محمد مصدق
Among Copeland's first postings was Damascus, Syria (September 1947) beginning a long career in the Middle East. Together with Stephen Meade (1913–2004) he played a role in supporting the March 1949 Syrian coup d'état. Working with Kim Roosevelt, he was instrumental in arranging Operation Ajax, the 1953 technical coup d'état against Prime Minister of Iran Mohammad Mosaddegh.