Also, there has not been peace in that part of the world since ... well, actually ever, now that I think about it. Even without and Islamic republic in Iran, you still have Muslims and Jews, Palestinians and Israelis, Sunnis and Shiites. You have to be naive to think the enmity is going away just because you removed one of the pieces. All that does is remove a buffer between two of the players and open a position for someone else to step it.
