To the editor: Thanks, columnist LZ Granderson, for the historical past lesson on Iran (“Reliving a colonial, exploitative historical past in Venezuela and Iran,” March 7), a few of which I knew, a few of which I didn’t. I knew the U.S. helped overthrow Iran’s democratically elected prime minister, Mohammad Mossadegh, in 1953. I didn’t comprehend it was as a result of oil firm greed; they had been unwilling to separate the income 50-50 with Iran (which Mossadegh needed) though oil firms had already agreed to a 50-50 cut up with Saudi Arabia.
The bigger level the column illustrates is the significance of historic context for understanding present occasions. The Iranians’ takeover of the American Embassy in 1979 is simpler to grasp if you understand that, in 1953, the U.S. eliminated their prime minister to put in a monarch subservient to the U.S. Likewise, President Trump’s withdrawal in 2018 from an settlement President Obama negotiated with Iran is what restricted U.N. inspections that would have prevented harmful Iranian nuclear developments. In different phrases, if Trump had not withdrawn from that settlement eight years in the past, there may not be any must assault Iran now to forestall an Iranian nuclear menace.
Trump appears to consider that his present army assault will “clear up” the Iranian drawback. However the results of Trump’s assault will definitely not finish when he decides to cease the bombing. U.S.-Iran historical past suggests we will probably be dwelling with damaging penalties of the present U.S. assault for years and even a long time to come back.
Drew Davis, Redondo Seaside
