An inglorious 30th anniversary in iran
The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same: Where Were You When...
Where were you when the Iranian hostage crisis began? I was a junior in college, and in the '70's the mind was on things other than international affairs. But this story hit home. Americans, on American "soil", attacked and captured by "students", police and the Revolutionary Guard who overran our Iranian Embassy under the direction of the Ayatollah Khomeni.
The Iran Crisis - America Held Hostage: Day 1 - 444
Night after night at 11:30, people would gather to watch that days events unfold surrounding these 52 hostages. As a college student I didn't realize the world view of Jimmy Carter, his weakness, indecisiveness and lack of resolve. His inability to make a move to free these American citizens, captured on American territory and held for weeks and then years made a mockery of our stature as a world power. It was an embarrassment on a grand scale, as our own citizens and leaders around the world came to realize the level of incompetence emanating from the White House.
To top off this sad episode, Carter launched a failed rescue attempt, due in no small part to his meddling in the planning and execution. He also had attempted the diplomacy route by offering concessions to the very kidnappers that invaded our country and took our citizens hostage, which of course failed miserably as well.
History Repeating Itself
On the anniversary of this event, the current leadership in Washington bears a striking resemblance to the Carter administration. This similarity I am sure does not go unnoticed around the world. As much as the world has changed, Iran has remained much the same. Have we?