Great Satan
|
|
The Great Satan is a common epithet for the United States of America in Iranian foreign policy statements. Ayatollah Khomeini used the terms Iblis and Shaitan, both Islamic terms for the devil, or Satan.
The term was extensively used during and after the Iranian revolution, but it continues to be in use in some Iranian political circles. The term has also found use in political statements of non-Iranian Islamic fundamentalist political or guerilla groups.
During and after the Iranian Revolution similar appelations were used for the Western World and to a lesser extent the Soviet Union.
The United Kingdom as a US ally has been called Little Satan.
"Far from being the great Satan, I would say we are the great protector. The United States rebuilt Europe and Japan after World War II, defeated Communism and fascism and the only land we ever asked for was enough land to bury our dead."
- -- Colin Powell, US Secretary of State.