Relations with Fundamentalist Iran: A Dilemma for the United States.
Abstract
To people in the West, the leadership of the Islamic Republic of Iran appears fanatical, irrational and well nigh impossible to deal with. And yet the West cannot afford to ignore Iran. For the United States, this is a particularly confounding situation, wherein a former and important ally refuses all contacts with her, resulting in a communication disconnect that leaves both parties at a disadvantage. But is the Islamic revolution a historical aberration without a future or a new and dynamic phenomenon with its roots in the past? An analysis of the Iranian example indicates that strong historical, political and religious causes lie behind the wave of religious resurgence sweeping through the Islamic world. Disappointed with the political alternatives offered by the West and Communism, Muslims all over the world are harking back to the Islamic faith which provides a universal creed encompassing both the spiritual and the temporal. To the West long accustomed to moderate and liberal Islam, the values espoused by the leaders of the Islamic Republic appear strange and even irrational. But instead of engaging in a confrontation with resurgent Islam and its prime manifestation Iran, it is essential that the West, and particularly the United States, understand and achieve a modus-vivendi; for it is apparent that this phenomenon will be around for some time to come.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 18, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA193976
Entities
People
- Rizwan Qureshi
Organizations
- United States Army War College