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How the CIA Overthrew Iran's Democracy in Four Days in 1953 (2019)

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Re: How the CIA Overthrew Iran's Democracy in Four Days in 1953 (2019)

#171
post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Since I ignored the Shia/Sunni situation, you assumed that was due to my ignorance. I'm an Iranian (Actually a Jewish Iranian, hence, much more information about religion dynamics in Iran). I agree that Shia/Sunni dynamic is unlikely to cause instability in Iran, there are many more dynamics that can be exploited: 1. Iran is very diverse regarding ethnicity. A dozen different ethnicities live in Iran which makes a Li…

That you are supposedly informed makes this worse, because if true, you know ISIS/Al-Qaeda have zero chances of prospering in Iran yet still made that argument. Anyway, as I said, the US never did intend to overthrow the regime, so that scenario isn't relevant - unless the Iranian people make a go for it, but that's not up to us. As for the regime being weak, the key point is that the regime's military counter-pressu…

> That you are supposedly informed makes this worse, because if true, you know ISIS/Al-Qaeda have zero chances of prospering in Iran yet still made that argument.

You seem to assume ISIS penetrated Iraq because Iraq was Sunni and people accepted ISIS.

ISIS would penetrate _anywhere_ that is unstable enough to be penetrated.

Re: How the CIA Overthrew Iran's Democracy in Four Days in 1953 (2019)

#172
post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That you are supposedly informed makes this worse, because if true, you know ISIS/Al-Qaeda have zero chances of prospering in Iran yet still made that argument. Anyway, as I said, the US never did intend to overthrow the regime, so that scenario isn't relevant - unless the Iranian people make a go for it, but that's not up to us. As for the regime being weak, the key point is that the regime's military counter-pressu…

> That you are supposedly informed makes this worse, because if true, you know ISIS/Al-Qaeda have zero chances of prospering in Iran yet still made that argument. You seem to assume ISIS penetrated Iraq because Iraq was Sunni and people accepted ISIS. ISIS would penetrate _anywhere_ that is unstable enough to be penetrated.

ISIS is a terrorist organization without heavy weapons or real logistical capability. It can't take over in an environment which is almost 100% non-Sunni (no local recruits) and so far from its home bases or international routes (no logistics).

Re: How the CIA Overthrew Iran's Democracy in Four Days in 1953 (2019)

#173

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> People of Iraq were suffering exactly how under Saddam? The answer to that question has its own Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Saddam_Hussein...

> > People of Iraq were suffering exactly how under Saddam? > The answer to that question has its own Wikipedia page: > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Saddam_Hussein... . You think that now it is better ?

I don't think living under a murderous dictator like Saddam was better.

Re: How the CIA Overthrew Iran's Democracy in Four Days in 1953 (2019)

#174
post #172

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> That you are supposedly informed makes this worse, because if true, you know ISIS/Al-Qaeda have zero chances of prospering in Iran yet still made that argument. You seem to assume ISIS penetrated Iraq because Iraq was Sunni and people accepted ISIS. ISIS would penetrate _anywhere_ that is unstable enough to be penetrated.

ISIS is a terrorist organization without heavy weapons or real logistical capability. It can't take over in an environment which is almost 100% non-Sunni (no local recruits) and so far from its home bases or international routes (no logistics).

Iran is 10% Sunni. And the Sunni parts are close to Iraq's border.

Also, you are forgetting the potential this area has for development of new similar groups.

Iran even had similar groups formed within it's own territory which are still active:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jundallah_(Iran)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaish_ul-Adl

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harakat_Ansar_Iran

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansar_Al-Furqan

Re: How the CIA Overthrew Iran's Democracy in Four Days in 1953 (2019)

#175
post #101
post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You might be directly impacted, but in terms of most countries invaded or people killed over the last say 100 years I think the US is rather ahead. Making them a bigger problem for the world even if Russia is a bigger problem for you. Personally as an American I kind of like being part of the ‘evil’ empire. But, I can definitely understand why others might take issue with our actions.

USA killed more people that Russia/USSR over last 100 years? USA annexed more territories than Russia/USSR over last 100 years? Please tell me you are kidding. China is indisputable leader in killing civilians EVER in human history and also quite happy to annex nearby territories. Iran - about the same. If you want to glorify objectively worse entities just for the sake of hating on USA (justified or not) - feel free…

I said invaded not annexed, the US is not trying to directly expand it’s borders.

But roll back 100 years and the US was occupying, Nicaragua 1912–1933, Haiti 1915–1934, and the Dominican Republic 1916–1924. Which is outside WWI when we invaided Germany, Austria-Hungary, and pre USSR Russia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_involvement_in_r...

Note, that’s a conservative list excluding the Vietnam and Korean War etc, assignations and or drone strikes for example the recent killing of Qasem Soleimani in Iran etc. As well as policing actions where we invade for humanitarian reasons etc.

PS! Also, the USSR ‘annexed’ several countries which where all part of Germany at the time and thus no longer existed. Though that’s somewhat arguable from a political if not practical standpoint.

Re: How the CIA Overthrew Iran's Democracy in Four Days in 1953 (2019)

#176
post #172

Earlier quoted context omitted.

ISIS is a terrorist organization without heavy weapons or real logistical capability. It can't take over in an environment which is almost 100% non-Sunni (no local recruits) and so far from its home bases or international routes (no logistics).

Iran is 10% Sunni. And the Sunni parts are close to Iraq's border. Also, you are forgetting the potential this area has for development of new similar groups. Iran even had similar groups formed within it's own territory which are still active: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jundallah_(Iran) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaish_ul-Adl https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harakat_Ansar_Iran https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansar_…

The Baluchi cause (the subject of all your links) is a nationalist cause sometimes pretending to be a religious cause. If a Baluchi group ever got any significant power it would be a massive headache for Pakistan but it's not really a concern for the West.

ISIS and al-Qaeda never managed to make much headway in the Kurdish areas. What's left? Ahvaz? Which borders Basra and is controlled with an iron fist?

Re: How the CIA Overthrew Iran's Democracy in Four Days in 1953 (2019)

#177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It never cease to amaze me how blind are people in so-called democracies. People of Iraq were suffering exactly how under Saddam? Now many of them are dead because of the war. Infrastructure destroyed. Many people are suffering from ecological disaster (depleted uranium and toxic waste where us bases were located). And still there's no peace and no democracy. To everyone in the world outside the US is obvious that wa…

> People of Iraq were suffering exactly how under Saddam? The answer to that question has its own Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Saddam_Hussein...

BTW, without even discussing a credibility of this page, why it's never a problem when human rights violations happen in a countries that are allies of USA. The country can be a very strict dictatorship (Singapore) or violate human rights even more aggressively than Saddam Hussein ever did (UAE) - but it's never an issue. As long as the country economics decisions are dictated by USA (e.g. investing almost all country income in US treasuries and/or buying US weapons) - they can do whatever they want - up to dismembering people in their embassies - no problem, no shouts about human rights violations and lack of democracy that has to be immediately corrected by dropping bombs on their heads - because it's probably the most effective way to install "democracy".

Re: How the CIA Overthrew Iran's Democracy in Four Days in 1953 (2019)

#178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> People of Iraq were suffering exactly how under Saddam? The answer to that question has its own Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Saddam_Hussein...

BTW, without even discussing a credibility of this page, why it's never a problem when human rights violations happen in a countries that are allies of USA. The country can be a very strict dictatorship (Singapore) or violate human rights even more aggressively than Saddam Hussein ever did (UAE) - but it's never an issue. As long as the country economics decisions are dictated by USA (e.g. investing almost all countr…

> The total number of deaths related to torture and murder during this period are unknown, but generally estimated to be around 250,000.

Was there something comparable in Singapore or UAE? If so, I haven't heard about it.

But we hear about human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia and Israel/Palestine all the time, so I don't think your claim that "it's never a problem when human rights violations happen in a countries that are allies of USA" is valid.

Re: How the CIA Overthrew Iran's Democracy in Four Days in 1953 (2019)

#179
post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In that regard, the current offensive action may as well be viewed as a breath of fresh air. If blood must be shed to end tyranny, perhaps it is a worthwhile gamble. The Iranian people gain nothing from allowing the current regime to grow. A US-Iran war would almost certainly result in a democratic Iran, with a connected and educated populace capable of maintaining it. I think one of the main flaws in Iraq and Afghan…

You think waging war is the way to bring democracy to Iran? Iran is a country next to Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq. It's an enemy to _both_ Saudi Arabia and Israel. And you think destabilizing it will be followed by a democratic government and not a rush of ISIS-Taliban-Al-whatever? Iran is made of dozens of different ethnicities. What if it became a Libyia and different regions started a civil war? This is sickeni…

>And you think destabilizing it will be followed by a democratic government and not a rush of ISIS-Taliban-Al-whatever?

From what the media sources I follow has told me about the Iranian people, they are all fairly educated and the country has an established scholarly system that enables most citizens to achieve greater education. As I saw further down in the thread that you are actually an Iranian yourself, please correct me if I am wrong.

>This is sickening. You _saw_ what the U.S. did to Iraq and Afghanistan and you're "still" thinking the way to bring democracy to the country next to them is bombs?

I was 4 years old when the Iraq war began. I did not "see" anything about the war and all the information I have has been provided to me by news organizations and various social media that I try to follow to educate myself on the topic. I have not been in Iraq myself nor spoken to Iraqi people so I have no way of knowing what the war has done to them other than what the media says. And since the media does not provide a unified narrative, it is rather difficult for me to decipher the truth.

As for bringing democracy...I do not know any way to bring democracy to a theocracy without violence. I do not believe it has ever happened peacefully in world history. I would like to make it clear that I am not advocating for war in Iran, but replying to the OP (hence why I said "in that regards") who said:

>I agree. It's really sad. Iran had/has so much potential.

In my view, destabilizing the regime provides some path to democracy, while keeping it in place provides no path to democracy.

>Don't you think you should be more responsible than that? What if you are wrong? What if another Iraq came out of this?

As I said before, I don't believe there is any "responsible" way to perform regime change. I am an optimist, and I am simply hoping that this ends up going in a positive direction for the sake of my country and the sake of the Iranian people.

>By withdrawing from Iran's nuclear deal, U.S. practically destroyed any chance of a peaceful path for Iran to democracy.

As an Iranian yourself, do you really think it was ever possible that the hardliners would voluntarily step down themselves? I agree that JCPOA should have been upheld, but I frankly don't know enough to say if it would have set Iran on a path to democracy.

>But U.S. is a democracy and people who do have the power, get their power from your thoughts and your vote.

I was not old enough to vote for Trump in 2016 and I will not be voting for him. As stated before, I do not support a war in Iran.

>So I do hold you responsible for the actions of your government.

I have not yet made enough money to pay federal taxes, so my hands are clean for at least the next few months. I do understand your point though.

I think it is important to point out that this strike was approved by one man and one man only. I was not given a choice to vote on it. My Representatives and Senators were not given a choice to vote on it. They were not even informed. The closest the common American got to voting on this was in the popular vote in 2016, which...Trump lost.

That is perhaps a bigger problem than all of this.

>My apologies for personal attack.

No need for apology. I understand you just want the best for your country. I have met several Iranian friends in college and I would like to see a democratic revolution that would make them proud. I personally do not believe Iran is at its best right now, and I doubt you do too. I can only optimistically hope that this conflict leads to a democratic Iran and a more righteous United States, for I do not have any way to alter what happens for now until November.

Re: How the CIA Overthrew Iran's Democracy in Four Days in 1953 (2019)

#180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You think waging war is the way to bring democracy to Iran? Iran is a country next to Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq. It's an enemy to _both_ Saudi Arabia and Israel. And you think destabilizing it will be followed by a democratic government and not a rush of ISIS-Taliban-Al-whatever? Iran is made of dozens of different ethnicities. What if it became a Libyia and different regions started a civil war? This is sickeni…

>And you think destabilizing it will be followed by a democratic government and not a rush of ISIS-Taliban-Al-whatever? From what the media sources I follow has told me about the Iranian people, they are all fairly educated and the country has an established scholarly system that enables most citizens to achieve greater education. As I saw further down in the thread that you are actually an Iranian yourself, please c…

> I was 4 years old when the Iraq war began.

It doesn't fully excuse your ignorance but at least you have time to gain some perspective. As it is now what you're saying here is embarrassing to me as a fellow American.

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