Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan, associate dean and professor in The University of Baltimore's College of Public Affairs and a noted expert in international relations, appeared on a recent edition of The Capitol Hill Show in Washington, D.C., to discuss the nation's current thinking about opposition groups in Iran and the way the United States confronts terrorism. The show, hosted by The Washington Times, focused on increasing interest in Iran's internal affairs. A number of opposition groups in that country are due an examination, Sheehan says, because the Iranian regime is facing some increasingly serious issues, including economic instability, the worldwide condemnation of its record on human rights, and its ongoing support of terrorism.
"The cracks are wide and they're deep," Sheehan says of the nation's government.
Dr. Sheehan says that in his years of research into American counterrorism efforts, a "boots on the ground" mentality is an ineffective way to oppose state-sponsored violence and encourage a more humane state of affairs in a country like Iran.
"Again and again, what I found ... American military force, preemptive action—it actually worsened the problem of terrorism," he says.
Sheehan says it's important for American leaders to understand Iran's various opposition groups, and find ways to gauge their potential for actually improving the lives of the Iranian people. One way to do that, he suggests, is to consider the "lawful opposition" versus the "unlawful opposition."
The former, he notes, represents certain reforms for the existing regime. The latter, in contrast, reflects "a very profound and significant change."
Watch Prof. Sheehan's appearance on The Capitol Hill Show.
Learn more about Prof. Ivan Sascha Sheehan and UBalt's School of Public and International Affairs.