Kookslams - Compra ahora

All the Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror

4.3 en Goodreads
(10,048)
Pulsa dos veces para ampliar
Ver todos los formatos
US$15.59 con 35 porcentaje de ahorro
Precio recomendado: US$23.99
Devoluciones GRATIS
Entrega GRATIS el viernes, 3 de enero en pedidos enviados por Amazon de más de $35. Realiza el pedido en 2 hrs 36 mins
Disponible
US$US$15.59 () Incluye las opciones seleccionadas. Incluye el pago mensual inicial y las opciones seleccionadas. Detalles
Precio
Subtotal
US$US$15.59
Subtotal
Desglose inicial del pago
Se muestran los gastos de envío, la fecha de entrega y el total del pedido (impuestos incluidos) al finalizar la compra
Enviado por
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Enviado por
Amazon.com
Vendido por
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Vendido por
Amazon.com
Devoluciones
Se puede devolver hasta el 31 de enero de 2025
Se puede devolver hasta el 31 de enero de 2025
En la temporada navideña de 2024, los artículos elegibles comprados entre el 1 de noviembre y el 31 de diciembre de 2024 se podrán devolver hasta el 31 de enero de 2025.
Pago
Transacción segura
Tu transacción es segura
En Amazon, nos esforzamos por proteger tu seguridad y privacidad. Nuestro sistema de seguridad de pagos encripta tu información durante la transmisión de datos. No compartimos los datos de tu tarjeta de crédito con vendedores externos, ni vendemos tu información a terceros. Más información
US$11.94
Devoluciones GRATIS
Used book in good and clean conditions. Pages and cover are intact. Limited notes marks and highlighting may be present. May show signs of normal shelf wear and bends on edges. Item may be missing CDs or access codes. May include library marks. Ships directly from Amazon.
Entrega GRATIS entre el 10 - 17 de enero en pedidos enviados por Amazon de más de $35
O entrega más rápida entre el 9 - 15 de enero
US$US$15.59 () Incluye las opciones seleccionadas. Incluye el pago mensual inicial y las opciones seleccionadas. Detalles
Precio
Subtotal
US$US$15.59
Subtotal
Desglose inicial del pago
Se muestran los gastos de envío, la fecha de entrega y el total del pedido (impuestos incluidos) al finalizar la compra
No se pudo guardar el artículo. Inténtalo de nuevo más tarde. Este artículo no puede ser eliminado de tu lista. Por favor inténtalo más tarde.
Mantén presionado para agregarlo a una lista específica
US$15.59 con 35 porcentaje de ahorro
Precio recomendado: US$23.99
Devoluciones GRATIS
Recolección GRATIS el viernes, 3 de enero en pedidos enviados por Amazon de más de $35
O los miembros Prime reciben Recolección GRATIS el domingo, 29 de diciembre. Realiza el pedido en 2 hrs 36 mins.
Cómo funciona la recolección
Recoger en las ubicaciones de recolección cercanas
Paso 1: Haz tu pedido
Selecciona la opción “Recolección” en la página del producto o al proceder al pago.
Paso 2: Recibe la notificación
Una vez que tu paquete esté listo para recolección, recibirás una notificación por correo electrónico y por la aplicación.
Paso 3: Recolecta
Lleva tu identificador de pedido o el aviso de entrega (si aplica) a la ubicación de recolección elegida para recoger tu paquete.
Disponible
US$US$15.59 () Incluye las opciones seleccionadas. Incluye el pago mensual inicial y las opciones seleccionadas. Detalles
Precio
Subtotal
US$US$15.59
Subtotal
Desglose inicial del pago
Se muestran los gastos de envío, la fecha de entrega y el total del pedido (impuestos incluidos) al finalizar la compra
Vendido por
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Vendido por
Amazon.com
Devoluciones
Se puede devolver hasta el 31 de enero de 2025
Se puede devolver hasta el 31 de enero de 2025
En la temporada navideña de 2024, los artículos elegibles comprados entre el 1 de noviembre y el 31 de diciembre de 2024 se podrán devolver hasta el 31 de enero de 2025.
Pago
Transacción segura
Tu transacción es segura
En Amazon, nos esforzamos por proteger tu seguridad y privacidad. Nuestro sistema de seguridad de pagos encripta tu información durante la transmisión de datos. No compartimos los datos de tu tarjeta de crédito con vendedores externos, ni vendemos tu información a terceros. Más información
{"mobile_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"US$15.59","priceAmount":15.59,"currencySymbol":"US$","integerValue":"15","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"59","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"Yi0VEQG4rk8ytu3lVax%2FsF85XATvv3A2%2FG88m5hVtL0TynOibMtjS0W1%2FSAqYHnI3b8TQJB%2FLUPkh4eWJsTjwgpJd6ZtgwuBJ2EMogmr0VCLDy0CJZ9e6HvCZz9mIoOW4eSLRUohI1Q%3D","locale":"es-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"US$11.94","priceAmount":11.94,"currencySymbol":"US$","integerValue":"11","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"94","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"Yi0VEQG4rk8ytu3lVax%2FsF85XATvv3A2ftzUET0zx0JrdVMmR4ZV5FOUi%2FtHJc%2FsrbaYETXQ8C6Yp%2F1ayujKyVABLcnYojhZzvuT3OPGkYzkkenU7QAWzjPqNuf0n3Qka%2FewKK57Ko%2F7f4utSE7OjDi%2BjkrG0%2FBUlN25tkkLse7VN8vQU%2Bwgwxu7TVw0spNJ","locale":"es-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}],"mobile_buybox_group_2":[{"displayPrice":"US$15.59","priceAmount":15.59,"currencySymbol":"US$","integerValue":"15","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"59","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"Yi0VEQG4rk8ytu3lVax%2FsF85XATvv3A2%2FG88m5hVtL0TynOibMtjS0W1%2FSAqYHnI3b8TQJB%2FLUPkh4eWJsTjwgpJd6ZtgwuBJ2EMogmr0VCLDy0CJZ9e6HvCZz9mIoOW4eSLRUohI1Q%3D","locale":"es-US","buyingOptionType":"PICKUP","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":2}]}
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Detalles del libro

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
With a thrilling narrative that sheds much light on recent events, this national bestseller brings to life the 1953 CIA coup in Iran that ousted the country’s elected prime minister, ushered in a quarter-century of brutal rule under the Shah, and stimulated the rise of Islamic fundamentalism and anti-Americanism in the Middle East. Selected as one of the best books of the year by the Washington Post and The Economist, it now features a new preface by the author on the folly of attacking Iran.

Contraportada

"A very gripping read . . . a cautionary tale for our current leaders."
The New York Times

As zealots in Washington intensify their preparations for an American attack on Iran, the story of the CIA's 1953 coup—with its many cautionary lessons—is more urgently relevant than ever. All the Shah's Men brings to life the cloak-and-dagger operation that deposed the only democratic regime Iran ever had. The coup ushered in a quarter-century of repressive rule under the Shah, stimulated the rise of Muslim fundamentalism and anti-Americanism throughout the Middle East, and exposed the folly of using violence to try to reshape Iran. Selected as one of the best books of the year by the Washington Post and the Economist, it's essential reading if you want to place the American attack of Iraq in context—and prepare for what comes next.

"An entirely engrossing, often riveting, nearly Homeric tale. . . . For anyone with more than a passing interest in how the United States got into such a pickle in the Middle East, All the Shah's Men is as good as Grisham."
The Washington Post Book World

"An exciting narrative. [Kinzer] questions whether Americans are well served by interventions for regime change abroad, and he reminds us of the long history of Iranian resistance to great power interventions, as well as the unanticipated consequences of intervention."
The Los Angeles Times

"A swashbuckling yarn [and] helpful reminder of an oft-neglected piece of Middle Eastern history."
The New York Times Book Review

Biografía del autor

Stephen Kinzer is an award-winning foreign correspondent who has worked in more than fifty countries. He has been New York Times bureau chief in Istanbul, Berlin, and Managua, Nicaragua. His books include Overthrow: America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq and Crescent and Star: Turkey Between Two Worlds.

Sobre el autor

Sigue a los autores para recibir notificaciones de sus nuevas obras, así como recomendaciones mejoradas.
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Stephen Kinzer is an award-winning foreign correspondent who has covered more than 50 countries on five continents. His articles and books have led the Washington Post to place him “among the best in popular foreign policy storytelling.”

Kinzer spent more than 20 years working for the New York Times, most of it as a foreign correspondent. His foreign postings placed him at the center of historic events and, at times, in the line of fire. While covering world events, he has been shot at, jailed, beaten by police, tear-gassed and bombed from the air.

Today Kinzer is a senior fellow at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University. He writes a world affairs column for The Boston Globe.

Kinzer’s new book, The True Flag: Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain and the Birth of American Empire, builds on his career watching the effects of American interventions around the world.

From 1983 to 1989, Kinzer was the Times bureau chief in Nicaragua. In that post he covered war and upheaval in Central America. He also wrote two books about the region. One of them, co-authored with Stephen Schlesinger, is Bitter Fruit: The Untold Story of the American Coup in Guatemala.” The other one, Blood of Brothers: Life and War in Nicaragua, is a social and political portrait that The New Yorker called “impressive for the refinement of its writing and also the breadth of its subject matter.” In 1988 Columbia University awarded Kinzer its Maria Moors Cabot prize for outstanding coverage of Latin America.

From 1990 to 1996 Kinzer was posted in Germany. From his post as chief of the New York Times bureau in Berlin, he covered the emergence of post-Communist Europe, including wars in the former Yugoslavia.

In 1996 Kinzer was named chief of the newly opened New York Times bureau in Istanbul, Turkey. He spent four years there, traveling widely in Turkey and in the new nations of Central Asia and the Caucasus. After completing this assignment, Kinzer published Crescent and Star: Turkey Between Two Worlds.

He has also worked in Africa, and written A Thousand Hills: Rwanda’s Rebirth and the Man Who Dreamed It. Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa called this book “a fascinating account of a near-miracle unfolding before our very eyes.”

Kinzer’s last book was The Brothers: John Foster Dulles, Allen Dulles, and Their Secret World War. The novelist John le Carré called it “a secret history, enriched and calmly retold; a shocking account of the misuse of American corporate, political and media power; a shaming reflection on the moral manners of post imperial Europe; and an essential allegory for our own times.”

Kinzer’s previous book was Reset: Iran, Turkey, and America’s Future “Stephen Kinzer is a journalist of a certain cheeky fearlessness and exquisite timing,” the Huffington Post said in its review. “This book is a bold exercise in reimagining the United States’ big links in the Middle East.”

In 2006 Kinzer published Overthrow: America’s Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq. It recounts the 14 times the United States has overthrown foreign governments. Kinzer seeks to explain why these interventions were carried out and what their long-term effects have been. He is also the author of All the Shah’s Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror.” It tells how the CIA overthrew Iran’s nationalist government in 1953.

In 2009, Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois, awarded Kinzer an honorary doctorate. The citation said that “those of us who have had the pleasure of hearing his lectures or talking to him informally will probably never see the world in the same way again.”

The University of Scranton awarded Kinzer an honorary doctorate in 2010. “Where there has been turmoil in the world and history has shifted, Stephen Kinzer has been there,” the citation said. “Neither bullets, bombs nor beating could dull his sharp determination to bring injustice and strife to light.”

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Comprados juntos habitualmente

All the Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror
+
Overthrow
+
The Brothers: John Foster Dulles, Allen Dulles, and Their Secret World War

Comprados juntos habitualmente

All the Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror
Este producto: All the Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror
US$15.59
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
Precio total: $00
Detalles
Agregado al carrito
spCSRF_Treatment
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Funciones y detalles

Características

  • Subrayar, tomar notas, y buscar en el libro
  • En esta edición, los números de página son iguales a los de la edición física.

Información de producto

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Reporta una opinión

Algunas razones frecuentes por las que los clientes reportan opiniones:
  • Acoso, lenguaje ofensivo
  • Spam, publicidad, promociones
  • Otorgado a cambio de efectivo, descuentos
Cuando obtengamos tu reporte, verificaremos si la revisión cumple con nuestras pautas de la comunidad. Si no lo hace, lo retiraremos.
Lo sentimos, no pudimos cargar la opinión
Gracias por tus comentarios

Lo sentimos, se produjo un error

Inténtalo de nuevo más tarde.

Opiniones destacadas de los Estados Unidos

  • 5.0 de 5 estrellasCompra verificada
    Great insight and detail
    Calificado en Estados Unidos el 18 de octubre de 2024
    Great book on not just why the earlier revolutions happened but on Iran’s history early 1900’s. Great depiction on Mossadeg as well and why the 1979 revolution was doomed to happen
    Great book on not just why the earlier revolutions happened but on Iran’s history early 1900’s. Great depiction on Mossadeg as well and why the 1979 revolution was doomed to happen
    Compartir

    Reportar esta opinión

    Opcional: ¿Por qué denuncias esto?

    No es acerca del producto

    Irrespetuosa, con odio, obscena

    Pagada, no es auténtica

    Otra cosa

    Verificaremos si esta opinión cumple con nuestras normas de la comunidad. Si no las cumple, la eliminaremos.

    Reportar
  • 5.0 de 5 estrellasCompra verificada
    Sometimes the truth has a liberal bias
    Calificado en Estados Unidos el 8 de junio de 2008
    To write a good history book like this one an author needs to do well in three separate areas. He needs to research the topic at hand, write a readable account and finally analyze the events. Kinzer performs exceptionally well in all three areas. First, the book is... Ver más
    To write a good history book like this one an author needs to do well in three separate areas. He needs to research the topic at hand, write a readable account and finally analyze the events. Kinzer performs exceptionally well in all three areas. First, the book is meticulously researched. He discusses appropriate history without going into unnecessary or boring details to give the reader an appropriate context and background leading up to the 1953 coup. He also uses a diverse set of resources which leaves no holes in the story.

    Second, Kinzer's writing is engaging and at times suspenseful. In fact at the end of many chapters, I was unable to put the book aside and take a break from reading due to the suspense Kinzer created. The story is very easy to follow and the reader needs practically no background to follow the events. This is particularly impressive given the relative short length of the book. My only criticism is that I wished he had summarized the cast of characters in an appendix or in the beginning as many similar books do.

    Finally, his analysis, while many have called too liberal, is even handed. He makes a leap by implying that 9/11 events may have not happened if it weren't for the 1953 CIA led coup. Of course we will never know for sure. He supports his claims convincingly that the coup led to the eventual 1979 hostage crisis and the anti-American feelings in the Middle East. Liberal bias? The facts speak for themselves. The CIA using American tax payer money to overthrow a popular and democratically elected government. We, in the USA, would not appreciate if foreigners overthrew our government so why have a double standard? Perhaps Mossadegh is being glorified too much and ultimately he would have led Iran towards the wrong path, but the point remains that we will never know thanks to the coup. Kinzer does entertain the possibilities that Mossadegh would have been terrible for Iran and the West so I reject the idea that he has a strong liberal bias.

    If you, like me, find the "Death to USA" chants and hostage taking barbaric and puzzling, this book will offer you fresh insights and help you understand the roots of these actions. You will become a lot smarter and more knowledgeable about the Middle East after reading it. I highly recommend this book.
    To write a good history book like this one an author needs to do well in three separate areas. He needs to research the topic at hand, write a readable account and finally analyze the events. Kinzer performs exceptionally well in all three areas. First, the book is meticulously researched. He discusses appropriate history without going into unnecessary or boring details to give the reader an appropriate context and background leading up to the 1953 coup. He also uses a diverse set of resources which leaves no holes in the story.

    Second, Kinzer's writing is engaging and at times suspenseful. In fact at the end of many chapters, I was unable to put the book aside and take a break from reading due to the suspense Kinzer created. The story is very easy to follow and the reader needs practically no background to follow the events. This is particularly impressive given the relative short length of the book. My only criticism is that I wished he had summarized the cast of characters in an appendix or in the beginning as many similar books do.

    Finally, his analysis, while many have called too liberal, is even handed. He makes a leap by implying that 9/11 events may have not happened if it weren't for the 1953 CIA led coup. Of course we will never know for sure. He supports his claims convincingly that the coup led to the eventual 1979 hostage crisis and the anti-American feelings in the Middle East. Liberal bias? The facts speak for themselves. The CIA using American tax payer money to overthrow a popular and democratically elected government. We, in the USA, would not appreciate if foreigners overthrew our government so why have a double standard? Perhaps Mossadegh is being glorified too much and ultimately he would have led Iran towards the wrong path, but the point remains that we will never know thanks to the coup. Kinzer does entertain the possibilities that Mossadegh would have been terrible for Iran and the West so I reject the idea that he has a strong liberal bias.

    If you, like me, find the "Death to USA" chants and hostage taking barbaric and puzzling, this book will offer you fresh insights and help you understand the roots of these actions. You will become a lot smarter and more knowledgeable about the Middle East after reading it. I highly recommend this book.
    A 11 personas les resultó útil
    Compartir

    Reportar esta opinión

    Opcional: ¿Por qué denuncias esto?

    No es acerca del producto

    Irrespetuosa, con odio, obscena

    Pagada, no es auténtica

    Otra cosa

    Verificaremos si esta opinión cumple con nuestras normas de la comunidad. Si no las cumple, la eliminaremos.

    Reportar
  • 4.0 de 5 estrellasCompra verificada
    Review: All the Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror
    Calificado en Estados Unidos el 21 de enero de 2017
    FTC NOTICE: Library Book REVIEW: “All the Shah’s Men” serves as the second book I have read by Stephen Kinzer, and it was full of intrigue, micro-histories, and biographies that left me with the desire to research and read more about the Middle East as well as... Ver más
    FTC NOTICE: Library Book

    REVIEW: “All the Shah’s Men” serves as the second book I have read by Stephen Kinzer, and it was full of intrigue, micro-histories, and biographies that left me with the desire to research and read more about the Middle East as well as additional books by this author.

    It is not unusual for history books to discuss timelines and people; but, what I appreciated most in this text was Kinzer’s differing approach to historical data. He was generous with details about a significant array of people that were involved with multiple coups. There were names of people in his book that I did not recall seeing in other compendiums pertaining to Middle East history and/or Iran. Kinzer shared what their individual philosophies were and how they affected their decisions and the resulting behaviors.

    One challenge I experienced while reading this book, and that which prevented me from giving it five stars in lieu of four of them, was that there was too much going back and forth in history. A political leader’s history and interactions with others was/were very well described; but, at the end of that history, the reader was then re-introduced to a character at the beginning or middle of the previous history and all within the same chapter. Segmentation via a few extra and short chapters would have helped.

    Despite the back-and-forth of histories, Stephen Kinzer has a great way of making a reader take a look at a situation and evaluate what could have been done differently. Unfortunately, he waited until over 200 pages into the book for any analysis or extrapolation to occur. This was coupled with a whole series of “if” and “if” and “if-then” and “if.” In doing so, Kinzer inadvertently de-valued what he was trying to accomplish, and the history could no longer be evaluated as a reality. Thankfully I had already read another book called "Reset: Iran, Turkey, and America's Future" by Kinzer, so I knew what he was trying to accomplish, and I didn’t want him to think that this was lost on me. He wanted the reader to imagine how things could have been done differently; what would have happened if one or all of these things did not occur?

    The author is also quite talented when it comes to creating imagery. He does this thoughtfully, purposely, and respectfully. Kinzer shares the details of his trip to Iran and his visit to Mossadegh’s final home. There are descriptions of colors, flowers, and buildings, and he places them in the context of what they experienced and looked like in history and how they had changed by the time of his visit. There is a certain romanticism about how he goes about interviewing people who were employees, villagers/neighbors, friends and family of Mossadegh. Stephen Kinzer makes it clear that with the Mossadegh name, there is a legacy, and there is a responsibility to keep the name pure.

    Purity and the instability of relationships were prevalent themes in this book. The intelligence that the American government received was not consistently pure. There were people who wanted to make a name for themselves and leveraged “The Cold War” and its threat of spreading communism as a way to convince an American president that it was time to start supporting the British government in its efforts to take back Iran’s newly-nationalized oil company. Kinzer did a good job of “calling out” these people, namely The Dulles Brothers.

    There were good people on all sides who had good intentions, and they were coupled with individuals or groups filled with mal-intent, which ultimately led to a surpise coup of Mohammed Reza Shah and the promotion to leadership and ultimate power of and for the Ayatollah Khomeini in Iran. There were well-described changes in alliances that ultimately put the United States in an unsavory position with countries in the Middle East…definitely an unfortunate stance and one that can hopefully be corrected.
    FTC NOTICE: Library Book

    REVIEW: “All the Shah’s Men” serves as the second book I have read by Stephen Kinzer, and it was full of intrigue, micro-histories, and biographies that left me with the desire to research and read more about the Middle East as well as additional books by this author.

    It is not unusual for history books to discuss timelines and people; but, what I appreciated most in this text was Kinzer’s differing approach to historical data. He was generous with details about a significant array of people that were involved with multiple coups. There were names of people in his book that I did not recall seeing in other compendiums pertaining to Middle East history and/or Iran. Kinzer shared what their individual philosophies were and how they affected their decisions and the resulting behaviors.

    One challenge I experienced while reading this book, and that which prevented me from giving it five stars in lieu of four of them, was that there was too much going back and forth in history. A political leader’s history and interactions with others was/were very well described; but, at the end of that history, the reader was then re-introduced to a character at the beginning or middle of the previous history and all within the same chapter. Segmentation via a few extra and short chapters would have helped.

    Despite the back-and-forth of histories, Stephen Kinzer has a great way of making a reader take a look at a situation and evaluate what could have been done differently. Unfortunately, he waited until over 200 pages into the book for any analysis or extrapolation to occur. This was coupled with a whole series of “if” and “if” and “if-then” and “if.” In doing so, Kinzer inadvertently de-valued what he was trying to accomplish, and the history could no longer be evaluated as a reality. Thankfully I had already read another book called "Reset: Iran, Turkey, and America's Future" by Kinzer, so I knew what he was trying to accomplish, and I didn’t want him to think that this was lost on me. He wanted the reader to imagine how things could have been done differently; what would have happened if one or all of these things did not occur?

    The author is also quite talented when it comes to creating imagery. He does this thoughtfully, purposely, and respectfully. Kinzer shares the details of his trip to Iran and his visit to Mossadegh’s final home. There are descriptions of colors, flowers, and buildings, and he places them in the context of what they experienced and looked like in history and how they had changed by the time of his visit. There is a certain romanticism about how he goes about interviewing people who were employees, villagers/neighbors, friends and family of Mossadegh. Stephen Kinzer makes it clear that with the Mossadegh name, there is a legacy, and there is a responsibility to keep the name pure.

    Purity and the instability of relationships were prevalent themes in this book. The intelligence that the American government received was not consistently pure. There were people who wanted to make a name for themselves and leveraged “The Cold War” and its threat of spreading communism as a way to convince an American president that it was time to start supporting the British government in its efforts to take back Iran’s newly-nationalized oil company. Kinzer did a good job of “calling out” these people, namely The Dulles Brothers.

    There were good people on all sides who had good intentions, and they were coupled with individuals or groups filled with mal-intent, which ultimately led to a surpise coup of Mohammed Reza Shah and the promotion to leadership and ultimate power of and for the Ayatollah Khomeini in Iran. There were well-described changes in alliances that ultimately put the United States in an unsavory position with countries in the Middle East…definitely an unfortunate stance and one that can hopefully be corrected.
    A 29 personas les resultó útil
    Compartir

    Reportar esta opinión

    Opcional: ¿Por qué denuncias esto?

    No es acerca del producto

    Irrespetuosa, con odio, obscena

    Pagada, no es auténtica

    Otra cosa

    Verificaremos si esta opinión cumple con nuestras normas de la comunidad. Si no las cumple, la eliminaremos.

    Reportar
  • 5.0 de 5 estrellasCompra verificada
    Operation Ajax = Blowback
    Calificado en Estados Unidos el 25 de mayo de 2009
    "All The Shah's Men" by Stephen Kinzer is an important piece of work for people who follow current and past American petro-warrior events in the Middle East. This book is even more important for American citizens who do *not* follow current events in the Middle... Ver más
    "All The Shah's Men" by Stephen Kinzer is an important piece of work for people who follow current and past American petro-warrior events in the Middle East. This book is even more important for American citizens who do *not* follow current events in the Middle East. This latter group includes but isn't exclusive to people who watch, listen, and read the mainstream media: tabloid TV, political television programs, political talk-radio, and mainstream American newspapers. These mainstream American media sources do *not* report on, nor even discuss what goes on in the Middle East, beyond a superficial level, if even that.

    The events of 1953 are eerily reminiscent of current US policy and its continued *long-term presence* in the Middle East. Awareness by US and world citizens about the role of the US and UK in the Middle East past and present, is vital, as this book has proved to be so prescient. The US and UK have worked together in the Middle East long before the recent inaccurate "poodle" labels of 2003. These two cousins have worked together hand-in-hand before, helping each other in this symbiotic relationship, when it's about: oil.

    Although I think information exists (somewhere), I don't recall one single article, Op-Ed piece, story, or documentary by the American Mainstream Media about the 1953 American coup in Iran because of oil. Therefore, another reason to tout this book. It seems that this historical info is just not available to the casual observer living in Americana.

    Under Mossadegh, Iran was tilting towards the West and away from the Soviet Union (which it never leaned toward in the first place). However the US government and mainstream media constantly reported to the American public that "Iran was tilting towards the Soviet Union." "Gravitating towards communism." This mis-information campaign, during the height of the Cold War Red Scare period during the during the 1950s. Repetitive messages disseminated to the public.

    Sound familiar?

    CIA operatives falsely fed misinformation to ignorant journalists and also journalists that agreed with the US policy towards Iran. In addition, CIA operatives actually wrote articles for newspapers themselves.

    Kinzer begins with the early, middle, and latter history of present-day Iran, leading up to the oil dispute that lead to the rise and fall of democratically elected Dr. Mohammed Mossadegh in the CIA sponsored coup.

    Resentment of the British by the Iranians increased over many years. Much of the resentment toward the British was the result of the Britain's 19th Century colonial attitude towards the Iranian government and people. There are 3 primary reasons among many, for the dispute:

    1. Constant deceit and dishonesty by the British by not following up on their promises and signed agreements they made with the Iranians. Huge profits were made by the British oil companies but they refused to open their books or let them be audited.

    2. Second, was the deplorable treatment and sub-human conditions of Iranian workers in Abadan and other oil fields and refineries. These Iranian oil workers lived in shanty towns without electricity or running water.

    3. The British were taking a huge profit-share ratio. The British being foreign Western colonialists, used their power to create and perpetuate these conditions. This ratio was bound to cause not only resentment and dislike, but also let to the labeling of them as the "enemy."

    As the Iranian government wanted a more equitable profit sharing agreement, the British government responded by implementing sanctions, blocking exports, and freezing accounts. The British debated sending troops to Iran, but it wasn't feasible. Britain didn't have enough the muscle nor the mojo, for such a task.

    ENTER THE AMERICANS:

    Kermit Roosevelt Jr. (grandson of President Teddy Roosevelt) was the main point man behind this calculating operation. Norman Schwarzkopf Sr. was also heavily involved. The elites are often related and over generations these familiar family names pass the want of power and influence.

    Chapters:

    1. Good Evening, Mr. Roosevelt
    2. Curse The Fate
    3. The Last Drop of the Nation's Blood
    4. A Wave of Oil
    5. His Master's Orders
    6. Unseen Enemies Everywhere
    7. You Do Not Know How Evil They Are
    8. An Immensely Shrewd Old Man
    9. Block Headed British
    10 Pull Up Your Socks and Get Going
    11 I Knew it! They Love Me!
    12 Purring Like a Giant Cat

    Notes, Bibliography, and Index

    A very worthy book for contemporary issues in the Middle East, and the roots of petro-coups that have carved at the Geo-political landscape of Iran, and the entire Middle Eastern region, today.
    "All The Shah's Men" by Stephen Kinzer is an important piece of work for people who follow current and past American petro-warrior events in the Middle East. This book is even more important for American citizens who do *not* follow current events in the Middle East. This latter group includes but isn't exclusive to people who watch, listen, and read the mainstream media: tabloid TV, political television programs, political talk-radio, and mainstream American newspapers. These mainstream American media sources do *not* report on, nor even discuss what goes on in the Middle East, beyond a superficial level, if even that.

    The events of 1953 are eerily reminiscent of current US policy and its continued *long-term presence* in the Middle East. Awareness by US and world citizens about the role of the US and UK in the Middle East past and present, is vital, as this book has proved to be so prescient. The US and UK have worked together in the Middle East long before the recent inaccurate "poodle" labels of 2003. These two cousins have worked together hand-in-hand before, helping each other in this symbiotic relationship, when it's about: oil.

    Although I think information exists (somewhere), I don't recall one single article, Op-Ed piece, story, or documentary by the American Mainstream Media about the 1953 American coup in Iran because of oil. Therefore, another reason to tout this book. It seems that this historical info is just not available to the casual observer living in Americana.

    Under Mossadegh, Iran was tilting towards the West and away from the Soviet Union (which it never leaned toward in the first place). However the US government and mainstream media constantly reported to the American public that "Iran was tilting towards the Soviet Union." "Gravitating towards communism." This mis-information campaign, during the height of the Cold War Red Scare period during the during the 1950s. Repetitive messages disseminated to the public.

    Sound familiar?

    CIA operatives falsely fed misinformation to ignorant journalists and also journalists that agreed with the US policy towards Iran. In addition, CIA operatives actually wrote articles for newspapers themselves.

    Kinzer begins with the early, middle, and latter history of present-day Iran, leading up to the oil dispute that lead to the rise and fall of democratically elected Dr. Mohammed Mossadegh in the CIA sponsored coup.

    Resentment of the British by the Iranians increased over many years. Much of the resentment toward the British was the result of the Britain's 19th Century colonial attitude towards the Iranian government and people. There are 3 primary reasons among many, for the dispute:

    1. Constant deceit and dishonesty by the British by not following up on their promises and signed agreements they made with the Iranians. Huge profits were made by the British oil companies but they refused to open their books or let them be audited.

    2. Second, was the deplorable treatment and sub-human conditions of Iranian workers in Abadan and other oil fields and refineries. These Iranian oil workers lived in shanty towns without electricity or running water.

    3. The British were taking a huge profit-share ratio. The British being foreign Western colonialists, used their power to create and perpetuate these conditions. This ratio was bound to cause not only resentment and dislike, but also let to the labeling of them as the "enemy."

    As the Iranian government wanted a more equitable profit sharing agreement, the British government responded by implementing sanctions, blocking exports, and freezing accounts. The British debated sending troops to Iran, but it wasn't feasible. Britain didn't have enough the muscle nor the mojo, for such a task.

    ENTER THE AMERICANS:

    Kermit Roosevelt Jr. (grandson of President Teddy Roosevelt) was the main point man behind this calculating operation. Norman Schwarzkopf Sr. was also heavily involved. The elites are often related and over generations these familiar family names pass the want of power and influence.

    Chapters:

    1. Good Evening, Mr. Roosevelt
    2. Curse The Fate
    3. The Last Drop of the Nation's Blood
    4. A Wave of Oil
    5. His Master's Orders
    6. Unseen Enemies Everywhere
    7. You Do Not Know How Evil They Are
    8. An Immensely Shrewd Old Man
    9. Block Headed British
    10 Pull Up Your Socks and Get Going
    11 I Knew it! They Love Me!
    12 Purring Like a Giant Cat

    Notes, Bibliography, and Index

    A very worthy book for contemporary issues in the Middle East, and the roots of petro-coups that have carved at the Geo-political landscape of Iran, and the entire Middle Eastern region, today.
    A 19 personas les resultó útil
    Compartir

    Reportar esta opinión

    Opcional: ¿Por qué denuncias esto?

    No es acerca del producto

    Irrespetuosa, con odio, obscena

    Pagada, no es auténtica

    Otra cosa

    Verificaremos si esta opinión cumple con nuestras normas de la comunidad. Si no las cumple, la eliminaremos.

    Reportar
  • 5.0 de 5 estrellasCompra verificada
    Fascinating account of the CIA led coup against Mosaddegh
    Calificado en Estados Unidos el 4 de noviembre de 2024
    I wanted to know more about modern Iranian history and this book was extremely useful. But it was also a horror story in the sense that our CIA led a coup against à democratically elected prime minister in Iran. A terrible mistake that continues to cause great... Ver más
    I wanted to know more about modern Iranian history and this book was extremely useful. But it was also a horror story in the sense that our CIA led a coup against à democratically elected prime minister in Iran. A terrible mistake that continues to cause great suffering.
    I wanted to know more about modern Iranian history and this book was extremely useful. But it was also a horror story in the sense that our CIA led a coup against à democratically elected prime minister in Iran. A terrible mistake that continues to cause great suffering.
    Compartir

    Reportar esta opinión

    Opcional: ¿Por qué denuncias esto?

    No es acerca del producto

    Irrespetuosa, con odio, obscena

    Pagada, no es auténtica

    Otra cosa

    Verificaremos si esta opinión cumple con nuestras normas de la comunidad. Si no las cumple, la eliminaremos.

    Reportar
  • 5.0 de 5 estrellasCompra verificada
    "There is nothing new in the world except the history you do not know"...
    Calificado en Estados Unidos el 27 de abril de 2009
    There have been few more fitting epigraphs for a book than the subject one, which is a quote from Harry Truman; Kinzer uses to commence his book. This is a historical work of the first order of importance for every American, and indeed, the vast, overwhelming majority of... Ver más
    There have been few more fitting epigraphs for a book than the subject one, which is a quote from Harry Truman; Kinzer uses to commence his book. This is a historical work of the first order of importance for every American, and indeed, the vast, overwhelming majority of them know absolutely nothing about this sad, even infuriating chapter of our history. It is hardly "uplifting," and somehow I suspect the movie rights will never be sold.

    Stephen Kinzer has written a detailed account of the 1953 coup, orchestrated by the CIA, which overthrew the democratically elected government of Iran, headed by Mohammed Mossadegh. Some famous American names were involved. The coup was conceived, planned, and managed by Kermit Roosevelt, the grandson of Teddy. Norman Schwarzkopf Sr., father of the First Gulf War American commander, was the "bag man" for the coup, literally carrying into Iran millions of dollars to pay off certain leaders and to fund rioters that would help undermine the legitimate government of Iran. Why? In some ways one can blame that then fading colonial power, Britain. "Their" oil reserves were in Iran, and they were determined to maintain control of the oil fields, and grant the Iranians only the "crumbs" from the table. The British government had tried to enlist the support of the Americans earlier, to depose Mossadegh and impose a much more pliable leader, in the "best" colonial traditions. Much to his credit, President Truman consistently refused. But when Eisenhower won the election in 1952, the green light was given. The President himself was not so directly involved, but it was the Dulles brothers, at State and the CIA, who provided the essential support for the concept and its execution. The British were clever enough to change their pitch, away from protecting "our" oil, towards the classic bogeyman of the period, the fear of the Communists.

    Publisher's Weekly says that Kinzer's style is "breezy," and I would agree. It made me a bit uneasy, since it seemed to lack the gravitas of, say, Fromkin's "A Peace to End All Peace." Yet I could not find an error, or even a statement I would quibble with. I read all the 1 and 2-star reviews, none claimed a factual error, reserving their criticism to: "this is a liberal account," (as though use of the "l" word is a sufficient rebuttal) or "blame America guilt trip" (well, maybe we should be blamed), and perhaps the most detailed claims that Mossadegh was not a saint, and Kinzer would certainly agree, detailing many of his faults. One of those "faults" was a rigid determination that the British leave his country, "faults" shared by Washington, Jefferson, Adams, and a few others. His last chapter underscored what a crucial turning point this was in America's and the world's history. It moved America away from Truman's position of sympathy with the masses in developing countries vis-à-vis the colonialists, towards one of supporting the economic interests of the elites in the United States and abroad. It was the first coup in which America overthrew a democratically elected government, but hardly the last, with Guatemala and Chile to come, not to mention some not so democratic ones, like Vietnam and the Congo. Is it any wonder that the residents of the Middle East are skeptical of the neo-cons claims that one of the reasons we invaded Iraq was to transform the countries of the Middle East into democracies? And Kinzer builds very plausible links between this coup and the events of 9-11.

    In terms of the history that is not known, I actually watched a Fox News anchor interview the son of the Shah, and with a classic patronizing colonialist mindset, asked if the Iranian people were "ready" for democracy yet? Naturally no mention of the fact that they had a democratic government 60 years ago, and America overthrew it in favor of the Shah's dictatorship.

    The epilogue is also well-done, covering Kinzer's visit to Mossadegh's home village in 2002.

    With Kinzer's meticulous research I was surprised that he did not mention that Kermit Roosevelt was used as a model for Alden Pyle, in Graham Greene's classic book on Vietnam, "The Quiet American." The mindset that traveled from the Middle East to Vietnam and back again.

    What would be the opinion of the American people if Iran had interfered in our affairs, organizing riots in our country, bribing leaders, and overthrowing the democratically elected government of Dwight D, Eisenhower, all so that they could enjoy cheaper wheat?

    Should be required reading in every current American history course, making "the history that we did not know" available to the students, as well as their parents.
    There have been few more fitting epigraphs for a book than the subject one, which is a quote from Harry Truman; Kinzer uses to commence his book. This is a historical work of the first order of importance for every American, and indeed, the vast, overwhelming majority of them know absolutely nothing about this sad, even infuriating chapter of our history. It is hardly "uplifting," and somehow I suspect the movie rights will never be sold.

    Stephen Kinzer has written a detailed account of the 1953 coup, orchestrated by the CIA, which overthrew the democratically elected government of Iran, headed by Mohammed Mossadegh. Some famous American names were involved. The coup was conceived, planned, and managed by Kermit Roosevelt, the grandson of Teddy. Norman Schwarzkopf Sr., father of the First Gulf War American commander, was the "bag man" for the coup, literally carrying into Iran millions of dollars to pay off certain leaders and to fund rioters that would help undermine the legitimate government of Iran. Why? In some ways one can blame that then fading colonial power, Britain. "Their" oil reserves were in Iran, and they were determined to maintain control of the oil fields, and grant the Iranians only the "crumbs" from the table. The British government had tried to enlist the support of the Americans earlier, to depose Mossadegh and impose a much more pliable leader, in the "best" colonial traditions. Much to his credit, President Truman consistently refused. But when Eisenhower won the election in 1952, the green light was given. The President himself was not so directly involved, but it was the Dulles brothers, at State and the CIA, who provided the essential support for the concept and its execution. The British were clever enough to change their pitch, away from protecting "our" oil, towards the classic bogeyman of the period, the fear of the Communists.

    Publisher's Weekly says that Kinzer's style is "breezy," and I would agree. It made me a bit uneasy, since it seemed to lack the gravitas of, say, Fromkin's "A Peace to End All Peace." Yet I could not find an error, or even a statement I would quibble with. I read all the 1 and 2-star reviews, none claimed a factual error, reserving their criticism to: "this is a liberal account," (as though use of the "l" word is a sufficient rebuttal) or "blame America guilt trip" (well, maybe we should be blamed), and perhaps the most detailed claims that Mossadegh was not a saint, and Kinzer would certainly agree, detailing many of his faults. One of those "faults" was a rigid determination that the British leave his country, "faults" shared by Washington, Jefferson, Adams, and a few others. His last chapter underscored what a crucial turning point this was in America's and the world's history. It moved America away from Truman's position of sympathy with the masses in developing countries vis-à-vis the colonialists, towards one of supporting the economic interests of the elites in the United States and abroad. It was the first coup in which America overthrew a democratically elected government, but hardly the last, with Guatemala and Chile to come, not to mention some not so democratic ones, like Vietnam and the Congo. Is it any wonder that the residents of the Middle East are skeptical of the neo-cons claims that one of the reasons we invaded Iraq was to transform the countries of the Middle East into democracies? And Kinzer builds very plausible links between this coup and the events of 9-11.

    In terms of the history that is not known, I actually watched a Fox News anchor interview the son of the Shah, and with a classic patronizing colonialist mindset, asked if the Iranian people were "ready" for democracy yet? Naturally no mention of the fact that they had a democratic government 60 years ago, and America overthrew it in favor of the Shah's dictatorship.

    The epilogue is also well-done, covering Kinzer's visit to Mossadegh's home village in 2002.

    With Kinzer's meticulous research I was surprised that he did not mention that Kermit Roosevelt was used as a model for Alden Pyle, in Graham Greene's classic book on Vietnam, "The Quiet American." The mindset that traveled from the Middle East to Vietnam and back again.

    What would be the opinion of the American people if Iran had interfered in our affairs, organizing riots in our country, bribing leaders, and overthrowing the democratically elected government of Dwight D, Eisenhower, all so that they could enjoy cheaper wheat?

    Should be required reading in every current American history course, making "the history that we did not know" available to the students, as well as their parents.
    A 24 personas les resultó útil
    Compartir

    Reportar esta opinión

    Opcional: ¿Por qué denuncias esto?

    No es acerca del producto

    Irrespetuosa, con odio, obscena

    Pagada, no es auténtica

    Otra cosa

    Verificaremos si esta opinión cumple con nuestras normas de la comunidad. Si no las cumple, la eliminaremos.

    Reportar
  • 4.0 de 5 estrellasCompra verificada
    All of Mossadegh's Men
    Calificado en Estados Unidos el 23 de julio de 2019
    In August 1953, the democratically elected prime minister of Iran, Mohammed Mossadegh, was overthrown in a clumsy coup d’état orchestrated by the infant Central Intelligence Agency. Veteran journalist Stephen Kinzer expertly tells this outrageous story of subterfuge in... Ver más
    In August 1953, the democratically elected prime minister of Iran, Mohammed Mossadegh, was overthrown in a clumsy coup d’état orchestrated by the infant Central Intelligence Agency. Veteran journalist Stephen Kinzer expertly tells this outrageous story of subterfuge in “All the Shah’s Men.” For Kinzer the episode is a cautionary tale of western meddling in Middle Eastern political affairs. I’m certain that there is more than one way to interpret the remarkable events of 1953.

    Mossadegh is the tragic hero of Kinzer’s crisp narrative. He was, in the author’s estimation, “a visionary, a utopian, a millenarian.” Two central beliefs shaped his political consciousness, according to the author: the rule of law and independence from foreign interference. He opposed any attempt to concentrate political power and abhorred the concessions given to the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. To Winston Churchill he was “an elderly lunatic bent on wrecking his country and handing it over to the Communists.” I suspect the truth lies somewhere in between.

    In the early 1950s Mossadegh moved to nationalize the Iranian oil industry, which became something of a sacred cause for his followers. “The Shiite religious tradition blended perfectly with the nationalist passion sweeping through Iran,” Kinzer writes. The British run Anglo-Iranian Oil Company steadfastly refused to make any meaningful concessions to the sweetheart deal the company had struck in the 1920s. Mossadegh was prepared to have his country fall on its sword rather than cave to British economic blackmail. As the British did everything in their power to cripple the Iranian economy, Mossadegh called for “deprivation, self-sacrifice, and loyalty.”

    Kinzer places responsibility for the 1953 coup squarely on the shoulders of the British, even though it was the Americans that would eventually carry out the deed. “The main responsibility [for the coup] lies with the obtuse neocolonialism that guided the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company and with the British government’s willingness to accept it.” Interestingly, Mossadegh saw things much the same way. “My only crime,” he said, “is that I nationalized the Iranian oil industry and removed from this land the network of colonialism and the political and economic influence of the greatest empire on earth.”

    The Americans weren’t overly interested in the economic consequences of oil nationalization. Rather, they viewed the crisis through the prism of the Cold War. There was genuine angst in Washington that the Soviet-backed Tudeh party would orchestrate a coup to overthrow Mossadegh if they didn’t do so first. Of course, that is a great imponderable, as Kinzer concedes: “The crucial question of whether the American coup was necessary to prevent the Soviets from staging a coup of their own cannot be conclusively answered.” The key point, however, is that the Dulles brothers believed it was true and that decisive action was necessary.

    What really amazed me was how effective the upstart CIA was in fomenting dissent and orchestrating Mossadegh’s fall. The agency was just a few years old and had no real experience at covert regime change. Yet for as little as $100,000 placed in just the right hands clandestine operatives, led by Teddy Roosevelt’s grandson, Kermit – “The chief hero or villain of the piece” depending on your perspective, according to the author – a popular nationalist regime was replaced with a more pliable, and eventually far more repressive one. Indeed, one might perceive Operation Ajax, the code-name given to the operation, as one of the greatest in the CIA’s history.

    Kinzer certainly doesn’t see it that way. On the contrary, it was very nearly the worst of all outcomes. “Only a Soviet takeover followed by war between the super-powers would have been worse,” he writes. Why? In his view, “It is not far-fetched to draw a line from Operation Ajax through the Shah’s repressive regime and the Islamic Revolution to the fireballs that engulfed the World Trade Center in New York.” The blowback from the ouster of Mossadegh may have been slow in coming, but it’s been with us now for over thirty years. The operation sent all the wrong signals, according to Kinzer. “Operation Ajax taught tyrants and aspiring tyrants [in the Middle East] that the world’s most powerful governments were willing to tolerate limitless oppression as long as oppressive regimes were friendly to the West and to Western oil companies.”

    Mossadegh’s legacy in his homeland remains sticky. On the one hand, he is a revered nationalist hero. Shortly after the Islamic Revolution of 1979 the main boulevard in downtown Tehran was renamed in his honor. On the other hand, there is much about Mossadegh that the mullahs governing Iran today are unsettled by. “Mossadegh’s secularism was as abhorrent to the new regime as his democratic vision had been to the old one.”
    In August 1953, the democratically elected prime minister of Iran, Mohammed Mossadegh, was overthrown in a clumsy coup d’état orchestrated by the infant Central Intelligence Agency. Veteran journalist Stephen Kinzer expertly tells this outrageous story of subterfuge in “All the Shah’s Men.” For Kinzer the episode is a cautionary tale of western meddling in Middle Eastern political affairs. I’m certain that there is more than one way to interpret the remarkable events of 1953.

    Mossadegh is the tragic hero of Kinzer’s crisp narrative. He was, in the author’s estimation, “a visionary, a utopian, a millenarian.” Two central beliefs shaped his political consciousness, according to the author: the rule of law and independence from foreign interference. He opposed any attempt to concentrate political power and abhorred the concessions given to the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. To Winston Churchill he was “an elderly lunatic bent on wrecking his country and handing it over to the Communists.” I suspect the truth lies somewhere in between.

    In the early 1950s Mossadegh moved to nationalize the Iranian oil industry, which became something of a sacred cause for his followers. “The Shiite religious tradition blended perfectly with the nationalist passion sweeping through Iran,” Kinzer writes. The British run Anglo-Iranian Oil Company steadfastly refused to make any meaningful concessions to the sweetheart deal the company had struck in the 1920s. Mossadegh was prepared to have his country fall on its sword rather than cave to British economic blackmail. As the British did everything in their power to cripple the Iranian economy, Mossadegh called for “deprivation, self-sacrifice, and loyalty.”

    Kinzer places responsibility for the 1953 coup squarely on the shoulders of the British, even though it was the Americans that would eventually carry out the deed. “The main responsibility [for the coup] lies with the obtuse neocolonialism that guided the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company and with the British government’s willingness to accept it.” Interestingly, Mossadegh saw things much the same way. “My only crime,” he said, “is that I nationalized the Iranian oil industry and removed from this land the network of colonialism and the political and economic influence of the greatest empire on earth.”

    The Americans weren’t overly interested in the economic consequences of oil nationalization. Rather, they viewed the crisis through the prism of the Cold War. There was genuine angst in Washington that the Soviet-backed Tudeh party would orchestrate a coup to overthrow Mossadegh if they didn’t do so first. Of course, that is a great imponderable, as Kinzer concedes: “The crucial question of whether the American coup was necessary to prevent the Soviets from staging a coup of their own cannot be conclusively answered.” The key point, however, is that the Dulles brothers believed it was true and that decisive action was necessary.

    What really amazed me was how effective the upstart CIA was in fomenting dissent and orchestrating Mossadegh’s fall. The agency was just a few years old and had no real experience at covert regime change. Yet for as little as $100,000 placed in just the right hands clandestine operatives, led by Teddy Roosevelt’s grandson, Kermit – “The chief hero or villain of the piece” depending on your perspective, according to the author – a popular nationalist regime was replaced with a more pliable, and eventually far more repressive one. Indeed, one might perceive Operation Ajax, the code-name given to the operation, as one of the greatest in the CIA’s history.

    Kinzer certainly doesn’t see it that way. On the contrary, it was very nearly the worst of all outcomes. “Only a Soviet takeover followed by war between the super-powers would have been worse,” he writes. Why? In his view, “It is not far-fetched to draw a line from Operation Ajax through the Shah’s repressive regime and the Islamic Revolution to the fireballs that engulfed the World Trade Center in New York.” The blowback from the ouster of Mossadegh may have been slow in coming, but it’s been with us now for over thirty years. The operation sent all the wrong signals, according to Kinzer. “Operation Ajax taught tyrants and aspiring tyrants [in the Middle East] that the world’s most powerful governments were willing to tolerate limitless oppression as long as oppressive regimes were friendly to the West and to Western oil companies.”

    Mossadegh’s legacy in his homeland remains sticky. On the one hand, he is a revered nationalist hero. Shortly after the Islamic Revolution of 1979 the main boulevard in downtown Tehran was renamed in his honor. On the other hand, there is much about Mossadegh that the mullahs governing Iran today are unsettled by. “Mossadegh’s secularism was as abhorrent to the new regime as his democratic vision had been to the old one.”
    A 14 personas les resultó útil
    Compartir

    Reportar esta opinión

    Opcional: ¿Por qué denuncias esto?

    No es acerca del producto

    Irrespetuosa, con odio, obscena

    Pagada, no es auténtica

    Otra cosa

    Verificaremos si esta opinión cumple con nuestras normas de la comunidad. Si no las cumple, la eliminaremos.

    Reportar
  • 5.0 de 5 estrellasCompra verificada
    Quite Simply the Best Foreign Affairs Writer in the USA
    Calificado en Estados Unidos el 11 de agosto de 2023
    I have read most of Stephen's books. Masterful storyteller but more importantly a man with a profound political conscience. This is one of his best though I am partial to his Bitter Fruit with Steve Schlesinger and Blood of Brothers. If the US was a force for liberal... Ver más
    I have read most of Stephen's books. Masterful storyteller but more importantly a man with a profound political conscience. This is one of his best though I am partial to his Bitter Fruit with Steve Schlesinger and Blood of Brothers. If the US was a force for liberal democracy in Guatemala and Iran in the 50s, how different our world might be.
    I have read most of Stephen's books. Masterful storyteller but more importantly a man with a profound political conscience. This is one of his best though I am partial to his Bitter Fruit with Steve Schlesinger and Blood of Brothers. If the US was a force for liberal democracy in Guatemala and Iran in the 50s, how different our world might be.
    Compartir

    Reportar esta opinión

    Opcional: ¿Por qué denuncias esto?

    No es acerca del producto

    Irrespetuosa, con odio, obscena

    Pagada, no es auténtica

    Otra cosa

    Verificaremos si esta opinión cumple con nuestras normas de la comunidad. Si no las cumple, la eliminaremos.

    Reportar

Opiniones más destacadas de otros países

  • Nancy Singh
    5.0 de 5 estrellasCompra verificada
    Intriguing book.
    Calificado en India el 16 de diciembre de 2021
    What an excellent read. This book gives an excellent account of the events of week in 1953 when coup managed by British and American politicians ,removed the prime Minister of Iran which affected the world around and has carried on the repercussions till now. It tells us...Ver más
    What an excellent read. This book gives an excellent account of the events of week in 1953 when coup managed by British and American politicians ,removed the prime Minister of Iran which affected the world around and has carried on the repercussions till now. It tells us how Britishers with their imperialistic mind set exploited Iran for its oil . It gives an intriguing account of propaganda that worked against the loyal and democratic leader of Iran who wanted to benefit and uplift his countryman by its own natural resources ie oil . Book wonderfully explains how Britishers ruled by looting the world thus uplifting their own country. Iran being the legitimate owners of their oil were given shoddy treatment and pennies in return which created hatred against western powers in people . Also corruption among its own people and exploitation by Britishers changed the course of world history which is felt even in new world.
    What an excellent read. This book gives an excellent account of the events of week in 1953 when coup managed by British and American politicians ,removed the prime Minister of Iran which affected the world around and has carried on the repercussions till now. It tells us how Britishers with their imperialistic mind set exploited Iran for its oil . It gives an intriguing account of propaganda that worked against the loyal and democratic leader of Iran who wanted to benefit and uplift his countryman by its own natural resources ie oil . Book wonderfully explains how Britishers ruled by looting the world thus uplifting their own country. Iran being the legitimate owners of their oil were given shoddy treatment and pennies in return which created hatred against western powers in people . Also corruption among its own people and exploitation by Britishers changed the course of world history which is felt even in new world.

    Reportar esta opinión

    Opcional: ¿Por qué denuncias esto?

    No es acerca del producto

    Irrespetuosa, con odio, obscena

    Pagada, no es auténtica

    Otra cosa

    Verificaremos si esta opinión cumple con nuestras normas de la comunidad. Si no las cumple, la eliminaremos.

    Reportar
  • Svetovid
    5.0 de 5 estrellasCompra verificada
    No going back to the same reality after reading this one
    Calificado en Alemania el 5 de enero de 2019
    You realize that the same system is still used nowadays to destroy many governments and impose lackeys which do not give a damn about the people. It is very easy to see that this scenario is simply copy-pasted for the last 50+ years.
    You realize that the same system is still used nowadays to destroy many governments and impose lackeys which do not give a damn about the people. It is very easy to see that this scenario is simply copy-pasted for the last 50+ years.

    Reportar esta opinión

    Opcional: ¿Por qué denuncias esto?

    No es acerca del producto

    Irrespetuosa, con odio, obscena

    Pagada, no es auténtica

    Otra cosa

    Verificaremos si esta opinión cumple con nuestras normas de la comunidad. Si no las cumple, la eliminaremos.

    Reportar
  • Karina
    5.0 de 5 estrellasCompra verificada
    Un estudio completo!
    Calificado en España el 6 de septiembre de 2017
    Un libro muy bien documentado que se lee más bien como una fabula. No se si se puede trazar la linea entre los hechos del `53 y 9/11 pero seguro que la participación de la CIA en la caída del gobierno de Mossadegh ha marcado las relaciones entre Irán y Estados Unidos e...Ver más
    Un libro muy bien documentado que se lee más bien como una fabula. No se si se puede trazar la linea entre los hechos del `53 y 9/11 pero seguro que la participación de la CIA en la caída del gobierno de Mossadegh ha marcado las relaciones entre Irán y Estados Unidos e igual también en las relaciones internacionales en el mundo moderno.
    Un libro muy bien documentado que se lee más bien como una fabula. No se si se puede trazar la linea entre los hechos del `53 y 9/11 pero seguro que la participación de la CIA en la caída del gobierno de Mossadegh ha marcado las relaciones entre Irán y Estados Unidos e igual también en las relaciones internacionales en el mundo moderno.

    Reportar esta opinión

    Opcional: ¿Por qué denuncias esto?

    No es acerca del producto

    Irrespetuosa, con odio, obscena

    Pagada, no es auténtica

    Otra cosa

    Verificaremos si esta opinión cumple con nuestras normas de la comunidad. Si no las cumple, la eliminaremos.

    Reportar
  • Jacky P.
    5.0 de 5 estrellasCompra verificada
    Excellent pour le connaisseur et pour le moins connaisseur
    Calificado en Francia el 29 de octubre de 2016
    Ce livre donne une petite introduction à l'istoire récente d'Iran. C'est écrit dans une perspective iranophile assumée et justifiée explicitement dans une introduction qui donne une petite perspective historique et culturelle. Ensuite, le gros du livre est...Ver más
    Ce livre donne une petite introduction à l'istoire récente d'Iran. C'est écrit dans une perspective iranophile assumée et justifiée explicitement dans une introduction qui donne une petite perspective historique et culturelle. Ensuite, le gros du livre est consacré à la description des actions des services secrets américains et anglais aboutissant au renversement du gouvernement démocratiquement élu de Mohamed Mossadegh, et à l'installation du régime autoritaire du shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. Connaissant un peu l'histoire, j'ai surtout apprécié la description détaillée des actions de Kermit Roosevelt (agent américain). Mais mon épouse a vraiment apprécié l'ensemble, qui est une excellente introduction à ce chapitre d'histoire.
    Ce livre donne une petite introduction à l'istoire récente d'Iran. C'est écrit dans une perspective iranophile assumée et justifiée explicitement dans une introduction qui donne une petite perspective historique et culturelle. Ensuite, le gros du livre est consacré à la description des actions des services secrets américains et anglais aboutissant au renversement du gouvernement démocratiquement élu de Mohamed Mossadegh, et à l'installation du régime autoritaire du shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. Connaissant un peu l'histoire, j'ai surtout apprécié la description détaillée des actions de Kermit Roosevelt (agent américain). Mais mon épouse a vraiment apprécié l'ensemble, qui est une excellente introduction à ce chapitre d'histoire.

    Reportar esta opinión

    Opcional: ¿Por qué denuncias esto?

    No es acerca del producto

    Irrespetuosa, con odio, obscena

    Pagada, no es auténtica

    Otra cosa

    Verificaremos si esta opinión cumple con nuestras normas de la comunidad. Si no las cumple, la eliminaremos.

    Reportar
  • Brenda Giffen
    5.0 de 5 estrellasCompra verificada
    Very, very interesting non fictional account of how Iran's ...
    Calificado en Canadá el 18 de julio de 2016
    Very, very interesting non fictional account of how Iran's progression to democracy was knocked off course. It provides a foundation for understanding, and it is very relevant to help us understand these scary, confusing times in terms of the angst from Iran and the...Ver más
    Very, very interesting non fictional account of how Iran's progression to democracy was knocked off course. It provides a foundation for understanding, and it is very relevant to help us understand these scary, confusing times in terms of the angst from Iran and the Middle East. It is well written and straightforward for everyone to understand. As I am reading, the author's details are answering my questions.
    Very, very interesting non fictional account of how Iran's progression to democracy was knocked off course. It provides a foundation for understanding, and it is very relevant to help us understand these scary, confusing times in terms of the angst from Iran and the Middle East. It is well written and straightforward for everyone to understand. As I am reading, the author's details are answering my questions.

    Reportar esta opinión

    Opcional: ¿Por qué denuncias esto?

    No es acerca del producto

    Irrespetuosa, con odio, obscena

    Pagada, no es auténtica

    Otra cosa

    Verificaremos si esta opinión cumple con nuestras normas de la comunidad. Si no las cumple, la eliminaremos.

    Reportar
Escribir una opinión

Cómo funcionan las opiniones y calificaciones de clientes

Las opiniones de clientes, incluidas las valoraciones de productos ayudan a que los clientes conozcan más acerca del producto y decidan si es el producto adecuado para ellos.Más información sobre cómo funcionan las opiniones de clientes en Amazon