Attacking Iran: Lessons from the Iran-Iraq War

This policy brief seeks to contribute to and inform the debate concerning a
possible attack by the United States and/or Israel on Iranian nuclear and military facilities.
The presumed aim of such an attack would be to weaken the Islamic Republic,
particularly by hindering its ability to build a nuclear weapon. However, the history of the
Iraqi invasion of Iran in September 1980 calls into question the contention that an attack
will weaken the regime in Tehran. This policy brief examines Iran’s reactions to the Iraqi
invasion in order to shed light on Iran’s possible reactions to a U.S. or Israeli attack. It will
assess how the Iranian people responded to the invasion and its effects on Iranian politics
and the position of the new regime. It will also explore the nature of the policies adopted
by the Islamic Republic in waging the Iran-Iraq War that carried on for eight years after
the Iraqi invasion. (Read More: click the link)
http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/files/samuel-policy-brief-12-11.pdf