United States of America overthrew a Middle Eastern Democracy in 1953

[Christ was Socialist]

I for one don't blame the Iranians being anti American. We overthrew Mohammed Mossadegh a benign, somewhat eccentric, but democraticlly elected, leader of Iran for a murderous thug of a shah. Keep it in perspective, as you watch it happen again. But chalabi won't last neither will any puppet leader. If you think iraq is different, you are once again doing the rationalization that every generation does for its crimes.




Mohammed Mossadegh

http://www.moreorless.au.com/heroes/mossadegh.html

The Overthrow of freedom by America
http://www.dissidentvoice.org/Articles8/DN_Iran-Coup-1953.htm

[bobbieinok]

1. this happened when I was a kid; we put Shah family in

and then after Khomeni kicked out Shah and there was so much anti-Americanism, things started to go together.

[rinsd]

2. Deleted by poster

contiued an argument from another thread.

[Larkspur]

3. "Iran was better under the Shah," said

one of the aides of the Dem challenger to our Repuke Congressman last week. I had told our Dem challenger that I didn't agree with his positions on the War on Terror and Israel-Palestine. They were a taken straight out of the DNC/DLC book. The aide said that Israel was the only democracy in the Middle East. I reminded him that Iran had a democracy until the USA overthrew it in 1953 and installed the Shah of Iran. I don't know if this aide is Jewish or not, but he immediately said that "Iran was better under the Shah."

[stopthegop]

5. it's probably true the current Iranian gov't

has killed/executed more of it's own people than the Shah did...and the Shah didn't export terror...but it may seem better now to the Iranian people, they would have to be the ones to judge...

[Larkspur]

8. Iranians would have been better with their own democracy

had we not overthrown it.

I found this aide's comments racist. I don't believe any people deserve to live under a dictator, especially if they had a homegrown democracy that was overthrown because our and our allies' corporations wanted a pliant government.

[Christ was Socialist]

10. This is why we need another world superpower

to keep our rogue government under control. Even china is pacified right now as they discover greed.

[lostnfound]

12. "Iran HAD a democracy until..." Great comment, got to remember that! nt

[Bombtrack]

4. That isn't acurate. I don't believe our congress was aware

Eisenhower might not have even been aware. So to say "the USA overthrew it" is misleading. The British government was probably just as if not more than involved, seeing as how only the British oil companie(s) were the ones pushing for it. They got help from powerful people within our CIA, probably with VP Nixon and the Helms brothers calling those people's shots.

In short, our CIA helped British oil overthrow Iran

[tritsofme]

9. Eisenhower was very reluctant to go along with Churchill

on the coup in Iran, and IIRC correctly Truman outright rejected it, and he thought his best hope was leaning on Eisenhower.

[idlisambar]

16. That's a stretch

Eisenhower was almost certainly aware. Under his leadership, the CIA expanded its activities from intelligence gathering to covert political influence. Eisenhower was said to be a big fan of this new role if not one of its architects, prefering covert action as opposed to outright force as a means of choice in the nuclear era. Under his watch, similar overthrows in Guatamala and the Congo took place, not to mention the attempted overthrow of Fidel Castro that was planned during his tenure. Eisenhower himself was said to give the verbal go ahead for taking out Patrice Lumumba and instating Mobutu in the Congo.

You can't seperate the CIA and Eisenhower, the CIA that emerged out of the early 50's was Eisenhower's baby. That being said I think you are right in saying that oil interests, mostly BP, but also Standard Oil, provided the imptetus in the case of Iran, and the CIA was mostly serving those interests.

[Webster Green]

6. We overthrew a Caribbean Democracy last month....

Anybody remember Haiti?

Out of the news cycle already, I guess.

[Christ was Socialist]

18. I remember well. I think we are warming up for castro

i will be pissed/ Long live cuba.

[Malikshah]

7. Cold War led to Gulf War I and II

I've argued this for a while...

We reinstalled the Shah in 53 (w/ GB's help)--and gave him the 5th largest military in the world in the mid 70s. The US, Israel and others helped train SAVAK (when they knocked on your door, you didn't return...) We backed the Shah no matter what he did. Why? He was "column of defense" in the region against Soviet Influence

When he was overthrown by a popular revolution --and that revolution was then taken over by Khomeini et al-- we became the great satan.

Thus when Saddam invaded-- the US and others (including Kuwait/Saudi Arabia) did everything they could to boost Saddam

Then Kuwait and SA wanted the money back/slant drilling....

Then August 1990 and the Iraqi invasion.


We are continuing to reap what our forebears sowed--and will continue to do so.

I question the intelligence, morality, and sanity of any and all who would support *.

[keithyboy]

11. Too bad most Americans are too illiterate to understand

We are doomed.

[Lisa]

13. Iranians really admired the US prior to 1953

They didn't like the British, and felt Americans were fairer and less paternalistic ... that's why they were shocked and hurt by the CIA involvement in the removal of Mossadegh. I have Persian friends, and they told me what things were like back then. Even after that, the US was so respected in Iran (and many parts of the Middle East) that it took decades for anti-American feelings to build up. The Iranian people knew that the Shah couldn't stay in power without the US and companies like BP propping him up for so long.

After they fled the country, my friends found out about the secret prison that the Shah had, UNDER THEIR CHILDREN'S PRIMARY SCHOOL. Basically, those political prisoners, including some people they knew, were buried alive under there.

"All the Shah's Men" is a terrific book. All about the coup.

[Neecy]

14. thanks for the book recommendation -

I'll go over to Amazon and see if I can pick it up. Sounds fascinating.

This whole Iraqi mess reminds me a little of the Suez crisis ("evil" dictator, primary interest is economic, outright invasion). The Brits were up to their necks in that one, too (at least the French got some sense - finally - after their disasters in Algeria).

[Christ was Socialist]

19. i've got to get that one. Also the shahs fmaily lives in conneticut

i believe.

[ieoeja]

15. Depends on What the Meaning of "Democracy" Is

From one of your links:

"On 17 July, after the shah refuses Mossadegh's request that he be given the power to appoint the minister for defence, Mossadegh resigns, sparking a general strike and three days of rioting by Iranian nationalists aided by communists. The shah is forced to reappoint Mossadegh as head of the government on 22 July and to grant him full control over the military.

"Mossadegh appoints himself as minister for defence and begins to introduce changes in the military high command, dismissing officers loyal to the shah and replacing them with nationalists.

"In August the Majlis grants Mossadegh full power in all affairs of government for a six-month period, allowing him to attempt reforms to the country's tax and revenue structures and to control government spending. These special powers are subsequently extended for a further six-month term. Mossadegh also obtains approval for a law to reduce the term of the Senate from six years to two years, bringing about the dissolution of that body."


He is elected to a position with limited power. He then wrests more power from the Shah under the threat of violence. Interesting definition of democracy you have there.

[Christ was Socialist]

17. Would you ask a dictator and his loyalist to kindly step down?

They were trying to asassinate him for crying out loud.

1950 - Mossadegh is elected as chairman of the government's Oil Committee. In November the committee rejects a draft agreement with the AIOC that offers the government slightly improved terms but not the 50-50 profit-sharing split of other Persian Gulf oil concessions.

Mossadegh's position attracts growing popular support, and the National Front wins many new seats in elections held during the year.



Don't be an apologist and revisionist.