Why Iran Hates the West
By 4ftfingers
@4ftfingers (1310)
February 14, 2008 5:53am CST
Ever wondered why Iranians and middle-easterns hate us? It's not because they hate our values in democracy, as many naive people have claimed, in fact it's completely opposite.
Throughout the 1920's, 30's and 40's, Iran's oil was owned entirely by one British company (an early form of the BP company). Because of this, people in Britain were enjoying very good standards of living. However, Iranians were not, they were living in poverty.
And so the Iranians believed that it would be fair for the country to own the oil themselves - nationalise the oil. That would be the most democratic way, because no foreign company could profit from all the Iranian oil.
At this time Iran was emerging as a democratic nation, which culminated in the very popular Mohammad Mosaddeq being made Prime Minister. Mosaddeq, intent on carrying out the wishes of the people and with the unanimous vote of both houses of the Iranian Parliament, nationalised the oil industry.
The British government could do nothing to stop this. But after a while they realised that they have no choice but to overthrow Mosaddeq and replace him with a regime more favourable to the UK. So Winston Churchill sent one of his top secret agents to Washington to claim that Mosaddeq was leading Iran towards communism, making absolutely no mention of the oil. This was a complete lie because, in fact, Mosaddeq was an elderly aristocrat who despised all socialist and marxist ideas.
However, Washington believed their reasoning and joined the UK in a CIA / British secret service sponsored military coupe of Mosaddeq. And so the Iranian democracy was crushed, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the 'Shah of Iran', was reinstated, ruled Iran with an iron fist, and British and American companies were taking Iran's oil again.
Of course all this had it's consequences - Iran have been deeply anti-western ever since, for destroying their democracy.
Our efforts to intervene in Iran and other middle eastern nations are precisely what is causing the back lash. These people are fiercely independent-minded, and we are not seen as the liberators. That is why they are so supportive of anti-westerners like President Ahmadinejad and are so intent on protecting themselves with even the rumour, at least, that they can produce nuclear weapons.
source http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/iran/
1 person likes this
5 responses
@lancingboy (1385)
• United States
15 Feb 08
I read in the World History book before that some Middle Eastern countries hated America because America built military bases on their holy land. I know oil also played a major part of it all.
1 person likes this
@mbcousins (116)
• United States
15 Feb 08
Kudos to you lancingboy, very good !!The correct information does that to a person. Makes you strong and you don't get sick and irritated so easy. Information helps us be less ignorant and less dependent on others to make decisions for us. Back to your comment from the World History book. Does it address how the theft of oil and the building of military bases in their holy land directly affects the men, women and children of the Middle East. I am asking you because I am not familiar with that book and I am going to look it up. I gotta be careful in here now. We're in the presence of an O'reily supporter and I am aware of what they think of the American combat vet's. Talk to ya later lancingboy, be careful out there.
1 person likes this
@lancingboy (1385)
• United States
19 Feb 08
I know in the World History Book that there was a chapter on the growing tension between America and the Middle East. I don't have it with me though because I had to return it to the school, so I cannot look it up in it. Sorry. =)
@mbcousins (116)
• United States
14 Feb 08
Very good 4ftfingers. I think this is what Ron Paul was calling"Blowback".
@Netsbridge (3253)
• United States
23 Feb 08
I think it is interesting how our Western nations never seem to relate to or reference history whenever they attempt to demonize these Middle Eastern nations. Like African nations, Middle Eastern nations were initially very friendly and welcoming of Western nations to their homelands. There are records of very amiable relationships between Western nations and African or Middle Eastern nations, until the inhabitants discovered that they were dealing with rogues and plunderers, who cared for nothing but their economic profits and cared not about how they got their goals accomplished. But, of course, when the natives and/or their governments became wiser, they all of a sudden are communists and non-democratic! Funny how this is never obvious from the beginning!
And as correctly stated, 4ftfingers, these "Third World" nations and their people are very independent and very aware of the democratic ideas, which they truly practice to some extent: They will, without hestitation, fight their governments as soon as they realize their freedoms are abridged. But, as always, no Western nation will ever dare to stress these basic daily facts. I would to God that all nations would forever be as courageous in ridding themselves of world hypocrites, who care for nothing but world domination. If the world has enemies, then I believe they are the British and US governments, whom I consider the most terroristic groups on earth.
@MrNiceGuy (4141)
• United States
26 Feb 08
you are just sooooo twisted in your attempt to spin different angles is blinding any fair view... the irony is, you are TRYING to do the exact opposite.
@Netsbridge (3253)
• United States
23 Feb 08
4ftfingers, this is a very good question! Hope some of our fellow comrades get to read this for their own edification. Thanks for being so thoughtful and for exhibiting such a good level of reason!
Kamran12, thanks for such an informative and explicit response! I, too, believe that when nations begin to take responsibility for their actions (past or present), we may then actually have some semblance of world peace. Cheers!
@MrNiceGuy (4141)
• United States
16 Feb 08
I understand this is a source of the hatred, but I have to point out that the US and UK were not "taking" Iran's oil, but buying it from them.
And does Islamic fundamentalism not have anything to do with hatred of the "West" and not just the US and UK?
@MrNiceGuy (4141)
• United States
18 Feb 08
You're right of course.
Holy way for their own political gains as well too. Really ignorant, naive, uneducated, poverty stricken people suffer at the hands of anyone from any country or religion that gets too much power and an agenda.
@4ftfingers (1310)
•
17 Feb 08
Very good points.
You are right they were buying it, but to say they were buying is still not telling the full story either, I think 'exploited' would be a better word. And the only people gaining from it were those in power, the people wern't benefitting, living condition's wern't improving.
Islamic fundamentalism does have a big part to do with it, but the way I see it is the religion is a means to bring everyone to fight against it. People are willing to blow themselves up for their religion, so it is something held very close to their hearts. But of course that is exploitation too, they are being exploited by their own people who are telling them it is a holy war.
1 person likes this
@4ftfingers (1310)
•
18 Feb 08
Yes. Any country, even our countries. We have a lot of naive Christians who believe this is a religious war. Or want to believe it.
