Why is it that when the American right tells the story about bad US Iran relations, hostility,?

People in the Middle East don't hate us because of our way of life, or our freedoms (considering our Bill of Rights has been getting shorter every 10 years). They dislike us and get pissed because we start overthrow their government for control of resources. Indeed, Iran did have faith in a democratic system, but we destroyed it, and installed a dictator there. I think that if WE, all urge the government to stop this terrible ill advised foreign policy, people around the globe will see us peaceful, smarter, and more en lighted to bring peace, liberty, and freedom thru words, not military/political action. Take care.

You are right, there is a desparity of knowledge on the neoconservative camp over why Iranian policy has been anti-US for nearly 3 decades. For them, it seems that Iran is a country beyond rehabilitation - that the only images that reminds them of Iranian policy are the burning effigies of Uncle Sam Nixon and the reinstated Pahlavi actually had armed agreements for a while, which angered some of the political nationalists at home. Reza Shah predicated his rule on the foundations composed from the military, the police and a secretive organization called SAVAK. The shah was pressured by his American ally so he launched a reformation on the Iranian society known as the White Revolution. That act only temporarily waned support with the poor but it had alot of opposition from Shia clerics. The White Revolution was met with complete outrage from the mullahs as it ran its head directly into Shia Islam. Reza Shah excercised supreme authority by consolidating all of the political process into his hands, this was mostly in an attempt to weaken the Nationalist Front. What he was trying to do was modernize the country by Westernizing that and many saw that directly intrusive, not to mention poisionous to their way of life. Secular lefitists and people from the clerical establishment were beginning to rebel. You had alot of political pamphlets that were secretely handed out and many people exiled from the country. Some were even jailed for periods of what might seem like unending years. They were mostly writing about the "Westoxification" that were inflicting their country - it was mostly an appeal to not losing the Iranian's sense of their unique identity. Western intervention actually led to the fusion between religion and secular politics. This trend was very unpopular during Ayatollah Khomeini's time in the 50s but gained headway in response to the political eruption at home. Amazingly, Ayatollah Khomeini had gained momentum for nearly 3 decades as a leader. He was able to consolidate a political union between the secularists and the very religious. Those two groups contributed to Khomeini's rise to power Now, when you fastfoward to another 20 years we have the nuclear proliferation debate. Sometime in 2006, the IAEA reviewed Iran's nuclear program and ruled that the country had violated the safeguard provisions conditioned in the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. When Bush gave his State of the Union address that year it was met with alot of hostility from conservative Iranian hardliners. I remember reading from Foreign Affairs a few years ago where Rice was being interviewed. She said something to the effect of the Iranian government needing to change its behavior for negotiations to happen. What she was referring to was that Iranian policy would have to have a total reversal before any talks can happen. That precondition argument has not worked out, because Bush realizes that it only promotes stalemate Before Ahdimejad, President Khatami had motives with co-operating with the US since his administration cared more about opening up bilateral relations. Unfortunately that was killed off in 2002 State of the Union address when Bush lumped Iran as part of the Axis of Evil. ....There's so much to say that would make this into a gigantic volume

Outstanding question and information my friend. Thanks. Dr. Mossadegh kicked the British empire out of Iran and nationalized the Oil. If he could have stay in power, Iran today was among the most advanced, modernized democracies in the world. Shame, shame. Regards.

LMAO his name was KERMIT LOL

First of all: * The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has never found any evidence of an Iranian nuclear weapons program. * The most recent National Intelligence Estimate (consensus of 16 U.S. intelligence agencies) says Iran has no active nuclear weapons program. Yet, apparently *both* the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates seem to think otherwise, and have expressly stated so in the first presidential debate 9/26/08: McCain: "Have no doubt. Have no doubt that the Iranians continue on a path to the acquisition of a nuclear weapon as we speak tonight, and it is a threat not only in the region but around the world." Obama: "They have gone from 0 centrifuges to 4000 centrifuges to develop a nuclear weapon." Last night, after watching the pitiful end of the Foreign Policy Debate with a sidewalk crowd on a balmy night, I went to see a film and discussion panel on Valencia Street here in San Francisco about Iran and relations with the United States. The film was called "Iran is not the problem." It showed that the History of U.S.-Iran relations most pivotal moment was, as you pointed out, the Operation Ajax Coup that overthrew the democratically elected Muhammad Mosaddeq in 1953. His crime ofcourse-nationalizing Iranian Oil. The film also revealed some insight into post Revolution Iran and that the current Conservative Iranian Government is actually strengthened by aggressive U.S. rhetoric and Military manuevers. A ray of sunlight! WASHINGTON, Sep 26 (IPS) - In a significant and highly unusual defeat for the so-called "Israel Lobby", the Democratic leadership of the House of Representatives has decided to shelve a long-pending, albeit non-binding, resolution that called for President George W. Bush to launch what critics called a blockade against Iran. House Congressional Resolution (HR) 362, whose passage the powerful American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) had made its top legislative priority this year, had been poised to pass virtually by acclamation last summer. Edit: Janeofwe...interesting information, thanks!

You elitist liberal commy with all your fancy totally accurate historical facts! You guys are something. What next, now you're going to tell us the evil terrorists really don't hate us b/c of our wonderful freedom!!! You and all your fancy educations make me sick!! ps. you get a star.