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The U.S.-sponsored 1953 overthrow of Iran’s democratically elected government is one of the most important and tragic world events of the 20th century, and the effects of this are still being felt today in the Israel+U.S. vs. Iran standoff. My friend Daniel Burwen’s studio Cognito Comics has developed an interactive iPad graphic novel entitled CIA: Operation Ajax, inspired by Stephen Kinzer’s All the Shah’s Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror. Get CIA: Operation Ajax now for free for a limited time! It’s an educational and visually stunning work of art!
Passed this on
This is a rather disturbing article about Iran by Hillary and Flynt Mann Leverett
THE “IRAQIZATION” OF AMERICA’S IRAN DEBATE: MOHAMMAD JAVAD LARIJANI AND THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA
“If, however, one wants to learn more about the cultural and intellectual pathologies currently afflicting America’s Iran debate, it is hard to do better than the interview Larijani gave on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, see here. The chief interviewer is Morning Joe’s Mika Brzezinski (daughter of Zbigniew); she is aided by regular MSNBC commentator Mike Barnicle, Council on Foreign Relations President Richard Haass, and author-journalist Jon Meacham. ”
http://www.raceforiran.com/the-iraqization-of-americas-iran-debate-mohammad-javad-larijani-and-the-mainstream-media#comment-62435
Matthew, I hope your friend Daniel Burwen’s graphic novel goes viral and is read worldwide. Not enough history taught in North American schools imo.
Most people, young and old, haven’t a clue about the U.S.-sponsored 1953 overthrow of Iran’s democratically elected government.
Nor do they know much about the the history of the British in Iran.
Here’s a bit from Wiki on the Brits:
“The discovery of oil in 1908 by the British in Khuzestan spawned intense renewed interest in Persia [Iran] by the British Empire….Control of Persia remained contested between the United Kingdom and Russia, in what became known as The Great Game, and codified in the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907, which divided Persia into spheres of influence, regardless of her national sovereignty.”
Graphic novel is a perfect medium. Helps spread awareness on the root cause
We speculate the various reasons for this neocon and Zionist desire to wage war with Iran. Like the PTB wanting to dip their hands in the cookie jar like they recently did in Libya and Iraq. Oil pipeline and control of the gulf is up there on Big Oil’s wish list along with the criminal international banking syndicate instilling Western-style democracy to connect Iran’s economy to the globalized one dominated by their influence. And of course the religious extremist endtimes prophecy nutters.
But what about revenge? In the 70s, Iranian cities were Westernized and controlled by wealthy Persian elite. The majority of Iran’s population, however, was poor and saw this Westernization as a sin incompatible with Islamic values. This is why post-revolutionary Iran is ruled by spiritual and religious leaders. IMO, their public has become conflicted after decades of their rule, especially the younger generation who see this as just another dictatorship. That’s another story though.
Anyways, Khomeini had thousands of political prisoners executed. Many more fled the country including the Persian elite. There are pockets in the US of rich Iranian communities, mostly New York and Los Angeles, but also in Miami and Indianapolis to name a few. Some of these families are extremely wealthy and many of them are Jewish.
“Following the 1979 Iranian Revolution, tens of thousands of Persian Jews migrated from Iran, forming one of the wealthiest waves of immigrants to ever come to the United States”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_Jews#The_United_States
Israel has various reasons of their own to hate Iran. On another hand you have an elite exiled Persian community in the USA, many working or connected with Big Oil and International Central Banking, and many of them happen to be Jewish (and possibly Zionist). So perhaps revenge is a motive too
It’s great to see that this particular shameful moment in US/UK history is getting the glossy treatment.