MSNBC: A NeoCon History of Iran....

[Junkdrawer]

So I click on a story about retired generals begging us not to invade Iran, and this little slide show is featured as "A Picture History of Iran":

http://www.msnbc.com/modules/interactive.aspx?type=ss&launch=16491417,3032507&pg=1

So, how do they handle the CIA overthrow of Mossadeq in 1953? By completely ignoring the Mossadeq government. The Shah simply inherited power from his daddy and that's that.

How do they handle the CIA training of SVAK and its brutal repression of Iranians? Why the Iranian revolution was simply a movement by conservative religious leaders against the Western elite. SVAK? What the hell is SVAK?

The rest goes on just as bad. Make no mistake: the Corporate Media is in full "Cheerlead the War" mode.

[dave123williams]

1. Well...I felt compelled to drop them a note:

Regarding your slideshow on the history of Iran:

You really must think your readership is stupid, or something. Actually,
I worked in publishing for quite some time - I *know* that you think we're
stupid.

You seem to have conveniently forgotten a really key moment of the
American involvement with the royalty in that particular country:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mossadeq

Believe me, the Iranians *haven't* forgotten about it.

You're doing a tremendous disservice to your readers and to the country by
omitting the truth. If you did it on purpose, well, you're not fooling
anybody.

Try, you know, publishing a retraction or correcting the slideshow.

Lest look like you're carrying water for this administration, yet again.

[Junkdrawer]

2. Thank you...

:thumbsup:

[ohio2007]

3. Can't open the link. I was wondering what they said about the Cold War years

Was it covered at all ?

[Junkdrawer]

4. The words "Cold War" appears, but...

it only talks about the Shah's "modernization efforts".

Yep, our only interest in Iran was to help the Shah modernize his country. :eyes:

Here. The slideshow is a sidebar in this article:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16964430/

[RoseMead]

5. I'm currently reading "Overthrow"

by Stephen Kinzer. There's an entire chapter in the book about Mossadeq (except in the book, it's spelled Mossadegh).

One of the biggest problems with America, is that Americans are mind-numbingly ignorant of their own history.

[Junkdrawer]

6. A prerequisite of total war is a dehumanization of "The Enemy"...

and a belief that we're "on the side of the angels".

What this tells me is that a war is being planned against the Iranian people much more directly destructive than the War on Iraq (which was billed as a War of Liberation).

[Malikshah]

12. All the Shah's Men--focuses almost exclusively on the overthrow

Kermit and co. had a theme song for their espionage... Luck be a Lady tonight.

Yup, nothing like doing Guys and Dolls while you prepare to force a country into a dictatorship.

[scarletwoman]

7. k & r -- Thanks for this. That's pretty damn glaring. (nt)

[Poiuyt]

8. Is SVAK the same as SAVAK?

[Junkdrawer]

9. I've seen it spelled SVAK, but Google clearly likes SAVAK better...

Thanks, I'll remember that...

:hi:

[Quantess]

10. History is in the eye of the beholder, I suppose.

Rewriting history must be fun. You get to make people see things your way.

[razors edge]

11. History is a cruel joke,

played by the victor upon the vanquished, before an audience who dares not laugh.

Michel Rivero.

[pnorman]

13. FANTASTIC!

I thought you might have been exaggerating, but not even a HINT that there was a constitutional government interlude. You obviously know the story, but for others, here's a good place to start ---"Operation Ajax": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_ajax

pnorman

[ConsAreLiars]

14. This is important because history matters, even when the Cons try to lie about it.

US corporations assassinated democracy in Iraq and got their way for a short period, but then the reaction came in the form of an extremist fundie rebellion. Same result, with variations, in the overthrow of a populist/nationalist in Iraq and promotion of a US allied Baathist regime, which then proved too independent and got killed, thus giving the fundies power, and a third failed case of blowback in Afghanistan, where the fundies were supported directly, giving Al Qaeda and the Taliban power there.

Will they ever learn? No, because they never pay the price.

[cui bono]

15. Nice find. Thanks for the link.

[cui bono]

16. self delete