Santa’s Little Moochers

December 15, 1954 — The Times Record


The Mossadegh Project | December 1, 2014                   


“Why shouldn’t Iran, foe of communism but threatened by it, ask for a slice of the Christmas cake?” asked The Times Record on November 19, 1951. This Wednesday evening editorial from the early post-Mossadegh era continues on that theme.




THE SHAH CRIES OUT

The Shah of Persia—or, if you like recent nomenclature, the ruler of Iran—cries out to the United States that he must have aid. He has driven Mossadegh into prison and disarmed the developing Communist organization. He has revived the oil agreements whereby an income can come to the country. He thinks everything he can do has been done.

But it costs money to reconstruct a nation which had been dessicated by ill-wishers and plotters. And he sees in Uncle Sam his only relative who has a pocketful of cash. So he is in Washington. All the rulers of the free nations are visiting the American capital these days. Santa Claus lives there.

It remains a fact however, that we need to solidify and stabilize Iran. It is on the edge of Russia and Russia is spending money and effort to wean it away from its Western friends. Red infiltrates walk Tehran’s streets. Groups of poverty-stricken natives are asked whether a reshuffle can do them any harm. It might do them good.

What then? Shall we help? Probably we must even if we are getting toward the bottom of the barrel. True, we have already spent multi-billions abroad. But even at that it is far cheaper than a global war.


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Related links:

Iran’s Cry For Dollars | INS, August 27, 1953

Twenty-Four Million To Iran | Letter to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Jan. 24, 1952

Iran Faces the Future | The Times Record, August 6, 1954



MOSSADEGH t-shirts — “If I sit silently, I have sinned”

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