Opinion: Iran Has Been a Burr Under the Saddle for Too Long

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In an opinion piece, retired teacher Gary Kirkland argues that Iran has been a destabilizing force in the world for decades, citing historical examples of aggression by other nations that went unchecked and ultimately led to World War II. Kirkland contends that Iran's actions, such as the 1979 takeover of the U.S. embassy in Tehran, have been an "act of war" that the world has tolerated for too long. He believes the U.S. and Israel are now right to try to remove Iran's burr-like influence on global affairs.

Why it matters

Kirkland's opinion piece reflects a longstanding view among some U.S. and Israeli policymakers that Iran poses a major threat to regional and global stability, and that stronger action is needed to curb Iran's destabilizing activities. This perspective has at times driven more confrontational policies toward Iran, raising concerns about the potential for military conflict.

The details

In his op-ed, Kirkland draws parallels between Iran's actions and the aggression of other nations in the lead-up to World War II, such as Italy's invasion of Ethiopia in 1935, Japan's invasion of Manchuria in 1937, and Germany's invasion of Poland in 1939. He argues that while none of these individual events directly caused the war, they collectively "started the war." Kirkland contends that Iran's 1979 takeover of the U.S. embassy in Tehran was an "act of war" that the U.S. failed to adequately address under President Jimmy Carter. He believes Iran has been "terrorizing most of the rest of the world" for the past 47 years, and that the U.S. and Israel are now right to try to "remove that burr."

• In 1935, Italian troops invaded Ethiopia.
• In 1937, Japanese troops invaded Manchuria, part of China.
• In 1939, German troops invaded Poland, leading England and France to declare war on Germany.
• Also in 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Poland.
• In 1979, Iranian forces took over the U.S. embassy in Tehran.