quote from Ahmedinejad.

on that point he may be right.

I wouldn’t say they’re running it as such, that suggests they’ve got some kind of grip on what’s going on…

On the other hand, our government doesn’t torture and execute it’s citizens for their sexual preference.

I know which ‘retards’ I’d be governed by, especially as we’re free to change the government when the next election comes round.

that’s unfair on retards!

that’s unfair on retards!

I agree, David Cameron and co aren’t in power yet.

Give them a chance.

I know which ‘retards’ I’d be governed by, especially as we’re free to change the government

And apparently we like to be “free to change the government” of Iran. If and when it suits us.

In 1953 the British government decided it didn’t like the government of Iran as it wasn’t serving Britain’s best interests. So with help from the United States, Britain organised a coup and installed to power a dictator.

Despite the fact that the new absolute ruler of Iran created one of the most brutal and ruthless secret police services in the world, Britain continued to fully and unconditionally support the Iranian dictator right up until the Iranian revolution of 1979.

SAVAK has been described as Iran’s “most hated and feared institution” prior to the revolution of 1979, because of its torture and execution of regime opponents.

Indeed the then Labour Foreign Secretary David Owen, pledged unswerving support for the Iranian dictator in the immediate months preceding his overthrow, claiming that the only opposition to the Shah was “communist”……obviously a Foreign Secretary who had his finger firmly on the pulse of international affairs !

Some might try and dismiss Britain’s role as being in the ‘distant historical past’. But it isn’t. Those responsible for this scandalous state of affairs are still alive (eg David Owen is still a British parliamentarian and sits in the House of Lords). And the Iranians haven’t forgotten.

Think about that before you go lecturing the Iranians about ‘democracy’ and ‘the evils of repression’.

Doesn’t make it right though does it ernie or does this excuse their actions in your view.

Their government has nothing to do with us but it still does not stop us from expressing a view!

I cannot believe the drivel you come out with!

And the Iranians haven’t forgotten.

with something like 70% of the Iranian population being under 30, one has to wonder who is keeping the ’53 coup memories alive and well, and what purpose that serves those people?

I cannot believe the drivel you come out with!

Which drivel is that – the bit about Britain organising a coup to install a dictator in Iran ? Or the bit about Britain supporting the Iranian dictator right up until the last minute ?

Or, is it all drivel which you cannot believe ?

.

one has to wonder who is keeping the ’53 coup memories alive and well

You don’t have to go back that long. Britain was supporting the Iranian dictator 30 years ago when the Iranian people were trying to overthrow him.

Who’s keeping the memories alive ?

Well I guess just like any other country in the world, the Iranians are taught history.

Or do you think the Iranians should only be taught what’s been happening for the last 30 years ?

No, I imagine like most people around the world what happened 50 years ago is just that, a history lesson. They’re probably more interested in what’s going on in their country now.

They’re probably more interested in what’s going on in their country now.

And yet funnily enough, here on the STW forum, many forum users appear to be very interested indeed in the events which led to the election of a Tory government in 1979 eg : blame the unions, don’t blame the unions, the country was screwed, the country wasn’t screwed, Thatcher promised this, Thatcher didn’t promise that, etc etc. The discussions never seem to end.

Are you suggesting that it is perverse the Iranians should even be interested, in the events which led to the defeat of their dictator in 1979 ?

…… how strange

and to paraphrase the great Bill Hicks, lots of people are very interested in certain incidents that were supposed to have happened over 2000 years ago. Drop it, it was along time ago.

I know which bit of ‘history’ would cause the greatest beneficial act to the world if it were all forgotten about right now.

and to paraphrase the great Bill Hicks

Isn’t Bill Hicks history ?

Let’s just concentrate on what people are saying now, eh ?

Boring, pointless and irrelelevant to a cycling forum

so no point in remembrance sunday then?

Or maybe we should forget that no one has one a war in Afghanistan for generations, oh we did…

We are where we are because of the past, like it or not, you can not ignore it. Most people have jobs not because of who they are but because of who they were.