“The Geopolitics of Iran”, a succinct primer for discussing Iran in the presidential debates.

[jody]

The Geopolitics of Iran: Holding the Center of a Mountain Fortress

To understand Iran, you must begin by understanding how large it is. Iran is the 17th largest country in world. It measures 1,684,000 square kilometers. That means that its territory is larger than the combined territories of France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Portugal — Western Europe. Iran is the 16th most populous country in the world, with about 70 million people. Its population is larger than the populations of either France or the United Kingdom.

Under the current circumstances, it might be useful to benchmark Iran against Iraq or Afghanistan. Iraq is 433,000 square kilometers, with about 25 million people, so Iran is roughly four times as large and three times as populous. Afghanistan is about 652,000 square kilometers, with a population of about 30 million. One way to look at it is that Iran is 68 percent larger than Iraq and Afghanistan combined, with 40 percent more population.

More important are its topographical barriers. Iran is defined, above all, by its mountains, which form its frontiers, enfold its cities and describe its historical heartland. To understand Iran, you must understand not only how large it is but also how mountainous it is.

Iran’s most important mountains are the Zagros. They are a southern extension of the Caucasus, running about 900 miles from the northwestern border of Iran, which adjoins Turkey and Armenia, southeast toward Bandar Abbas on the Strait of Hormuz. The first 150 miles of Iran’s western border is shared with Turkey. It is intensely mountainous on both sides. South of Turkey, the mountains on the western side of the border begin to diminish until they disappear altogether on the Iraqi side. From this point onward, south of the Kurdish regions, the land on the Iraqi side is increasingly flat, part of the Tigris-Euphrates basin. The Iranian side of the border is mountainous, beginning just a few miles east of the border. Iran has a mountainous border with Turkey, but mountains face a flat plain along the Iraq border. This is the historical frontier between Persia — the name of Iran until the early 20th century — and Mesopotamia (“land between two rivers”), as southern Iraq is called.

NOTE, the facts are useful although a reader might disagree with some of the subjective conclusions.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Thanks for this

Its sad to realize that many Americans can't even find Iran on a map, much less know anything about it. I wasn't aware of the topography--I can see how the mountains have historically had a big impact on the development of the culture.

[jody]

2. You might wish to browse "Area 2 Oil Fields Index Map" and others at the link below.

Area 2 Oil Fields Index Map

[chimpymustgo]

3. jody, it that Cheney's map? I am very curious about Iran - thanks for posting this.

[jody]

4. I don't know but I'm sure Cheney knew about those fields before he took office. n/t

[leveymg]

5. Yes, that was the front-lines of the eight year Iran-Iraq war.

The Khuzestan Strategy types assume the U.S. can do with 150,000 troops what Saddam failed to do with more than a million - take and hold that area.

The salient point was the 800,000 casualties on both sides, and the fact that the regime in Tehran survived without much external assistance despite the shifting occupation of that main petroleum-producing region.

Demonstrably, not worth the cost of trying to do it again. No?

[jody]

6. When JCS Chairmen say they don't need another war, civilian leaders should heed their advice.

Will David H. Petraeus the West Point educated Ivy League scholar cum General be appointed by the next president as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff?

[leveymg]

7. The present Chair just started his term

We'll see in 3 years.

[happyslug]

8. I knew Iran was mountainous, and been blaming all the local helicopters training for it.

I live in Johnstown PA, the local airport is also an Army base for Apache Helicopters. I have seen a lot of them flying recently in and around the Little Conemaugh river (I have also seen C-130s being operated but NEVER in conjunction with the Apaches). The Little Conemaugh goes right through much of Allegheny Mountain (Where it starts) thus gives a good training area for mountain training.

In previous years the training was more in the open areas of Johnstown (Through rarely the City itself) but I have seen more and more training being done in the more mountainous terrain. All this may just be training for training, it might be that I am going more and more on the bike trail that goes along the little Conemaugh, but the fact the training tends to be close to nightfall just tells me someone wants the chopper pilots to get a feel for sunlight in the mountains at dusk or dawn (I have NOT seen them in the Morning, but then I an rarely on the trail that time of day).

Training for Iran or Training for Afghanistan? Both are mountainous areas, and the later we have troops already committed. Only time will tell, through I lean to no attack till after the election. I expect Bush Jr to do what Bush Sr did to Clinton, make a military operation (Bush Sr it was Somalia) and leave the ending of the operation to his successor.