General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Iran would be stupid not to develop an atomic weapon [View all]LooseWilly
(4,477 posts)Iran is a conservative Islamic Theocracy because the US, in 1953, overthrew a progressive nationalistic government in that country, led by Prime Minister Mossadegh, and installed a dictator and a secret police force, SAVAK, to arrest, torture, and kill anyone who might share the progressive nationalistic ideals of the Mossadegh government.
Kill the progressives, leave the religious fundamentalists in place, and oppress the population in general... and what do you get?
Your rhetorical intuition in trying to alienate a detestable government from the left here in the US which might be inclined to side with a nation being targeted by US imperialist intentions/power... does do a competent job of trying to villify a horrific government... but unfortunately the unsavory aims of US aims of re-asserting control of Iranian oil, which was lost in the Nationalist Revolution which the religious powers took control of in 1979, is altogether too obvious to make anyone who has the slightest grasp of international affairs and history not feel uncomfortable in the vicinity of.
Why is Iran governed by conservative religious fundamentalists? Because the US made it possible by poor imperialist management...
The Theocracy is just what's left of the Nationalism that the US tried to crush in '53.