Most Americans forget how our policies have systematically and needlessly antagonized the Iranians over the years. In 1953 the CIA helped overthrow a democratically elected president, Mohammed Mossadeqh, and install the dictatorial Shah, who was friendly to the U.S., but generally terrorized his people and murdered his political opponents and their families with American support and backing for 25 years. This support for a rather vicious dictator is the direct cause of Iranians regarding the U.S. as "The Great Satan". Don't think other middle eastern folks don't know this history either. It is one of the reasons why the U.S. has so little credibility when it comes to "Spreading Democracy" in the region.
It is the content of the history that is up for debate. Yes, the CIA helped overthrow Iran's leader (whether he was indeed "democratically elected" is up for debate). One must remember that the U.S. and the Soviet Union were locked in a struggle to decide the planet's political structure; democracies or communism. Both sides meddled in other countries affairs, as declining to do so would put one at a disadvantage. Got a better strategy?
Also, I contest the level of the Shah's "viciousness". The Shah, while somewhat corrupt, he did indeed spend most of his countries oil revenue on public projects. Iran was the first country in the Middle East to have public schools, hospitals, city services, etc. As for brutality, SAVAK only had about 15,000 members at its height, so by and large you would be left alone unless you were openly trying to overthrow his government.
Compare that to Iran’s present government, which openly executes women for acting like people, hanging their bodies in public.
I am not contesting the facts that the CIA helped install the Shah, that the Shah was corrupt nor that SAVAK was brutal and used torture. However, compared to every other Middle Eastern ruler he was very moderate.
People always criticize the U.S. for supporting “corrupt dictators”. But when a country has a choice between a moderately corrupt dictator and a really bad, brutal dictator, what are we supposed to do?
