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Source: http://www.the-american-interest.com/2015/06/30/in-defense-of-pessimism/
Iran's Intentions: In Defense of Pessimism
(American Interest) Jeffrey Herf - Since 1979, the leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran have said many despicable things about the State of Israel, including that they want to see what they call a "cancer" removed from the Middle East. In Washington and the capitals of Europe, we are told that our fears are misplaced and even a bit hysterical. The Iran debate is about whether the leaders of the U.S. government actually believe that the Iranian leaders believe what they say again and again, or whether our leaders assume Iran's rulers are as cynical and as rational as all other leaders who understand that using nuclear weapons brings with it a very high risk of committing national suicide. At its core, the debate about Iran is one about how we interpret the core beliefs of the Iranian regime. The issue is whether the Iranian regime will use nuclear weapons in the future to attack the State of Israel and, for that matter, perhaps the U.S. as well. Though Hitler is dead and Nazi Germany is gone, the problem of underestimating the role of ideology in politics remains very much with us. Taking the ideas of others seriously manifests our desire to avoid the condescension inherent in the belief that others don't really mean what they say. It is to acknowledge that others have beliefs that guide actions. We have no excuse for repeating the blunders of the past or for reassuring ourselves optimistically that things will turn out for the best. The writer is Distinguished University Professor in the Department of History at the University of Maryland.