Gays

Are there certain groups in the US who might consider celebrating but are silent, for example LGBTQ. Here is a quote from Google AI. Homosexuals are not treated fairly in Iran and face severe discrimination, persecution, and legal punishment. Under Iran's penal code, same-sex sexual acts are illegal and can be punished with imprisonment, corporal punishment, and even the death penalty. The government is considered one of the most discriminatory in the world against LGBTQ individuals What about Christians. Here from Google AI. Christianity is permitted in Iran only for recognized ethnic minorities (Armenians, Assyrians) but is heavily restricted, with conversion from Islam strictly forbidden. While historic churches can operate, they face surveillance and are banned from using Persian. Converts to Christianity and house churches face imprisonment and persecution. How about Blacks. Google AI. Black individuals in Iran, including Afro-Iranians, often face discrimination, marginalization, and a lack of dignity, with reports of constant scrutiny regarding their race.

War in Iran

It is interesting to watch the reactions from different group around the world in regards to the action in Iran. Many in the US, especially the democrats are immediately opposed to any thing that Trump does but others who are less influenced by US politics have varying opinions. The loudest voices are coming from those who are celebrating the demise of Khamenei led by those who live in Iran. European countries on Saturday said this was not their fight but by Monday they praised the action. The EU leadership sees this as a positive but the UN leader does not. Most individuals will wait and see which way the wind blows and then jump on that bandwagon

Israel

While the UN occasionally is critical of the human rights abuses in North Korea, it rarely makes national news. Things are different when it comes to Israel. From 2006 to 2023 the UN Human Rights Council adoped103 resolutions targeting Israel, representing 37% of all country-specific resolutions passed. Out of 193 countries in the UN the Jews are targeted 37% of the time. These two countries differ in many ways and one outstanding difference is in the contributions made to the world. Life in North Korea is akin to living in prison while Jews live in freedom. North Korea has never won a Nobel prize but Israel has won 37% of all chemistry prizes, 56% of all physics, 61% in Medicine and 9% of Peace prizes despite the fact that Jews represent only .2% of the world’s population.

Dealing with uprisings

During the Biden administration, the people of Iran protested in the streets over the death of Mahsa Amini triggered by the uprising over the “Woman, Life, Freedom” revolt. The people objected to the treatment of women by the government. The Biden administration faced significant criticism for its response to the 2022 uprising in Iran, with critics arguing that the administration did not take enough direct action to support protesters and continued to prioritize efforts to revive the Iran nuclear deal In todays uprising, Trump is roundly criticized for taking action. Many agree he should do something but not what he is doing.

People want to know

The press is handling the invasion of Iran in a similar manner in which they deal with most military operations. They want details apparently not realizing that the information they receive is also received by the enemy. They want details like what is the objective, how long will it take, how many casualties can be expected and what is the plan after the goal is achieved. They prefer those plans be placed before congress before any action is taken. This would eliminate the advantage of surprise and make any incursion more difficult and put lives at risk. Most Americans would prefer not to have any foreign military engagements unless there was a direct attack on the US. If that happened most Americans would say something should have been done to prevent the attack. This happened in 9/11 when the government was severely criticizes for not being better prepared, for not having information in advance to prevent the attack.

Women in Iran

Some are asking why the women in the US are not celebrating with the women in Iran. The tyrannical regime in the theocracy has placed undo restrictions on women. Married women require husband’s permission to obtain a passport or travel, and Civil Code allows husbands to restrict their wife’s employment. Enforcement of strict dress codes, often managed by the morality police. Child marriage is permitted, with girls able to marry at 13 or younger with approvals. Women inherit half the share of men and in legal proceedings, a woman’s testimony is worth half that of men. There are few laws protecting against workplace discrimination including dismissal of pregnant women and gender-based hiring. In divorce, fathers get custody of children after age 7 Recently Iranian authorities have adopted a new draconian law that further erases the human rights of women and girls, imposing the death penalty, flogging, prison terms and other severe penalties to crush ongoing resistance to compulsory veiling, Amnesty International said today.

Preemptive strikes

One of the questions regarding Iran centers around the use of the words imminent threat or ongoing threat. This comes back to the concept of preemptive strikes. The controversy lies in the gray area. You don’t have wait to be attacked but you can’t attack for every minor incident. The legality of preemptive strikes in international law remains one of the most debated and controversial issues in global relations. This doctrine, while rooted in the idea of self-defense, challenges the established norms of international law, particularly the United Nations Charter, which governs the use of force among states. The legal tension lies in balancing a state’s right to defend itself with the prohibition of the use of force under international law, and the thin line between legitimate self-defense and unlawful aggression. Iran has consistently threatened the United States through direct state-level warnings, proxy attacks, and rhetoric, particularly amid heightened tensions in early 2026. Since 1979 several hundred US soldiers have been killed by Iran and their surrogates. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has unsealed charges and reported on multiple, separate plots by Iranian-linked operatives aimed at assassinating Donald Trump When is enough, enough? This is debatable with both sides presenting legitimate arguments