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During an interview with CBS\u2019s \u201cThe Takeout\u201d on Thursday, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Rick Crawford (R-AR) said that Iran\u2019s regime \u201cdefinitely has changed. A changing regime does not necessarily equal regime change.\u201d And \u201cthere are various challenges being presented by this decimated leadership, and those that have emerged now at the top of the leadership struggle, I think, are exacerbating those problems.\u201d<\/p>\n
Host and CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent Major Garrett asked, \u201cDo you believe the regime has changed in Iran?\u201d<\/p>\n
Crawford answered, \u201cAbsolutely the regime has changed. I think they\u2019ve gone several tiers deep in the leadership cadre. And I think it has caused, at best, a disjointed leadership apparatus, and, at worse, possibly, rogue elements of the IRGC. And I think that\u2019s making it difficult from a targeting perspective. Also, it\u2019s difficult to anticipate what might happen next because of a disjointed leadership cadre, and even geographically dispersed also makes it a little bit of a challenge as well. So, yeah, I think it definitely has changed. A changing regime does not necessarily equal regime change. Because I still think they\u2019re under that mosaic doctrine as it applies to their ongoing governance. But I do think that it\u2019s been made very difficult, as we\u2019ve gone several tiers down through the leadership cadre.\u201d<\/p>\n
Garrett followed up, \u201cVery quickly, so, if I hear you correctly, Mr. Chairman, you\u2019re saying it has changed in personnel, but not necessarily in ideology or the military firepower in which to internally carry out that ideology and punish those who object to it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Crawford answered, \u201cCorrect. And I think this presents, not only a challenge to us as it applies to negotiating some sort of a ceasefire or some terms where we can [have] a cessation of hostilities, as it were, but also presents a challenge to the Iranian people, in that the IRGC are extremely ideologically motivated and anyone, obviously, that stands against them does so at their own peril, and, yet, there are millions and millions of Iranians that are crying out for liberation that are actually applauding and supporting President Trump in what he\u2019s trying to do. And so, there are various challenges being presented by this decimated leadership, and those that have emerged now at the top of the leadership struggle, I think, are exacerbating those problems.\u201d<\/p>\n
Follow <\/em>Ian\u00a0Hanchett on Twitter\u00a0@IanHanchett<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n