fearlesshistory

The current troubles that the Bush administration is facing with the love-to-hate-’em Middle Eastern nation is not really all that new, but does mark a return to old confrontationalist policies of both nations.

To understand why we’re at this juncture, you have to look at the past (of course). In the 1950’s there was a very popular Prime Minister of Iran; Mohammad Mossadeq. Upon becoming Prime Minister in 1951, he embarked on a campaign to nationalize the oil fields of Iran and restrict the power of one big oil company which had accumulated so much power that it virtually ruled the country: Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. His nationalization plans spelled big trouble for the British who were relying on the inexpensive importation of much-needed oil in the wake of World War Two. At first, British military and diplomatic pressure was applied to the Shah (king) of Iran who began constraining the powers of the Prime Minister in order to freeze him out of the Government. It kind of backfired; instead of going quietly, Mossadeq demanded even more authority. When the Shah refused, Mossadeq resigned.

Iran immediately exploded with riots that lasted five days. Military commanders ordered the troops back to their bases in fear that they would join the rioting and bring Army weapons with them. Needless to say, Mossadeq was returned to power and continued to nationalize the oil fields. The British, desperate to stop this turn of events, turned to the United States. At first, the United States didn’t seem moved by British pleas, but after the British started hinting that their intelligence indicated that Mossadeq might have ties to international Communism, the United States intervened.

The Republican administration under Dwight D. Eisenhower worked together with the government of Winston Churchill to plot to overthrow Mossadeq; Operation Ajax was put into motion by CIA operatives who paid Mossadeq’s political enemies to initiate a coup against the Prime Minister. Led by General Zahedi, hired goon squads began pratolling the streets and Mossadeq was forced from office and placed under house arrest for the rest of his life. The Iranian people became aware of the US and British plot, but were essentially powerless to help Mossadeq - this memory lasted for decades.

In 1979, the entire reason the American Embassy was over run was to prevent the CIA from initiating a Mossadq-style coupd against the Ayatollah Khomeini. Of course, there was no evidence that the Carter administration even considered such a move, but the Iranians wanted to be sure.

The Iran-Iraq war solidified the position of the Ayatollah as Saddam Hussein (backed by Ronald Reagan’s administration, but only behind the scenes) attacked Iran in 1980. The war initially went well for the Iraqis, but Hussein’s ineptitude and the sycophantic nature of his regime allowed the Iranians to turn the tide and threaten Iraq. During that time, the American administration set up a secret arms deal to Iran in order to fund the Contras in  Nicaragua, a move that almost brought down the Reagan administration. Getting wind of the deal, Saddam Hussein let the world know that the Americans had helped him with satellite imagery and chemical components for his chemical warfare program against Iran. The Iranians were further angered, believing they were justified in 1979 for the capture of the American Embassy and began referring to the US as “The Great Satan.”

It is ironic that Iran is now considered a part of the Axis of Evil by the Bush administration. During the 1990’s, the relationship between Iran and the United States had actually begun to warm up. Mohammad Khatami was seen as a kind of liberal in his country as he opened up relations with the United States and generally struck a moderate course. On September 11th, 2001, Iran held a national day of mourning for the loss of life in New York, Washington DC, and Pennsylvania. Iran condemned the attack and offered to help the United States in speaking with the Taliban (who, by the way, are enemies of the Iranian government. The Taliban often smuggled drugs through the porous Iran-Afghanistan border). The Iranians absorbed many Afghan refugees and sealed the border to prevent the flight of the Taliban into the Iranian hinterland. The same, unfortunately, could not or would not be done on the Pakistan side. In 2005, after the Iraq war had begun and the infamous “Axis of Evil” speech by President Bush, the spectre of American designs on Iran’s oil was resurrected by hard line Iranians. Khatami was discredited because it seemed his soft tone had emboldened the Americans who now surrounded Iran; Muhammad Ahmedinejad was chosen as President of Iran in 2005. The rhetoric coming out of Tehran became increasingly incendiary and inflammatory as a resultof the posturing between the two countries.

It should be noted that despite Vice President Cheney’s statement that no option was off the table in regards to Iran (hinting that the military might attack Iran) and John McCain’s ill-chosen jest when he sung “bomb, bomb, bomb - bomb, bomb Iran,” the reformist movement is gaining ground in the populace of Iran. This change includes an apparent resurgence of Khatemi who is banking on a dramatic policy and political change in the United States’ upcoming election. Meanwhile conservative forces in Iran are arguing that the new President of the United States will be more of the same and that Iran should prepare for a confrontation with the United States.

Gives a sens of how important November 4th really is, doesn’t it?

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