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[[Image:Iran.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini<br>Founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran]]

[[Image:Iran.jpg|thumb|198px|right|Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini<br>Founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran]]

The Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini was a Muslim [[Shiite]] who took control of Iran after a revolution overthrew in 1979 one of the twin pilars of Western cooperative security arangements in the Persian Gulf, the Shah [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi]].  The Ayatollah came to power as part of US President [[Jimmy Carter]]'s "Human Rights" policy. William Miller, chief of staff on the US Senate Intelligence Committee, said America had nothing to fear from Khomeini since he would be a progressive force for human rights. U.S. Ambassador William Sullivan compared Khomeini to [[Mahatma Gandhi]].”  

The Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini was a Muslim [[Shiite]] who took control of Iran after a revolution overthrew in 1979 one of the twin pilars of Western cooperative security arangements in the Persian Gulf, the Shah [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi]].  The Ayatollah came to power as part of US President [[Jimmy Carter]]'s "Human Rights" policy. William Miller, chief of staff on the US Senate Intelligence Committee, said America had nothing to fear from Khomeini since he would be a progressive force for human rights. U.S. Ambassador William Sullivan compared Khomeini to [[Mahatma Gandhi]].”  

In 1979,  the Ayatollah  Khomeini created the ''Basij Mostazafan'' a mass movement of young people between 12 and 17 years of age.  When the Iran-Iraq War started, they were incorporated into the Iranian military.  Khomeini issued a [[fatwa]] and promise of paradise calling for the young people to move forward in human wave attacks to clear minefields so the regular Army could follow. Matthias Küntzel quotes an Iraqi officer's description of one such encounter in the summer of 1982.

In 1979,  the Ayatollah  Khomeini created the ''Basij Mostazafan'' a mass movement of young people between 12 and 17 years of age.  When the Iran-Iraq War started, they were incorporated into the Iranian military.  Khomeini issued a [[fatwa]] and promise of paradise calling for the young people to move forward in human wave attacks to clear minefields so the regular Army could follow. Matthias Küntzel quotes an Iraqi officer's description of one such encounter in the summer of 1982.

:''“They come toward our positions in huge hordes with their fists swinging...You can shoot down the first wave and then the second. But at some point the corpses are piling up in front of you, and all you want to do is scream and throw away your weapon. Those are human beings, after all!'' <ref>[http://www.matthiaskuentzel.de/contents/ahmadinejads-demons ''Ahmadinejad's Demons: A Child of the Revolution Takes Over'', Matthias Küntzel, The New Republic, 24 April 2006.</ref>

:''“They come toward our positions in huge hordes with their fists swinging...You can shoot down the first wave and then the second. But at some point the corpses are piling up in front of you, and all you want to do is scream and throw away your weapon. Those are human beings, after all!'' <ref>[http://www.matthiaskuentzel.de/contents/ahmadinejads-demons ''Ahmadinejad's Demons: A Child of the Revolution Takes Over'', Matthias Küntzel, The New Republic, 24 April 2006 .</ref>

Other reports appeared in the Iranian daily newspaper ''Ettelaat'' and later an eyewitness gave an account to the German newspaper ''Frankfurter Allgemeine'' in 2002.  Some 100,000 were killed this way.  On April 5, 1984, US Presidnet [[Ronald Reagan]] issued a National Security Decision Directive (NSDD 139), saying the U.S. needed to stress

Other reports appeared in the Iranian daily newspaper ''Ettelaat'' and later an eyewitness gave an account to the German newspaper ''Frankfurter Allgemeine'' in 2002.  Some 100,000 were killed this way.  On April 5, 1984, US Presidnet [[Ronald Reagan]] issued a National Security Decision Directive (NSDD 139), saying the U.S. needed to stress

:''the urgent need to dissuade Iran from continuing the ruthless and inhumane tactics which have characterized recent offensives."'' <ref>http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB82/iraq53.pdf</ref>

:''"the urgent need to dissuade Iran from continuing the ruthless and inhumane tactics which have characterized recent offensives."'' <ref>http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB82/iraq53.pdf</ref>

This played a large part in the humanitarian basis of Reagan's decision to help put the end of the Iran-Iraq War by the [[Iran/Contra affair]] and reestablish relations with an old longtime ally, Iran.

This played a large part in the humanitarian basis of Reagan's decision to help put the end of the Iran-Iraq War by the [[Iran/Contra affair]] and reestablish relations with an old longtime ally, Iran.