Ignitor, I think you can keep the discussion civil by regraining from using colorful adjectives. Is it asking much? --- Anyways, in that Simpson's piece, there's an interesting line: Iranians wanted independence from the Brritish/American indirect control. There is a great book on the Middle East called "A Peace to End All Peace". Its an amazingly well-written book that documents/chronicles how the British Foreign Office + Kitchner, Churchill, Chamberlain, LLyod George screwed up the middle east. Another book that is worth reading to understand the conflicts, nationalism and anti-westernism in Iran+ rest of the middle east is, Paris 1919: Six Months that changed the world. --- Since i am not a student of middle eastern politics, I don't claim that everything in my post is historically accurate. If you come across mistakes, historical or others, please do let me know.