General Discussion

90-percent

(6,829 posts) Thu Mar 12, 2015, 01:21 PM Mar 2015

Please school me; just what is so bad about Iran, any way?

The country seemed pretty authoritarian/totalitarian back in the Ayatollah Khomeini days of the 70's and 80's, but I saw on a recent Rachel that many of their top government leaders hold advanced degrees from western Universities.

Does the USA consider them bad because Israel considers them bad? And doesn't Israel consider them bad because they want complete hegemony in the Middle East and want to be the only military super power in the Middle East?

Frankly, doesn't the world have more to worry about with Israel than Iran? Like the way Israel treats Palestine seems pretty mean and aggressive and unfair to me?

I admit I am on the ill informed side of all this, but so much of American "conventional wisdom" seems to be based on agenda-driven-corporate-propaganda rather than facts and reality.

I do know the CIA ousted the democratically elected President and replaced him with the dictator Shah in the mid fifties. Seems like any subsequent turmoil and animus for Iran may be another example of the CIA blowback factory of unintended consequences, which we all know the CIA is quite good at.

-90% Jimmy

10 replies

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Please school me; just what is so bad about Iran, any way? (Original Post) 90-percent Mar 2015 OP

The Western installed Dictator, the Shah, whose brutal treatment of Iranians caused his overthrow sabrina 1 Mar 2015 #1

They got rid of the USA's puppet, the Shah. sinkingfeeling Mar 2015 #2

They're a threat to the whole world!!! Comrade Grumpy Mar 2015 #3

Reagan illegally sold weapons so this regime could gain power Motown_Johnny Mar 2015 #4

Well here's the Human Rights Watch Report el_bryanto Mar 2015 #5

They won't recognize us.....as The BOSS. Tierra_y_Libertad Mar 2015 #6

Worse, they don't respect the sacred linkage between the U.S. dollar and oil. hunter Mar 2015 #8

A horrible regime, but no worse than some of our allies. nt geek tragedy Mar 2015 #7

it's an oppressive religious dictatorship faking it as a democracy nt msongs Mar 2015 #9

It's a pretty nasty regime, hifiguy Mar 2015 #10

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)

1. The Western installed Dictator, the Shah, whose brutal treatment of Iranians caused his overthrow

Reply to 90-percent (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 01:30 PM

Mar 2015

and then, a return to a fundamentalist leadership. Imperial colonialism again was the root cause of that reaction.

What is so bad about Iran? Nothing, certainly no where nearly as bad as some of our 'Allies'.

But they are on the PNAC dream list of ME countries to go to war with.

Clearly their leaders ARE far more informed and educated than the embarrassingly ignorant 47 Republicans, doing the bidding of a foreign leader, Bibi, to continue the PNAC goal of a war with that country.

Iran has done nothing to threaten this country that I am aware of.

The Saudis otoh, see 9/11.

They are simply situated right where the PNAC/Neocons want to play war games.

After 9/11 Iran offered not only condolences to this country, but any help the US might need to track down the killers.

Bibi otoh, when asked how he felt about 9/11 responded: 'It is good for Israel'.

Ignoring all the neocon propaganda about 'enemies' and 'terrorists', my reaction to those two very different reacts at the time was 'who are our friends again'?

sinkingfeeling

(51,461 posts)

2. They got rid of the USA's puppet, the Shah.

Reply to 90-percent (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 02:16 PM

Mar 2015

Comrade Grumpy

(13,184 posts)

3. They're a threat to the whole world!!!

Reply to 90-percent (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 02:40 PM

Mar 2015

At least, that's what the country that has invaded and occupied two of the neighbors and surrounded it with military bases says.

I know people are quaking in their boots in Mexico City and Capetown and New Delhi.

Motown_Johnny

(22,308 posts)

4. Reagan illegally sold weapons so this regime could gain power

Reply to 90-percent (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 02:42 PM

Mar 2015

and now all the (R)s know that if the worst happens it will be traced back to he who they worship as a god.

Other bad stuff too, but that is the main one.

el_bryanto

(11,804 posts)

5. Well here's the Human Rights Watch Report

Reply to 90-percent (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 02:45 PM

Mar 2015

That might provide some insight.

To be clear - i don't favor invading Iran. I think it's a bad idea and will make things worse.

Bryant

Tierra_y_Libertad

(50,414 posts)

6. They won't recognize us.....as The BOSS.

Reply to 90-percent (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 02:45 PM

Mar 2015

hunter

(38,320 posts)

8. Worse, they don't respect the sacred linkage between the U.S. dollar and oil.

Reply to Tierra_y_Libertad (Reply #6)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 02:50 PM

Mar 2015

geek tragedy

(68,868 posts)

7. A horrible regime, but no worse than some of our allies. nt

Reply to 90-percent (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 02:47 PM

Mar 2015

msongs

(67,421 posts)

9. it's an oppressive religious dictatorship faking it as a democracy nt

Reply to 90-percent (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 02:55 PM

Mar 2015

hifiguy

(33,688 posts)

10. It's a pretty nasty regime,

Reply to 90-percent (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 03:17 PM

Mar 2015

but then the Shah and his brutal SAVAK secret police was arguably as bad or worse. And compared to the Saudis, they are Little Mary Sunshine, which is saying something.

It all started with the Dulles brothers' overthrow of the democratically elected Mossadegh regine in 1953.

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