One consideration is the need to neutralize the strategic advantage that Iran gained from the US overthrow of Saddam Hussein in neighboring Iraq – a development that helped to empower Iraq’s Shia majority. President George W. Bush called Iran part of an “axis of evil,” yet his decision to invade and occupy Iraq benefited Shia-dominated Iran above all.
对于今天的美国来说，遏制伊朗是出于几大地缘政治考虑。其中一个就是消除美国推翻萨达姆政权后伊朗在邻国伊拉克所获得的战略优势，因为当时这一举动帮助人口占多数的伊拉克什叶派穆斯林民众夺取了权力。美国前总统小布什曾将伊朗称之为“邪恶轴心”的一分子，但他当年做出的入侵占领伊拉克决定却为什叶派同样占大多数的伊朗造了福。