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[echos]

Hey Rogue,

I was reading something else about Eisenhower the other day, and your post struck a note.

Here is some real irony. In 1953 Eisenhower approved and funded coup de tat of the democratically elected Prime Minister of Iran in the effort to stop "Communism". We installed the Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and murdered the Prime Minister after a mock trial.

The Shah of course created the SAVAK, the Iranian secret police. This infamous agency operated its own secret prison, used torture extensively, assassinated dissidents, and kept the CIA informed.

From Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Reza_Pahlavi

"His policies led to strong economic growth during the 1960s and 1970s but at the same time, opposition to his autocratic pro-Western rule increased. His good relations with Israel and the United States and his active support for women's rights were moreover a reason for Islamic fundamentalist groups to attack his policies."

The Shah was subsequently removed in 1979, and the Ayatollah Khomeini was allowed to return from exile.

So, in our quest to fight Communism, we overthrow a democratically elected leader and install a murderous dictator... and WHALLA, Islamic Fundementalism comes to power.

Oh the irony.