Showdown at Doha: The Secret Oil Deal That Helped Sink the Shah of Iran
Article from Middle East Institute – Middle East Journal
Author: Andrew Scott Cooper
MEI:
“What led to the calamitous drop in Iran’s oil revenues in January 1977? Politics, religion, culture, and economics have been identified as factors contributing to the collapse of Iran’s monarchy in 1979. But, until now scholars have been unable to access documents that shed light on the inner workings of the relationship between senior US officials and the Shah of Iran, who Henry Kissinger lauded as “that rarest of leaders, an unconditional ally, and one whose understanding of the world enhanced our own.”1 The declassification of the papers of Brent Scowcroft, who worked in the Nixon and Ford Administration, marks a significant milestone in our understanding of the origin of the Iranian Revolution. They reveal that in 1976 the US and Saudi Arabia colluded to force down oil prices, inadvertently triggering a financial crisis that destabilized Iran’s economy and weakened the Shah’s hold on power.”
Cooper discussed this article on the MEI Podcast: here
Okay, I guess, since the oil prices are high enough; we can now take our country back!
Also covered on radio on KPCC.ORG – AirTalk hosted by Larry Mantel, Monday Oct. 20, 2008:
A New Look At The Fall Of The Shah Of Iran:
“In a New Report based on previously classified documents, scholar Andrew Scott Cooper suggests that Nixon and Ford administrations undermined the position of the Shah of Iran in the late 1970s and contributed to the country’s Islamic Revolution. The report published Friday on the fall issue of the Middle East Journal, examines the role of the White House policymakers who, trying to roll back oil prices and curb the Shah’s ambitions weakened his position, thus precipitating the takeover of Iran by Islamic radicals. Andrew Scott Cooper joins Larry to discuss his research.”
Link to AirTalk
3 comments:
There has been a few reports like this in the past few years. It is kind of frightening when you think about it .... So I just don't. :-)
But what about support for the movement amongst the "liberal elite"? They were a big factor and I don't think they were influenced by the price of oil.
But I guess the report is about how certain factors "helped". So there's my answer.
Pedestrian: You are right. I look at this as just another theory. I think there were many factors, including this one. What exactly? I don't know :)
Jimmy Carter "Godfather of World Chaos"Watch this clip! Must see:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNYCxobtXFA
Jimmy Carter!
He Provided political and financial sponsor ship. . . checks of $150 million to Neauphle-le-Chateau outside Paris. . . while Khomeini plotted to kill the Shah of Iran and overthrow his nation. The French, British, and Germans agreed to support his plan.
Carter poured $500 million into the Muslim Brotherhood, calling them freedom fighters. We now call them the Taliban and al Qaeda.
On Inauguration Day 1980 shortly after 4:00 AM he wire-transferred $7.9 billion in an attempt to buy back the hostages after 444 days of humiliation. * He provided checks of $150 million each to Khomeini who plotted to kill the shah of Iran and overthrow his nation. * He provided $500 million to the Muslim Brotherhood freedom fighters who became the Taliban and al- Qaida. * He wire-transferred $7.9 billion to buy-back the hostages after 444 days of humiliation.
But there's much more than history here. Carter is still a player on the international stage especially since the election of Barack Obama as the new president.
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