WI: Eisenhower plagued by Scandal
- Thread starter Hades
- Start date
Why would they? Iran-Contra was a scandal because what was done (selling arms to the Iranians) was illegal. I don't think either CIA operations in Guatemala and Iran were illegal according to American law. Furthermore, whatever the cover story, everyone assumed the US was behind both so it's not a surprise to anyone. Since both were done to battle supposed Communism (it was believed Arbenz was Communist, and the coup in Iran was done to stabilize the country so that the Communist Tudeh could not take over), both actions at the time were highly popular with the US public and elite, and enjoyed bipartisan support.
GeographyDude
Gone Fishin'
his chief-of-staff resigned in '58 over the appearance of financial impropriety (and hell, maybe the substance!)
Lost Freeway
Banned
Not gonna happen. The American public was willing to accept any dirty tactics employed by the government, so long as it was in the name of fighting communism.
GeographyDude
Gone Fishin'
I think Guatemala is winnable. The people are peasants, a group whom we tend to have positive feelings toward. The indigenous peoples are Mayan. The non-indigenous peoples are overwhelmingly Catholic, which we understand.
Plus, the whole business with the Guatemalan government using eminent domain on United Fruit land -- at the greatly reduced prices which it was carried on the tax rolls due to previous corruption!! -- has always struck me as snookering them fair and square.
We'd need a little luck. For example, a little bit of bravery on the part of the corporate media to begin the story and get the ball rolling, and then they could end up competing with each other. But I think it could be done.
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With Iran, well, it's just a tougher sell from the beginning. First off, Arabs are usually depicted as bad guys in the movies. And I know the people living in Iran are Persian and speak Farsi, but that point might get lost in the wash.
And then, the government of Iran nationalized British oil holders in the manner stated by British law. Which at first glance might seem like a stroke of genius. But on second look, this is exactly the type of thing which would really rile up the British, get them thinking, We'll be damned if we're going to have our inferiors telling us how to do things! Paradoxically, the Iranians should have taken a harder line initially and then negotiated some of the way or maybe two-thirds of the way to this.
Plus, the whole business with the Guatemalan government using eminent domain on United Fruit land -- at the greatly reduced prices which it was carried on the tax rolls due to previous corruption!! -- has always struck me as snookering them fair and square.
We'd need a little luck. For example, a little bit of bravery on the part of the corporate media to begin the story and get the ball rolling, and then they could end up competing with each other. But I think it could be done.
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With Iran, well, it's just a tougher sell from the beginning. First off, Arabs are usually depicted as bad guys in the movies. And I know the people living in Iran are Persian and speak Farsi, but that point might get lost in the wash.
And then, the government of Iran nationalized British oil holders in the manner stated by British law. Which at first glance might seem like a stroke of genius. But on second look, this is exactly the type of thing which would really rile up the British, get them thinking, We'll be damned if we're going to have our inferiors telling us how to do things! Paradoxically, the Iranians should have taken a harder line initially and then negotiated some of the way or maybe two-thirds of the way to this.
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You can go the route of having too many people in his administration caught for illegalities, improprieties, and corruption. That brought down Grant and tainted the memory of Harding (albeit Harding was a dirty birdie himself and aware enough of what his people were into). It is not hard. A lot of people of that era ended up being sunk by years of bad behavior decades later. Just have them caught earlier and have more of them and in higher places.