Why do many Americans see Iran as a threat?

Question

I am an Iranian living outside Iran (becasue I don't like the leadership policy) but I don't quite understand why would the Americans give a damn about who rules Iran. It's very far from the US and it's too weak to do much of anything to the US. Why do Americans bother to memorise this idiot Ahmadinejad's name anyway? Please clear this up :)

I didn't quite understand what has Iran to do with terrorism in a sense that would threat the US. Iran terrorises the region, most notably Israel, but it doesn't do much of anything to America. And Iran is a Shia country, and Sunni (Al Gaeda for example) Muslims don't get along with the Shia.

Sorry to write more, but I saw that people gave a lot of answers.

For those who are telling me to go to Iran and overthrow the regime, or those who seem to act like if I myslef am evil or something! Well, if I don't like Bush I don't ask my American neighbour to go and overthrow him, do I?

My whole question was more about curiosity than my own subjective feeling "damn, why do these Americans feel like this about Iran!" No, facts are facts, but I shall be informed rather than stupid.

Ahmadinejad was actually chosen by quite a large number of Iranians, in a sort of election (not quite q democracy I would have liked). Thank you for your answers :)

Answer 1

America needs oil.

Iran has oil.

Iran knows that America needs oil. They also know that they can significantly affect the world's supply and price of oil. They hold a large amount of regional influence in the Middle East & can wreak havok on the global economy if they really want to.

Iran also has leadership that has advocated the complete destruction of an American ally (Israel: don't ask me why, but the U.S. seems to defend anything and everything Israel does).

Iran also also has sought nuclear technology (In a country that rich in oil, why would they need nuclear technology for power generation?)

If 9/11 showed us anything, it's that it doesn't take a superpower to attack the U.S. Iran is a significant regional power in the Middle East, significant enough to disrupt American interests there & possibly elsewhere. An Iran with an anti-West and anti-Israel leadership is viewed by current U.S. leadership as a threat. Finally, rightly or wrongly, the U.S. has never forgiven Iran for the 1979 hostage crisis. It will take at least a generation before such forgiveness will be possible.

Answer 2

Because the Iranian president said that Israel should be "blown off the map". The leader of any nation should refrain from public comments like this. This does nothing but create problems and instability in the entire world. While they may be far from the USA, they are close to Iraq and Israel. The Palestenian/Israel conflict is bad enough already. The bottom line is that we need stability in the world. Ignoring a small group of people across the world led to 9/11. Make sense now?

Answer 3

You live outside Iran because you "don't like the LEADERSHIP policy"? Somehow I doubt that. You live outside Iran because you CAN. If the extreme Islamist had there way, you would still be there. Were you even alive in 1979? It may seem like a long time ago, but to many it seems like yesterday. Nuclear weapons in the hands of ANY religious extremists, is a dangerous thing. PERIOD. And finally, people AREN'T trying to memorize his name, just pronounce the thing. To someone with English as a first language, Arabic names can be tiresome at best. (I know.....Iranians are Persians) Trust me when I say, to most Westerners, "Same thing". Go ahead, be offended. I couldn't care less.

Answer 4

Because your homeland is exporting terror around the globe. If you believe that the Iranian President is an idiot, go home and do something about removing him from his office. You Iranians are the only people who are going to make a difference in your home country

Answer 5

America needs an enemy in order to keep the population fearful. Picking on Iran is convenient. It suits our "friends" in the Middle East, keeps us "confused", since we're too lazy to learn about them, and it's not jungle terrain, which we found out we suck at fighting in.

Oh, and the fact that America will win over all those godless souls for Jesus is way too intoxicating for those who want a place in history.

Answer 6

He's not quite important enough for me to remember his name but he is instituting a nuclear program, and yes i realize its a minor program that would take years to develop the potential for nuclear weapons, but it shows intent. Add to the fact that he is an outspoken advocate for violence against Americans and is seen by vast amount of radical Muslims as an inspirational leader. In addition he harbors terrorist fugitives and donates to radically militant groups. Does this help?

Answer 7

How about this?
1. Weaker country (as you pointed out)
2. Nuclear weapons (soon, if not already available)
3. Very anti-American, anti-Christian, anti-capitalist philosophy.

Is that enough to make us at least a little concerned?

Hope that clears it up for you.

Answer 8

We don't believe that Iran is a threat to us. We do believe that Iran is developing nuclear weapons. We do believe that Iran will sell or give this technology to terrorists. We do believe Iran poses a threat to Israel (one of our allies). If Iran attacks Israel, we will be obliged to come to the aid of Israel. We don't trust anything that Iran says. We know that Iran will one day, if not already, make a pact with Russia to attack Israel.

Answer 9

You said it yourself. It's the leadership or lack thereof. Iran has shown us one face and then they go and train terrorists. These terrorists are dedicated to the destruction of America. That is why we Iran as a threat. You are not on our side.

Answer 10

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