Realpolitik and Iran's Post-Saddam Strategy for Iraq

Abstract

Throughout history, threats emerging from Iran's frontiers have significantly influenced its security policies towards Iraq. Given Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, Iran's security environment has changed a great deal. Does Iran have a strategy for post-Saddam Iraq and, if so, what is it? With few exceptions, Kenneth Waltz's Realpolitik and balance-of-power theories have guided Iran's security policy decisions. The combined effects of Iran's formative history, individual and institutional agendas, and national interests form the foundation for a Realpolitik strategy aimed at preventing a resurgent "anti-Teheran" government in Iraq.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 2004
Accession Number
ADA424750

Entities

People

  • Ryan Gutzwiller

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Civil War
  • Cold War
  • Commerce
  • Economic Sanctions
  • Governments
  • Intergovernmental Organizations
  • International Law
  • International Organizations
  • International Relations
  • Iraqi-War
  • Joint Military Activities
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • Political Systems
  • Spreadsheet Software
  • United States
  • War Colleges

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • Nuclear Non-Proliferation and International Security