National Affairs: Threatening Letter

The great danger in U.S. foreign aid is that it may tempt the governments of some countries to pursue ruinous policies, and hand Uncle Sam the bill. The presentation could be accompanied by the threat of Communism and/or collapse if help is not forthcoming.

Iran's wily Premier Mohammed Mossadegh gave a glaring example of this technique. He boastfully accepted the prospect of national bankruptcy involved in his stubborn refusal to negotiate with the British on compensation for oil nationalization. But he expected the U.S. to bail him out when the going got tough. A month ago he wrote a threatening letter to...