In 1953 the CIA secretly organized a coup to overthrow the democratically elected leader of Iran. This was the CIA's first regime change operation — code-named 'Operation Ajax' — becoming the playbook for later CIA operations. Its consequences are still reverberating around the world.

In this episode we take a deep dive into how Operation Ajax was planned and executed, it's motivations, the political context locally and globally, what happened in Iran after 1953, its impact on US-Iran relations up to today, and more.

We've added many archival audio clips, including first-hand accounts on both sides, sound effects, music, and more.

This is the first episode in our new series on The Socialist Program. In each episode we will unpack a different CIA/Pentagon operation, each which was given its own code-name as Operation Ajax was.

Join the The Socialist Program community at http://www.patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to get access to the next episodes in this series, more exclusive content, and help keep this show on the air.

Credits:

Brian Becker - writer, narrator

Layan Fuleihan - writer, narrator

John Prysner - audio engineer, producer

Emily Brease - archival producer

On Friday the right-wing Supreme Court delivered a stinging blow to Trump, ruling that his unilateral tariffs were unconstitutional. Trump claims he’s going ahead with more tariffs anyway, but economist Richard Wolff explains that they’ve already failed at their central economic premise.

Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com.

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The Trump administration has revoked the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate greenhouse gases, a major cause of climate change and millions of premature deaths from air pollution every year.

Professor Richard Wolff and Brian Becker discuss why this is happening, and the even more dire level of air and water pollution in the United States before the EPA.

Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com.

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Brian and Layan take a deep dive into how the capitalist-owned mainstream media conceals the truth about what motivates U.S. war-makers – and what they are hiding – by debunking the recent New York Times article titled: ‘Trump's Oil Grab in Venezuela Shatters an American Taboo’

This is a preview of a patrons-only episode. Subscribe at https://www.patreon.com/TheSocialistProgram to hear the full episode, get access to all our patrons-only content, and help make this show possible.

Cuba is running out of fuel to power hospitals, schools, harvest crops, and transport basic goods — because Donald Trump has implemented a total fuel blockade against the island nation.

Brian Becker is joined by Manolo De Los Santos, the executive director of The People’s Forum in New York, to discuss why Trump and the U.S. empire have targeted Cuba, and why people in Cuba are refusing to surrender.

Link to referenced letter in support of Cuba: https://www.letcubalive.info/

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More than 30% of countries around the world are facing severe US economic sanctions causing mass suffering, hunger, and death. From Cuba, to Venezuela, to the DPRK, and now even to traditional US allies who are being targeted with tariffs and other economic threats unless they bow to the demands of the Trump administration. Richard Wolff explains that these are the efforts of an empire that is in decline but still possesses military and economic weapons that can do great damage to those who try to maintain independence from Wall Street and the White House.

Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com.

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The Trump administration’s agenda has become unmistakable: attack the living legacy of the Civil Rights Revolution – both by trying to erase the historical memory of it, and by reversing the expansion of democracy that it won. Why are Trump and his billionaire backers so threatened by this legacy? What lessons does it have for us today? How does social change happen?

This episode is built around a class on this topic, taught by our host Brian Becker, part of a class series at The People's Forum in New York City titled: 'Hidden Histories of Rebellion in the United States’, recorded on January 27th. We've added supplemental audio clips and edited it for this podcast format.

This is a preview of a patrons-only episode. Subscribe at https://www.patreon.com/TheSocialistProgram to hear the full episode, get access to all our patrons-only content, and help make this show possible.

On the heels of the Minnesota general strike on January 23rd, and a nationwide shutdown the following week in which millions participated, Professor Richard Wolff and Brian Becker discuss the general strike tactic. How has it been used in the United States and elsewhere? Can it tip the scales against the Trump administration's attempts to roll back the gains of the Civil Rights Movement?

Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com.

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One week ago, there was a general strike in Minneapolis against ICE Terror. The following morning, ICE agents executed ICU nurse Alex Pretti. They wanted to intimidate this new mass movement. But that failed. Today hundreds of thousands marched and millions participated in a nationwide shutdown against ICE; no work, no school, no shopping. 

Brian Becker and Layan Fuleihan discuss, recording this episode at Noon Eastern Time, January 30th. 

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The United States may be entering a new era of labor militancy. A general strike led by labor, community organizations, small businesses, student groups, and faith-based leaders has shut down Minnesota, in protest against the terror campaign launched by thousands of ICE agents in recent weeks. Brian Becker and Layan Fuleihan discuss.

This is a preview of a patrons-only episode. Subscribe at https://www.patreon.com/TheSocialistProgram to hear the full episode, get access to all our patrons-only content, and help make this show possible.

Imperialism in the 21st Century is starting to look like the imperialism of the early 20th century as Donald Trump ramped up his demand to seize Greenland from Denmark. Professor Richard Wolff and Brian Becker discuss how capitalist competition led to two catastrophic world wars in the first half of the 20th Century, and how similar competitive pressures are taking shape today.

Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com.