Steven, I disagree about Khomeini. He represented an ideological restructuring of
Shi'ism that was based on its messianism and militancy, and would have a vast
appeal in that part of the world anyway, as an attempt to explain the fading of
Islamic glory and the present constitution of the world order. Therefore, he might
have attained power anyway..>>
Good obeservation. Khomeini, however, succeeded to remove Shah, Mohamed Reza Pahalvi, thanks to power plays between the United Sates
and Soviet Union.
On his own terms, he and his followers were no match for the Shah's 500,000 man army, the Savak, and the very loyal Javidan Roayl Gaurd Divison in Teharan.
This crisis was unfolded under the adminsteration of Presidnet Carter, one of the most incapable people who was ever elected to lead the United States of America.
Carter's baptist-holly-roller education, and desire to re-make the entire world in his own image,(Baptist, God feareing, hypocrite, rather ignorant Southeren Democrat!) forced Shah to lax the internal control and push for democratic reforms. Iran,in 2,500 years had never known democracy.
Shah had to legalize all opposition political parties , and all in a sudden, there was chaos and disorder! Varoious members of Iranian Commusit Party (Tudeh) returned from 40 years of exile in Soviet Union, followed by exiled leaders of Democratic Front of Kurdistan, and Mojahedine Khalgh, a Shiite-Communsit oriented movement from their
hide-outs in the US, Europe, and Iraq!(not to be confused with Mjahedin in Afganstan!), and off course the very famous the HezAllah,
Khomeini followers.
Such disorder broked out that neither Shah or his CIA advisors could control the event, the events were controling them.
Soviet Union took advantage of the disorder, and pushed for independence of Iranian Ajerbaijan, hoping to unify it with the Soviet Azerbaijan. Three Turkish speaking KGB Border Gaurd Divions were infilterated in Iranian Azerbaijan. They were sent to Tabriz, Aradbil, and Urumia. Pretending to be Iranians and followers of Khomeini, they attacke unites of Iranian Army and Savak in Ardabil,
Tabriz, Rezaiya, as far as Qazvin, a few hundred miles from Tehran.
Shah replaced the Prime Minster Howaida and appointed his Army CHief of Staff, as advised by CIA station chief in Tehran, and marital
law was decalred. Shah during kept seeking US autoriazation for use of force agaisnt the mobs in the streets, but Sallivan, the US Ambassdor in Tehran kept giving him confused signals. The truth is that Careter had no idea what to do next. ù
Mossad that have always kept a laison office within the Iranian army
advised for storng action, but the signal from Washingto DC never came.
The country was in verge of toatl collapse, and dis-memberment. US Shah to appoint Baktiari as the Prime Minister and left the country as advised by the US.
Under the 1944 Soviet Iranian Friendhip Pact, Soviet Union maintains the right to send troops into Iran, whenever there is un-rest in the border provinces, Azerbijan in the west, and Turkmanstan and Korasan in the East!
With the war in Azerbaijan enflamed by Soviet infiterators, Soviets had good reason to excercise their right. 20 Soviet Divions were ready
to move in. This would hav given them control of the Iranian petroleum, and access to the Persain Gulf.
The only option left to the US fill the vacume, and have a powerful centeral Governmemnt in Iran was the hostile Khomeini. The State Department thought they could have contolled Khomeini through his
assistants, such as Yazdi and Bazergan but they were wrong.
The US contolled and trained Iranian army melted-awy, Bakhtiarlost control and Khomeini move in, and the rest is history!
At this point, the country divisons archy |
