On this day in 1953, the U.S. and British governments initiated a coup d'état against the democratically elected Prime Minister of Iran, Mohammad Mosaddegh. Mosaddegh had been preparing to nationalize Iran's British-owned oil fields.

Mosaddegh had sought to audit the documents of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC), later re-named British Petroleum, and to limit the company's control over Iranian oil reserves. When the AIOC refused to cooperate with the Iranian government, the parliament voted to nationalize Iran's oil industry and to expel foreign corporate representatives from the country.

In response, the British began a worldwide boycott of Iranian oil to pressure Iran economically and engaged in subterfuge to undermine Mosaddegh's government.

After considering military action, Britain opted for a coup d’état. President Harry Truman rejected the idea, but when Dwight Eisenhower took over the White House, he ordered the CIA to embark on one of its first covert operations against a foreign government.

The coup was led by an agent named Kermit Roosevelt, the grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt. The CIA leaned on a young, insecure Shah to issue a decree dismissing Mossadegh as prime minister. Kermit Roosevelt had help from Norman Schwarzkopf’s father: Norman Schwarzkopf.

The CIA and the British helped to undermine Mossadegh’s government through bribery, libel, and orchestrated riots. Agents posing as communists threatened religious leaders, while the US ambassador lied to the prime minister about alleged attacks on American nationals.

Some 300 people died in firefights in the streets of Tehran.

Mossadegh was overthrown, sentenced to three years in prison followed by house arrest for life.

The crushing of Iran’s first democratic government ushered in more than two decades of dictatorship under the Shah, who relied heavily on US aid and arms. The anti-American backlash that toppled the Shah in 1979 shook the whole region and helped spread Islamic militancy.

After the 1979 revolution President Jimmy Carter allowed the deposed Shah into the U.S. Fearing the Shah would be sent back to take over Iran as he had been in 1953, Iranian militants took over the U.S. embassy–where the 1953 coup was staged–and held hundreds hostage.

Original article

The iranian coup libcom

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  • CrispyFern [fae/faer, any]
    ·
    1 year ago
    Probably my most reactionary take that may very well get me banned

    I don't actually shit while on the clock that often. I prefer to shit in the comfort of my own home because I have a bidet and because my dog likes to sit at my feet so I can pet her.

    • forcequit [she/her]
      ·
      1 year ago

      I only shit at work so my cat doesn't get separation anxiety when I go potty at home powercry-2

      • Frank [he/him, he/him]
        ·
        1 year ago

        I swear cats and dogs do that because they know you're vulnerable to bear attack while you're pooping and they want to watch your back to make sure you're okay. That's the theory for why dogs make eye contact when they're pooping - If you see something dangerous they'll read it in your body language almost faster than you become aware of it. They're basically counting on you to sound the alarm if a bear or a tiger or something starts charging out from behind a Kia.

        • CrispyFern [fae/faer, any]
          ·
          1 year ago

          Anytime I go in the bathroom my dog nudges open the door to see what I'm doing (latch is broken). She will instantly back out of the bathroom if I'm doing anything other than pooping, I think because she's afraid I'll grab her and give her a bath.100% the only time my dog comes in the bathroom with me is when she knows I'm too incapacitated to do that.

    • Twink
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      deleted by creator

    • Frank [he/him, he/him]
      ·
      1 year ago

      Oh yeah bidet is a strong argument. I need to get one, I left mine behind when I moved years ago and I miss it. Toilet paper is awful.

    • PeoplesRepublicOfNewEngland [he/him]
      ·
      1 year ago

      You know portable ones exist right

      The squeeze bottle types are excellent, inexpensive, very reliable, and frankly better than more expensive ones that need batteries. You can take them anywhere and fill and clean them in any bathroom sink