Iran and the "Great Satan"
Abstract
America continues to represent the "great Satan" to the Islamic Republic of Iran. President Hashemi Rafsanjani charged that the United States has been poisoned by Zionist propaganda. One Ayatollah, in blaming America for bloodshed around the world, said that, "this satanic superpower will never be successful against the Islamic Republic." The United States is Iran's all-purpose demon. U.S. policymakers must resist the temptation to reciprocate by depicting Iran as its own demon. If it were not for terrorism, Iran's infamy could be reduced to inflated rhetoric, unrealistic designs, and high levels of defense spending. A workable strategy should be developed toward the Iranian regime that is not based on competitive demonization. Iran is only one of our many security concerns in the greater Middle East. Continuous state sponsorship of terrorism led the Clinton administration to issue an executive order in May 1995 to ban trade and investment with Iran. While this affected some American businesses, the economic impact on Tehran may be more lasting. Yet Iran has largely avoided blame for supporting acts of terrorism, despite its continued involvement in planning and conducting such violence. In addition, internal problems threaten to fracture Iran. Broad-based support for the regime has diminished to a level where it faces a breakdown of its politico-religious legitimacy. Economic and political crises have resulted in urban rioting and calls for autonomy from centralized control. This threatens Iran's stability and emphasizes the fact that while it exports terrorism, that is not the answer to the aspirations of the Islamic world. Iran's ability to engage the United States can be indirect and handled through diplomacy, sabre rattling, and in the worst case force.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA529153
Entities
People
- Mark J. Roberts
Organizations
- National Defense University