Synopsis
Steven O'Hern's 2012 book "Iran's Revolutionary Guard: The Threat That Grows While America Sleeps" offers a detailed examination of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), tracing its evolution since the 1979 Iranian Revolution into a powerful and multifaceted organization. The IRGC has conducted both covert and overt military operations, constructed a vast economic empire, and actively trained, financed, and directed terrorist groups with the central aim of preserving and expanding Iran's Islamic revolution.
Inside Iran, the Guard exerts significant influence over the nation's politics, economy, and foreign policy while maintaining control over its nuclear program. Beyond Iran's borders, the IRGC and its proxies—such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Shiite militias in Iraq—have been responsible for numerous deadly attacks, ranging from the 1983 Beirut truck bombings that killed hundreds of U.S. and French personnel to repeated assaults on American and allied forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
O'Hern draws on interviews with current and former officials from the FBI, CIA, local law enforcement, military intelligence, and even a former Revolutionary Guard member to uncover new details about IRGC and Hezbollah activities within the United States and across the Americas. He argues that the organization is no longer satisfied with regional strikes and is actively building capabilities to target the U.S. homeland directly, potentially inflicting economic damage far exceeding recent financial crises. The author highlights concerns over possible plans for an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack, such as detonating a nuclear device high above a Midwestern city to disable the electrical grid and other critical infrastructure reliant on computer chips.
Ultimately, O'Hern presents the IRGC as a growing and formidable adversary that poses a direct and serious threat to American lives and national security, urging greater awareness as the United States appears to underestimate the danger. The book serves as both a historical account of the Guard's development and a cautionary warning about its expanding global reach.