Preview

The Pros And Cons Of Regime Change

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1190 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Pros And Cons Of Regime Change
The United States has achieved a reputation for interfering with and overthrowing foreign governments, although it is surrounded by much controversy. Supporters of foreign intervention argue that regime change has often succeeded in protecting the national interests of the United States, although a different argument is heard from the opposers of “regime change” operations. As stated in Overthrow, “Most American-sponsored “regime change” operations have, in the end, weakened rather than strengthened American security.” Through three specific instances of American-sponsored “regime change” operations, including the Iranian Coup of 1953, the Guatemalan Coup of 1954, and the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980’s, it is evident that US foreign intervention caused more harm than good.
First, the Iranian Coup of 1953 is an example of an American-sponsored “regime change” operation that weakened national
…show more content…
After a British intelligence officer presented the plan to the head of CIA operations in the middle east, Kermit Roosevelt, they sent agents to Washington to meet Secretary of State John Foster Dulles. Dulles was particularly interested in the plan, although the State Department did not have the ability to overthrow a foreign government, prompting Dulles to seek assistance from the CIA and Eisenhower; Dulles was able to convince that if Mossadegh was removed from power, the Communists would be able to reap the resources of the Middle East and take over. With Eisenhower’s approval, the plan was executed; the plan consisted of generating public distrust of Mossadegh and spreading negative propaganda. However, this initial plan was a failure, resulting in the creation of a subsequent plan consisting of paying street gangs to instigate riots throughout

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Since World War I, one of the biggest problems the United states has been faced with is its foreign policy. Throughout the past 100 years, foreign policy has changed depending on the times and what is going on in the rest of the world. The time period between 1918, the end of World War, to 1953, the end of the Korean War. Essentially, U.S. foreign policy evolved from “isolationist protection of war” to”protective containment of Communism.” This change occurred due changes in America’s view of the world and the role it played on the world stage.…

    • 438 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    A major debate that is being discussed both domestically and internationally is the involvement of the United States of America in international affairs. This debate includes the practicality of where the United States has intervened in foreign affairs, its right to intervene in the first place considering past mistakes and questionable leadership, and whether or not that foreign involvement is in the general public’s best interest. Obviously, the two sides of the debate refer to the ‘yes’ position, explained by Ivan Eland (as in yes, the United States should limit it’s global involvement) and also the ‘no’ position, backed by President Barack Obama (as in no, the United States should not limit it’s foreign involvement). Eland’s basis for his argument is that the United States has habitually overspent it’s treasure and overextended it’s military power to a point where we cannot keep pace economically and which could bring upon the demise of the American government as we know it. He also points out that continued foreign endeavors increases the risk of the United States being a target for terrorist attack. Obama’s vision is that The United States of America needs to re-establish its place as a world leader by maintaining an active foreign policy. Obama admits that mistakes have been made where international affairs are concerned, but that is a reason to fix those mistakes and step up as a suitable leader once more. Discussed later in the paper is my own point of view, which supports President Barack Obama and his plan for active engagement in foreign affairs, in a conservative and confidant manner.…

    • 1373 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Throughout history America has been known for intervening in other countries diplomatic affairs for the sake of special interests that can be anything from raw materials to competing for power against another country. By convincing people to rebel against their government, America is able to reach its goal. The American government is also known for manipulating people’s opinions against their government by propagandizing and filling them with empty dreams and hopes such as freedom and democracy. They explain that the only way to achieve those dreams is to overthrow the government. The American intervention in other countries led to many impacts.…

    • 901 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The American intervention in the U.K. and Iranian affairs led to the downfall of one country and colonization by another. The same pattern of events happened in Guatemala when the U.S. bought land there and was going to lose that because Guatemala wanted to grow its economy. The CIA’s “covert ‘Operation PBSUCCESS,’ were among several hundred records released by the Agency on May 23, 1997 on its involvement in the infamous 1954 coup in Guatemala”. The coup in Guatemala was a war caused because the U.S. had to protect their interests, in this case money and land. Then again, the U.S. interfered in foreign affairs just a couple of years later.…

    • 1083 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    US Foreign Policy and the Iran Hostage Crisis, edited by David Patrick Houghton, Cambridge University Press, 2001. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com.ezproxy2.apus.edu/lib/apus/detail.action?docID=201802.…

    • 708 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    For so long as America has existed as a country, there has been the ever-present idea of a warfare paradox when it comes to our involvement in conflicts. The clash between our ideals as a nation and what we do to further those ideals throughout the world will always be, to some extent, conflicting. Our Founding Fathers laid down the tenets of our land centuries ago, and through our course of trying to uphold those tenets, we have undoubtedly had complications I regards to conflicting ideals. The three mainstays of the warfare paradox, isolationism, interventionism, and protectionism, all have their roots in the foundations of the United States. This reality can be seen in some of the documents that decorate the annals of our collective history;…

    • 1544 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    For most Americans, the story begins in 1979 with the Iranian Hostage Crisis, when a group of revolutionary university students took over the American Embassy in Tehran, Iran, and held 52 American diplomats, intelligence officers and Marines hostage for 444 days. But for most Iranians, and to fully understand the repercussions of this aforementioned event, the story begins almost three decades prior, in 1953. This was the year that the United States overthrew the recently established democracy in Iran, led by Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh. He had become very popular in the country for having the ambition to finally take advantage of the wealth that Iran needed to grow by nationalizing his country’s oil supply, which was for the previous 50 years under the control of the British Petroleum company. By proving that Mossadegh’s regime was relying on the communist party of Iran for power, and in turn not wanting to lose Iran as an ally in the Cold War against the Soviet Union, England was able to persuade the U.S. to assist in engineering a coup d’état against the new Iranian democracy and return Iran to its previous Pahlavi dynasty. Through what was named “Operation Ajax”, the CIA and MI6 reinstalled the Shah and instituted a pro-U.S. dictatorship of Iran that was willing to comply to Western interests in regards to the vast oil supply that the “British and American corporations had controlled the bulk of almost since their discovery” 1.…

    • 1868 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Our heroes are out there fighting for America. But exactly what are they fighting for, because it seems like our own government is hiding information from us. They say that it’s to protect us. Is it really? A government that we call one of our own and one that we trust has deceived us. For the families who are losing their sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers, etc.,who are in the war, are just told that they should be proud of their protector protecting the United States of America. After the soldiers die, the only remembrance of the fallen is the burial. Only families remember their deaths while the government moves on with their business and they say that they care for our people. To me the United States should have never gone to war with…

    • 721 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    ASL 101

    • 368 Words
    • 2 Pages

    3. The text book talks about how The United States are a power house in terms of power based on political, economic, and military status. This power is often met with resistance, much like the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. “Some domestic and foreign special interest groups disagree with U.S. government policy or intervention in events occurring outside borders.”…

    • 368 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Houghton, David Patrick. US Foregin Policy and the Iran Hostage Crisis. Cambridge, New York: Cambridge University Press, 2001.…

    • 7054 Words
    • 19 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Ferguson paper

    • 368 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Since George H.W. Bush (41) took office in 1989, the United States has intervened in several high-risk situations such as the Gulf War, military deployment in Iraq, and the ongoing War in Afghanistan resulting in thousands of deaths of American soldiers. This is not okay because these soldiers are sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters, of fellow American citizens. Although the President can involve the United States’ military in any situation with the permission of Congress, he should not so if the opposition is a threat. The United States should not be the world’s policeman because foreign affairs require a substantial amount of resources that the U.S. should not let go; more so the United States should focus resources to being a global caregiver.…

    • 368 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Throughout its history, the United States has consistently illustrated valiant efforts to circumvent powers of evil, as well as mistakes that the US must learn from to prevent themselves from being deceived by enemies, both foreign and domestic. For example, during the Cold War, the United States wanted to “contain” communism to the regimes that had initially declared it as their standard of government, which is why the United States pleaded to the United Nations to intervene in the Korean War. Initially the United States was only to intervene under the containment doctrine which provided a limit as to how far the United States could push the North Korean forces back (which would be back to the 38th parallel, the initial border). Under these…

    • 2575 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    1980

    • 1502 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The cost of human lives and international prestige incurred by a losing military effort in Vietnam had Congress shying away from Third World conflicts. Yet the Soviet Union seemed more aggressive than ever in expanding its sphere of influence. When student radicals seized the American embassy in Tehran, Iran, in late 1979 and held its staff hostage over the next fourteen months, Americans learned a frustrating lesson that was repeated again and again during the 1980s: even the finest, best-equipped military force in…

    • 1502 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Reflecting back on the hard times of imperialism that occurred in Africa and China, we realize that today is much different from yesterday. When wanting to interfere, the United States knows it’s boundaries, unlike the European imperialists. Through some of the horrible tragedies that have occurred, the United States has learned when it is reasonable to interfere with another country. We remember the errors we have made in the past and make sure that everyone is…

    • 1018 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    HIS 105 Assignment 2

    • 474 Words
    • 2 Pages

    After the Civil War and by the mid-20th century, the United States had become the dominant force in international relations. Some have argued that the United States’ military functions as the world’s “police.”…

    • 474 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays