All the Shah's Men -- from a review by David S. Robarge

[Boojatta]

Kinzer is at his journalistic best when—drawing on published sources, declassified documents, interviews, and a bootleg copy of a secret Agency history of the operation—he reconstructs the day-to-day running of TPAJAX. The plan comprised propaganda, provocations, demonstrations, and bribery, and employed agents of influence, "false flag" operatives, dissident military leaders, and paid protestors. The measure of success seemed easy enough to gauge—"[a]ll that really mattered was that Tehran be in turmoil," writes Kinzer. The design, which looked good on paper, failed on its first try, however, and succeeded largely through happenstance and Roosevelt's nimble improvisations. No matter how meticulously scripted a covert action may be, the "fog of war" affects it as readily as military forces on a battlefield. Roosevelt may have known that already—he and his confreres chose as the project's unofficial anthem a song from the musical Guys and Dolls: "Luck Be a Lady Tonight."

TPAJAX had its surreal and offbeat moments. Kinzer describes Roosevelt calmly lunching at a colleague's house in the embassy compound, while outside "Tehran was in upheaval. Cheers and rhythmic chants echoed through the air, punctuated by the sound of gunfire and exploding mortar shells. Squads of soldiers and police surged past the embassy gate every few minutes. Yet Roosevelt's host and his wife were paragons of discretion, asking not a single question about what was happening." To set the right mood just before Washington's chosen coup leader, a senior army general named Fazlollah Zahedi, spoke to the nation on the radio, US officials decided to broadcast some military music. Someone found an appropriate-looking record in the embassy library and put on the first song; to everyone's embarrassment, it was "The Star-Spangled Banner." A less politically discordant tune was quickly played, and then Zahedi took the microphone to declare himself "the lawful prime minister by the Shah's order." Mossadeq was sentenced to prison and then lifetime internal exile.

The Shah—who reluctantly signed the decrees removing Mossadeq from office and installing Zahedi, thereby giving the coup a constitutional patina—had fled Iran during the crucial latter days of the operation. When he heard of the successful outcome from his refuge in Rome, he leapt to his feet and cried out, "I knew it! They love me!" That serious misreading of his subjects' feeling toward him showed that he was out of touch already.

From:
https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/csi-studies/studies/vol48no2/article10.html

[Mr Mannn]

The Shah was best known for his love of Ponies...as in My Little Pony. He would troll message boards hoping to drum up interest in his favorite western TV show of all time.

Sure the islamic murderers thought Ponies were a Zionist plot, but they were just being silly. Silly Khomeanie, Trix are for kids!

[Mr Mannn]

WHEE! Go Pony Go! The Shah was so silly. He just wanted to make friends.

[Mr Mannn]

Um. I think I better stick with Pie.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

WHOA!

I've never seen so much Idontgivafuk in one place before.

[obumazombie]

I saw a jackrabbit today. He was a big fella, so big he could barely lope. I saw him crossing a taxiway at the airport waiting for a plane to take me home after deivering a helicopter to the maintenance shop for it's annual inspection. Of course I thought about Snugs, and of course, Ptarmigan. I hoped he didn't hop onto the runway as we started our takeoff roll. We don't brake for bunnies, usually. Alert...this is not a bouncey.

[Bodadh]

I have had a long day. Could someone tell me what the pseudo intellectual is on about now?


Coco the signing gorilla has better communication skills.

[Bad Dog]

I have had a long day. Could someone tell me what the pseudo intellectual is on about now?


Coco the signing gorilla has better communication skills.

I'm new at this but, I think it is called cut & paste.

[Eupher]

I'm new at this but, I think it is called cut & paste.

Cut and paste?

That sounds like a surgical technique. Sort of like a dilation and curettage. Those surgeries can be rather emotionally traumatizing to the patient, I understand. I wonder how it is they get things to actually dilate?