Quote:
Originally Posted by AgNoStIc MuSliM
Most of the US media focused on analogies to the 1979 revolution, but my mind kept flashing back to the overthrow of the popularly elected Mossadegh by a CIA covert operation, through similar street protests and a demolition of Mossadegh's credibility through disinformation and carefully orchestrated events.  |
From Wikipedia:
"Mosaddeq was removed from power in a 19 August 1953 coup supported and funded by the British and U.S. governments and led by General Fazlollah Zahedi. The American operation came to be known as Operation Ajax in America, after its CIA cryptonym, and as the 28 Mordad 1332 coup in Iran, after its date on the Iranian calendar. Mosaddeq was imprisoned for three years and subsequently put under house arrest until his death.
Among many in Iran and abroad, Mosaddeq is viewed as a hero of Third World anti-imperialism, and a victim of imperialist greed for Iran's oil. However a number of scholars and historians believe that besides the direct involvement of the UK and US,
a major factor in Mossadeq's overthrow was the reactionary clerical dissatisfaction with a secular government, fomented with CIA propaganda."
Ironically, the CIA and the conservative Shiite clerics were on the same team with the 1953 overthrow of Mossadegh. Also, the coup required major involvement by some Iranian army units in Teheran. So, actually, NONE of the 1953 factors are at play in the events of today, not even a CIA station chief or a US ambassador in Teheran.