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

Product DescriptionHalf a century ago, the United States overthrew the democratically elected prime minister of Iran, Mohammad Mossadegh, whose "crime" was nationalizing the country's oil industry. In a cloak-and-dagger story of spies, saboteurs, and secret agents, Kinzer reveals the involvement of Eisenhower, Churchill, Kermit Roosevelt, and the CIA in Operation Ajax, which restored Mohammad Reza Shah to power. Reza imposed a tyranny that ultimately sparked the Islamic Revolution of 1979, which, in turn, inspired fundamentalists throughout the Muslim world, including the Taliban and terrorists who thrived under its protection. "It is not far-fetched," Kinzer asserts, "to draw a line from Operation Ajax through the Shah's repressive regime and the Islamic Revolution to the fireballs that engulfed the World Trade Center in New York."Review"Breezy storytelling and diligent research...This stands as a textbook lesson in how not to conduct foreign policy."-- "Publishers Weekly""Kinzer's brilliant reconstruction of the Iranian coup is made even more fascinating by the fact that it is true. It is as gripping as a thriller."-- "Gore Vidal, author of Lincoln""Very gripping...A cautionary tale for our current leaders."-- "New York Times"Breezy storytelling and diligent research.... This stands as a textbook lesson in how not to conduct foreign policy.-- "Publishers Weekly"About the AuthorStephen Kinzer is the author of over ten books, including Poisoner in Chief, The True Flag, The Brothers, Overthrow, and All the Shahs Men. An award-winning foreign correspondent, he served as the New York Times bureau chief in Nicaragua, Germany, and Turkey. He is a senior fellow at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University and writes a world affairs column for the Boston Globe.