**Western Interests in the Middle East Tied to Oil Profits** In a move that may be considered a breach of etiquette, it is essential to contextualize the recent attack on Iran by Donald Trump. The intense western interest in the Middle East and west and central Asia, sustained for more than a century, is not a random phenomenon. It is connected to the region's vast reserves of oil, a fuel source that has driven global power dynamics. **Historical Context: The 1953 Coup** Trump's war aims may be incoherent, but Iran's treatment as an "enemy of the west" has its roots in the past. In 1953, Winston Churchill's government persuaded the CIA to launch a coup against the popular democratic government of Mohammad Mossadegh. The UK sought to protect its interests in the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, which Mossadegh had attempted to nationalize. The US, with UK support, tried twice to overthrow Mossadegh, succeeding on the second attempt with the help of opportunistic ayatollahs. The coup reinstated the shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company became British Petroleum, later BP, in 1954. **The Revolution of 1979 and Ongoing Consequences** The 1953 coup, combined with the shah's brutal dictatorship, triggered the revolution of 1979. The ayatollahs captured the revolution, leading to devastating consequences for many Iranians. The country's current leadership would not be in power were it not for the violent crushing of democracy by western governments for the sake of oil. **The Myth of "Free Market Capitalism"** Taking a step back from this history reveals a critical truth. The conflation of capitalism with "free markets" is a misleading concept. The historical and ongoing plunder of resources, police and military forces deployed against those who resist, shifting of profits from less powerful nations to major powers, intimidation of labor, and extraction of rent are all coercive and expensive practices. In many cases, land, commodities, and labor are simply stolen, while public resources are given or sold at a fraction of their value to private monopolists. **The Role of Military Power and Persuasion** The world's military power exists in large part to deliver profit from resources, especially oil, to banks and shareholders, commodity traders, and asset managers. To achieve this goal, the infrastructure of persuasion – lobbyists, media, and social media algorithms – is mobilized to ensure that the interests of those in power are protected.