You MUST hear (and audio record for future reference) an *EXCELLENT* program on the U.S. overthrow of the democratic government of Iran in 1953 and the installation of the brutal Shah dictatorship by the Eisenhower (R) administration. (This event was followed by the U.S. overthrow of the democratic govt of Guatemala and others) Hear the story of the Anglo-American coup, further documented by a, year 2000, leaked CIA intelligence chronology. The democratic Prime Minister Mohammed Mussadeq [sometimes spelled Mos(s)adeq] was a passionate constitutionalist (unlike our own government today), uncorruptable (ibid) and dedicated to democracy (ibid), BUT HE DIDN'T REALIZE THAT **OUR** OIL WAS UNDER **HIS** COUNTRY!!

Listen to New York Times Correspondent Stephen Kinzer, author of the new book:

"All The Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror".

It's about the 1953 CIA coup in Iran that put an end to democratic rule, and in turn led the way for the anti-American [gee, I can't imagine why!] Islamic Revolution of 1979. Then we were cynically and *racistly* taught by our government and corporate media that Arab/Persian/Muslim/African and democracy were contradictions in terms.

Kinzer writes, "It was the first time the United States overthrew a foreign government. It set a pattern for years to come, led to the deaths of millions and shaped the way other millions of people view the United States" -- especially when the U.S. intervenes(militarily, overtly or covertly), claiming to be the bearers of "liberation, freedom & democracy".

If you miss the program today, you can listen to the online KQED/NPR/FreshAir archives for Monday , July 28, 2003.

I don't know what's up with the usually establishmentarian/pro-war/Zionist -- if otherwise mentally light and radio-affable -- Terry Gross (there was also a recent program on Bush administration officials and their corporate conflict of interests vis-a-vis their war--invasion--against Iraq): maybe she was feeling the progressive heat from a previous article of mine entitled

Terry Gross -- NPR Warmonger !

(Do Yahoo/Google exact string search [put title in quotation marks] if interested.)

Call or email and thank Fresh Air or NPR for doing the 2nd or 3rd politically decent program in anyone's memory for a change.

Maybe one day she will have Edward Said on for the hour.