Mohammad Reza Pahlavi: No One's Stooge

Balatarin
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Anonymous Observer
by Anonymous Observer
08-Sep-2010
 

I try not to be conspiratorial.  I always think that simple logic provides the best explanation for any given event.  But I got to tell you, I have recently been watching a lot of Shah’s last interviews—the ones from 1975 on—and I cannot escape the nagging conclusion that this man was removed from power by the Westerns powers who saw him as an emerging threat.  From his comments about the “blue eyed people being sleep” to his criticism of the Jewish Lobby in the United States to asserting his independence and refusing to be America’s ”stooge” when he was labeled in a CIA study as being too “unreliable” and “dangerous”, to his criticism of Britain and claiming that in ten years Iran would be where Britain was at that time and in twenty five years surpassing the UK, all the signs point to an ambitious man who saw his country’s economic and military power rising and who was intent on asserting his independence.  And they didn’t like it.

Let’s face it.  Iran was on its way to becoming a major power with great resources and a lot of disposable cash.  It was debt free.  It was becoming a nuclear country with the Bushehr plants on their way to a speedy completion, with one reactor at 85% completion and the other at 50% completion at the time of the 1979 devolution.  It is not difficult to imagine that has the Shah remained in power Iran would probably have built a nuclear bomb at some point, probably in the mid to late 1980’s. 

And watch this video where he remains uncompromising in the price of oil, and essentially threatens the United States with maintaining high oil prices in exchange for the price of spare parts and commodities being too high.  Another notable point in this video, as well as in the one where he refuses to be “America’s stooge” is the sense of fear that the United States has of Iran’s growing power and possible “expansionist” goals.

This guy was no stooge of the West.  He was a threat to the West.  The West had probably surmised that if he remained in power for another decade, Iran would have been unstoppable.  We would have become a rich and modern version of India: an independent Eastern nation that would have been a thorn in the side of, and a competitor of the U.S., in the Middle East, and specifically the Persian Gulf--and they could not have that.  They had their hands full with the USSR.  They didn’t need another headache. 

Sure, he was a dictator.  But given the nature of the democracy movement in Iran, and his inevitable death, I am sure that the monarch’s absolute rule would have ended at some point and Iran would have morphed into some form of a democracy.  That was just inevitable.

We really could have been somebody.  We could have been a truly independent, powerful country.  Instead, they pushed upon us the most backward, reactionary, theocratic system since the Middle Ages and set us back decades in development and independence, to the point that re-packaging 60 year old aircraft and re-assembling 60 year old North Korean missiles became our measure of “progress” for us, and giving away the Caspian Sea to the Russians so that they stop sanctions and sell us cheap junk became our measure of “independence.” 

Truly, kudos to that great Iranian, the Shah, for being a visionary and a lover of Iran and the Iranian people.  He was not perfect by any stretch of imagination, but watching these old interviews leaves one with one inescapable conclusion: he was no one’s stooge.

Balatarin
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more from Anonymous Observer
 
Midwesty

If I didn't think he wasn't a stooge

by Midwesty on Thu Sep 09, 2010 05:00 AM PDT

now you ensured he was one (within the context of politics):

آخه مرد مومن رئیس یه مملکت میاد برنامه‌های راهبردیشو علناً اعلام کنه؟

Your theory is the story of Arab invasion all over again.

Don't you think the sheer evidence of Iran's massive industrialization wasn't enough for the westerners to smooth the way for his overthrown?

That brings the question why he was so vocal about his strategies?

I have an answer, he got cocky! The same attitude he had towards his peasants.

But as the time showed us all, he was far more vulnerable and like the rest of us a human being.

However being cocky is no crime and I don't bash him for that.

May god bless his soul for his contribution and forgive him for his notorious SAVAK.

However there is a chance that his speeches was to answer the history and to clarify things for the future Iranian generations. In that regard, if he did that intentionally it shows that he was very aware of power of media.

Perhaps he was a lonely king, that was too advanced for his people to be undrestood and too dangerous for his competitors who had all the power along the awesome power of media.

So I shall rephrase my initial statement. He might have not been a stooge after all!

Thanks for your thought provoking blog! 


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Maryam Hojjat

Thanks AO

by Maryam Hojjat on Thu Sep 09, 2010 04:11 AM PDT

for your great, honest blog.  Bahram Moshiri also mentioned in one of his program that we did not need this stupid revolution in 1979 but a reform. 

Thanks to Q, Artimis, & Azarin for great honest support of this blog.


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Sargord Pirouz

Oh yeah, it has to be

by Sargord Pirouz on Thu Sep 09, 2010 03:34 AM PDT

Oh yeah, it has to be somebody else's fault you were rejected from Iran. It just has to be.

The Shah wasn't a stooge- what a crack up! I suppose you think Mubarak and Abdullag II are also not stooges. 

Dream on, back to the mid-late 1970s. it's a familiar time warp you'll be stuck in for the rest of your days. 


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Q

The British did it, with a little help...

by Q on Thu Sep 09, 2010 02:23 AM PDT

AO, very eye opening. It seems what many old Iranian men instinctually feel has been true indeed.

If you permit me, from my own landmark investigation into this issue a few years back, I quote:

The fact is the British were never happy with the Shah. He was bringing real independence to Iran and his awesome industrial power was frightening most of the western civilization. But the Shah, knowing the evilness of the British, preferred the company of Americans, who gladly took over the "best friend" position formerly occupied by the UK. By 1975 the Shah was even more powerful than the United States. He, skillfully, pretended to be USA's friend but he was planning on shaking the Americans too.

Read the rest here:
//iranian.com/Opinion/2004/August/QB/inde...

dorood bar haghighat.


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Azarin Sadegh

Thank you!

by Azarin Sadegh on Thu Sep 09, 2010 01:23 AM PDT

I feel a kind of relief, knowing that I haven't been the only one with the same kind of feelings.

I had reached the same conclusion at some point in my life, but it was already too late...Of course, in my case, I had been greatly influenced by my mom who not only adores the Shah but she is also the most adorable little old lady you can imagine!

 


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Arthimis

Dear A.O. Jaan , Thank

by Arthimis on Thu Sep 09, 2010 12:08 AM PDT

Dear A.O. Jaan ,

Thank you for your great blog that spoke of truth... Not too many people like the truth, based on their own "Personal" unfortunate problems and issues... It is sadly a lost cause trying to convince those lost souls otherwise...

The true underlying problem were the "Iranian" nation at that time and to some extent even to this day!!!

Serious ignorance and sorry to say sheer stupidity, derived by a Religion that 99.9% of Iranians never truly even understood the language, meaning and its instructions which by the way preeched to them by bunch of God forsaken psycho-path (Mullahs) through deceive, Deceit, Out right Lies and Cheating...

Yes, I also agree that Those "Evil Super Powers" planned the whole invasion, occupation and destruction of our Motherland Iran since 1979 and even way before, However, I strongly believe had our nation been not so ignorant on so many levels,those "Evil Powers" could NOT succeed so easily like the way they have been...I mean for love of GOD,look at us!!!! We are so low now because of our own serious and dire mistakes!!!!!!!!!

Those Evil Super Powers would have to attack us by direct and massive military force to eliminate Shah or any other patriotic (True) Iranian like him and his caliber! After 31 long and sad years in our Iranian history, Sadly, I am personally convinced of that at least...

"Az Must keh bar Must" . I mean honestly, which other nation around the globe could have done such an irrapaiable self sabotage and destruction to itself??? Please my brothers and sisters, name one nation with all our history, civilization, literature, cultural depth, values and finally wealth and natural resources that has done so much self destructions to itself!!!!!! Please name one!!! And then we call ourselves one of the smartest nations in the world????? Please... 

The only salvation for Iran and Iranians is/are : Honesty with ourselves and our own very deep psychological issues, Awareness, Education, Consciousness which hopefully will lead to our collective, Freedom, Peace, Success and Happiness...

Be Omide Aan Rooz!


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