What makes Iran more of a threat to the USA than the USSR was?

Question

The Soviet Union had the means to destroy the USA and openly admitted that was their intent. They ingaged in covert activity against the U.S. They armed terrorists and supported anti-American regimes. Yet, we never invaded that country.
What makes Iran more of a threat. Why should the USA ingage in a war with that country in which millions of innocent people may die? What is the justification?

Answer 1

The Cold War ended with the dissolution of the USSR without both superpowers directly locking horns - thanks to the M.A.D. doctrine - Mutually Assured Destruction (by nuke ICBMs). And the USSR never implemented any military attack on the US homeland - Bay of Pigs was an intent which withered when the late Pres. Kennedy responded.

Iran without nuclear capability already posed a threat to US allies in the MidEast including friendly Islamic countries. The threat from Iran is not nuclear weapons per se - it is the continuance of the "Ayahtollah Revolution" - fundamentalist Islam which Mid East muslim countries reject outright. The 'success' of this influence can be witnessed in Lebanon where Iran's brand of Islamic fervour has replaced the Christian Maronites influence significantly via its proxy: Hezbollah.

Imagine if Iran were to control Iraq, Kuwait, Gulf States in the MidEast - "oil" would be their economic weapon; Israel's security; and an ever-expanding Islam fundamentalist MidEast. This is not alarmist; it can be a reality if Iran were unchecked in its pursuance of nuclear tech. That's why they are more of a threat.

Answer 2

Firstly, there won't be a ground invasion of Iran in the near future. There may be air strikes on nuclear facilities but there simply aren't the resources for a ground invasion while Iraq ties up the troops.
Secondly, the USSR's military might rivaled that of the USA. An invasion would have assured mutual destruction. This is not the case with Iran.

Answer 3

I don't agree with the premise of your question. Iran is not more of a threat. During the Cuban missile crisis, both sides had their fingers on the buttons of mutual destruction. The Soviets blinked. They never used nuclear weapons.

All of the nations in the UN are trying to stop nuclear proliferation. Iran has so much oil, they don't need nuclear power. The current president of Iran is a full-fleged nut and has plans to use nukes to destroy Isreal. He has said so on more than one occasion.

The US is not engaging in a war with Iran. The UN does not have the will to use military force. I suspect that many western countries are trying to get the people of Iran to topple the government.

Answer 4

While what you say is true, there is a huge difference. While their leaders did want to destroy the US, they weren't willing to do so if it would result in their own destruction as well. This means they were rational, and would respond to diplomacy, negotiation, and countermeasures.

Iran, on the other hand, is ruled by a total nutcase, who doesn't just want the West destroyed, has openly said he pretty much wants the world destroyed. This attitude seems to be common enough among Muslims that they seem to have no shortage of people willing to commit suicide if it means they can blow up a disco or a school bus.

Answer 5

"Why should the USA engage in a war with that country in which millions of innocent people may die?" Iran is trying to become a nuclear power. It's like giving a chimp a gun, you never know who it's going to shoot. Your options are, ignore it and mourn the dead or kill it before it kills you. Your attitude tells me that it would be okay if the millions of innocent people were Americans, so long as the poor Iranians were left alone. Sorry, pal, but until the people in the Middle East love their children more than they hate us there will be a war and we will fight it there to keep our own innocent people safe.

Answer 6

Simple, there are a lot of people that Iran funds, trains and assists that think it would be a great thing to die committing an act of ism. The Soviets didn't have that. They knew that if they attacked us, they would die too. They didn't want that.

The war against ism is like combating a cross between the Soviets and WWII Japan. The most dangerous threat we have ever faced.

Answer 7

Muse-I don't think Iran is more of a threat than the former USSR. But for JFK's action in the Cuban missile crisis, we'd have nuclear weapons aimed at us from only 90 miles away. People have short memories. Iran is in the news today and is located in the most volatile region of the world. Their leader is a bit of a newshound (imo) and loves making provocative and outrageous statements. Therefore, he makes his country sound more dangerous than the USSR. Our sense of history is lacking. You ask about justification for a war with Iran. The justification is political and logic does not seem to apply. We're allies with Israel. Israel is threatened or feels that way. It is our policy to protect Israel. Never apply logic to politics.

Answer 8

The Soviets were pragmatists. They had no wild-eyed foaming-at-the-mouth jihadist beliefs. They had no desire to see their own cities turned into radioactive holes. They balanced their power against the US's, and engaged in proxy wars, but, like the US, had too much to lose.

But a state like Iran, run by radical mullahs and that squirrely nutjob Ahmadinejad, who has shouted in rallies "Death to Israel!", "Death to America!" and has vowed to eradicate Israel from the face of the Earth, is not to be trusted. They are fanatics and have proven they care not how many of their own people die.

Answer 9

The USSR was motivated by the good old Russian trait of being power mad. Iran is motivated by the Holy Koran, a much more dangerous basis for an enemy.

Answer 10

the less international places with nuclear guns the added useful. international places like the u . s ., the united kingdom, Russia, China, France, India, are considered accountable adequate to allow inspections, and to adhere to guidelines. If a u . s . a . like Iran or North Korea has nukes then human beings get uncomfortable. they do no longer discover their leaders, or their governments to be socially accountable, and can want to create destiny issues.