Topics and Questions for Blogging Forum

Here is a list of topics/questions we may want the students to discuss during the blogging forum. I encourage you to add your own ideas to the list.

My thought was to begin the discussion around the oil crisis, and not really go any further back in time than that. If people feel otherwise, please let me know.

Oil Crisis

• Could a compromise have been worked out during the Oil Nationalization Crisis? What would have been the most fair and feasible way of resolving this conflict?

• Did both sides (Iran and Britain) have legitimate claims? Who do you think had the more legitimate claim? Why?

• Why were they not able to work out a compromise to this problem?

• What were the motivations behind the United States’ course of action?

• Why did Eisenhower end Truman's policy of neutrality and give the go-ahead for Mossadegh's overthrow?

Coup Against Mossadegh

• Did the coup/overthrow of Mossadegh hinder the development of democracy in Iran? Why/why not?

• Why is the overthrow of Mossadegh such a critical turning point in U.S-Iranian relations?

• While the U.S. clearly played a role in the overthrow of Mossadegh, is the U.S completely to blame? Would he have lasted had the U.S. not intervened?

Mohammad Reza Shah’s Regime

• In what ways did Muhammad Reza Shah seek to improve Iran (consider social, economic, and political actions)?

• In what ways was he an ineffective and oppressive ruler?

• How did the Iranian people feel about his actions?

• How did the U.S. support for the Shah affect the long term relations between Iran and the U.S.?

1979 Revolution

• Was an Islamic government an inevitable outcome of the 1979 Revolution? Why did this form of government emerge and not one of the other competing platforms?

• Why was Ayatollah Khomeini able to emerge as a political leader in Iran?

The Islamic Republic

• Can a government be both Islamic and democratic at the same time, or is secularism a prerequisite for democracy?

• Why did the war between Iran and Iraq last so long?

• How has the Iran-Iraq war impacted Iran’s national security policies of today?

Current Issues in U.S.-Iraqi Relations

• How does the U.S. perceive the Iran? How does Iran perceive the U.S.? What events and circumstances have shaped these perceptions and how accurate are they?

• Have there been any missed opportunities to normalize U.S.-Iranian relations, if so when?

• Why would Iran want a nuclear bomb?

Broad Cross-Unit Focus Questions

• What are the roots of the antagonistic relationship between the U.S. and Iran?

• How did Iran change from being one of the United States' most important allies to a perceived threat/"rogue state"?

• In what ways did domestic issues and international relations contribute to Iran's current situation/position?

• With a view toward history, how might the U.S. best respond to the current crisis with Iran?