Current EventsSocial Studies

EgyptWhat is a coup?

a sudden and decisive action in politics, esp. one resulting in a change of government illegally or by force.

Facebook…and the beginnings of change the role of facebook

What is happening in Egypt CTV News the Colbert Report

USA Armed the Egyptians? the effect on the economy made in the USA start at 3 min mark of

this clip…to see a humorous take on the US’s involvement

CBC reporter beaten by mob report from CBC

a report on the military involvement

Questions for discussion Is this the first time that the USA has

provided arms to a dictatorship?

When they speak about elections where the person in power wins by 88% what are they inferring?

Is Canada the same as the USA when it comes to selling weapons?

Does Canada support dictators? Canada harbors dictators

Has the USA supported other countries with military or arms? 1949: CIA backs military coup deposing

elected government of Syria. 1953: CIA helps overthrow the

democratically-elected Mossadeq government in Iran (which had nationalized the British oil company) leading to a quarter-century of repressive and dictatorial rule by the Shah, Mohammed Reza Pahlevi.

1958: US troops land in Lebanon to preserve “stability.” Early 1960s: US unsuccessfully attempts assassination of Iraqi leader, Abdul Karim Qassim.

1963: US supports coup by Iraqi Ba’ath party (soon to be headed by Saddam Hussein) and reportedly gives them names of communists to murder, which they do with vigor.

1973: Airlifted US military aid enables Israel to turn the tide in war with Syria and Egypt.

1973-75: US supports Kurdish rebels in Iraq. When Iran reaches an agreement with Iraq in 1975 and seals the border, Iraq slaughters Kurds and US denies them refuge. Kissinger secretly explains that “covert action should not be confused with missionary work.”

1978-79: Iranians begin demonstrations against the Shah. US tells the Shah it supports him “without reservation” and urges him to act forcefully. Until the last minute, US tries to organize military coup to save the Shah, but to no avail.

1979-88: US begins covert aid to Mujahadeen in Afghanistan six months before Soviet invasion in Dec. 1979. Over the next decade US provides training and more than $3 billion in arms and aid.

1980-88: Iran-Iraq war. When Iraq invades Iran, the US opposes any Security Council action to condemn the invasion. US soon removes Iraq from its list of nations supporting terrorism and allows US arms to be transferred to Iraq. At the same time, US lets Israel provide arms to Iran and in 1985 US provides arms directly (though secretly) to Iran. US provides intelligence information to Iraq. Iraq uses chemical weapons in 1984; US restores diplomatic relations with Iraq. In 1987 US sends its navy into the Persian Gulf, taking Iraq’s side; an overly-aggressive US ship shoots down an Iranian civilian airliner, killing 290.

1982: US gives “green light” to Israeli invasion of Lebanon, killing some 17,000 civilians. US chooses not to invoke its laws prohibiting Israeli use of US weapons except in self-defense. US vetoes several Security Council resolutions condemning the invasion.

1984: US-backed rebels in Afghanistan fire on civilian airliner.

1987-92: US arms used by Israel to repress first Palestinian Intifada.

1988: Saddam Hussein kills many thousands of his own Kurdish population and uses chemical weapons against them. US increases its economic ties to Iraq.

2000- : Israel uses US arms in an attempt to crush Palestinian uprising, killing over 1,200 civilians.

This was entitled “interchangeable dictators”