Urban legend: The ultra hardline daily Kayhan is never at a loss
for words, but sometimes lacks basic research skills. Recently it has
been purveying another urban legend about how the official in charge of
Shiism at the CIA, a Michael Brant, wrote that the Shah was overthrown
because of the quality of the clerical leadership and the strength of
faith in Imam Hossain. Therefore, he said, the CIA allocated a budget of
$900 million to destroy Shiism. Kayhan said this was written
"recently" by Brant "in his memoirs." This story,
however, dates back to at least July 2001 in an article written by a
Pakistani, Liaquat Raza, who says Brant was "the right-hand man to
Bob Woodward, former chief of the CIA." (Woodward is a Washington
Post writer and never headed the CIA.) Raza says Brant revealed the $900
million plot in an interview given for the book, "A Plan to Divide
and Destroy the Theology." A check on amazon.com shows no such
book. In fact, the only thing close that shows up is, "Divide and
Destroy: Combating Satan's Destruction of the Christian
Marriage."
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