By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close
Adinnieken on 19 July 2012
Edit Thread
zuvuyeay said:
Adinnieken said:

The irony is that in the 1950's Iran had a duly elected parliamentary democracy and the UK and US helped overthrow it to reinstate the monarchy of the Shah of Iran.  Why?  Because BP Oil had interests in Iran and the Iranian government was forcibly buying them up. 

Roughly 20 years later, the Shah was overthrown, democracy ended, Shia Muslims gained power, and installed a theocracy that we're dealing with today.

Anyone who says anything about the middle-east isn't about oil, is lying.  Everything about the middle-east is about oil.  If it isn't about oil then we aren't involved.  Why do you think Africa gets ignored so much?


well said,there is no getting around the blame of the british over the years but of course the populations of countries still determine how they are ruled and have to take responsibility at some point

i'm not saying anything is right or wrong in say iran for exapmle because what do i know

I'm not attempting to suggest anyone is without blame. 

However, the Iranian's did self-determine their future when they became a duly elected, democracy.  That was, the will of the people.  The problem is, the US and UK crushed it. 

Do you know why the King of Jordan is the Kind of Jordan?  Or how the Shah of Iran came to power?  Of how the Saudi royal family ever rose to power?  Because when the British were carving up their empire after WWI, they decided to make the countries monarchies in the image of Great Britain.  None of the people who are "kings" today have any affiliation with royalty.  They are "kings" because in the early 20th century some British guy said "Yeah, he'll do."  That wasn't the will of the people.  The Shah being reinstated as the ruler of Iran wasn't the will of the people.

Don't confuse the Iran of the 1950's with the Iran of 1979 or today.  The religious fundamentalism that overtook Iran happened because not only did we crush the democracy, but we killed the people responsible for it.  They weren't anti-US or anti-UK, they just wanted more control over their national wealth and future and they did believe that a guy put in power over the promise of money in a sham of a deal should be the leader of Iran. 

Had the Shah been depose backed in the 1950's, my guess is Iran would have actually been a much different place than it is today.  It at one time was a very modern, very moderate nation composed of both Christian Persians and Shia Persians.  Now, because of the Shah, the extremist Shia's have control.