Iran Hostage Crisis (1979) v. Dead Iranian Soleimani - What a Difference 40 Years Makes

Back in November 1979 Iranian "students" seized the U.S. embassy in Teheran, holiding over 40 Americans hostage. The Carter Administration relied upon "quiet diplomacy" to obtain their release. This was successful, over one year and two months later. As the November 9, 1979 New York Times reported (link):

New York Times said:

A White House official said only "quiet and firm diplomacy" was being pursued and no consideration was being given to military action to free the hostages. It was learned that Pope John Paul II had been asked to help and that consultations were going on at the United Nations. Despite reports from Iran that appeared discouraging, American officials were still pinning their hopes on the possibility that the P.L.O., with which the United States has avoided official dealings, might be able to persuade Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Iranian ruler, to order the release of the hostages.

Click to expand...

By contrast, after the Iranian government, led by Qasem Soleimani incinerated the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, our President speedily had him removed, with extreme prejudice. What a difference 40 years, almost to the day makes.

Before the hostage crisis:
January, 1979, Jimmy Carter forced the Shah out of Iran which left a leadership vacuum.
Jimmy Carter supported the freeing of Khomeini from exile in France and supported Khomeini's bid to replace the Shah with his Islamic Theocracy.
In November, 1979, Khomeini repaid Carter with a stab in the back by taking over the American embassy in Teheran and keeping 52 Americans hostage for 444 days, letting the hostages go free the day after Reagan was inaugurated President. Carter did make one military attempt to free the hostages, but a helicopter crash due to mechanical failure sidelined and permanently ended any and all attempts at rescue.

Carters stupidity didn't end there:

Carter also supported Sadaam Hussein in Iraq as a "buffer" against Iran. Then it went from bad to worse as Carter also forced Israel to accept the "Camp David Accords" which created and funded a Palestinian State that was openly hostile to Israel and the USA.

Most of the middle east mess we're stuck with today was started by James Earl Carter and has been maintained by the permanent bureaucracy since then.. I wonder how many of those suicidal Carter decisions were made based on information from that same bureaucracy? I wonder how much of the appeasement policies have been pushed by that same bureaucracy? I wonder how we can go about firing such imbeciles?

Well, except we're only days after the events and none of us knows what happens in the coming years.

Or if our traditional allies will hold important intel back from us since our president is trashing and ridiculing them. Plus, they can't trust him.

iluvTrump said:

Before the hostage crisis:
Most of the middle east mess we're stuck with today was started by James Earl Carter and has been maintained by the permanent bureaucracy since then.. I wonder how many of those suicidal Carter decisions were made based on information from that same bureaucracy? I wonder how much of the appeasement policies have been pushed by that same bureaucracy? I wonder how we can go about firing such imbeciles?

Click to expand...

I started as an enthusiastic supporter of Carter. Remember Ford promised to "reassess" our relations with Israel. I even went to the 1976 Democratic Convention on a press pass. In the nature of full disclosure my first name is "James." People used to call me Jimmy. I stop that by saying "I am not a failed Southern president or an anti-Semite."

CaughtInThe said:

Well, except we're only days after the events and none of us knows what happens in the coming years.

Or if our traditional allies will hold important intel back from us since our president is trashing and ridiculing them. Plus, they can't trust him.

Click to expand...

We now know the results. A smashing victory for the U.S.

JBG said:

Back in November 1979 Iranian "students" seized the U.S. embassy in Teheran, holiding over 40 Americans hostage. The Carter Administration relied upon "quiet diplomacy" to obtain their release. This was successful, over one year and two months later. As the November 9, 1979 New York Times reported (link):
By contrast, after the Iranian government, led by Qasem Soleimani incinerated the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, our President speedily had him removed, with extreme prejudice. What a difference 40 years, almost to the day makes.

Click to expand...

FWIW, there was a little thing called Operation Eagle Claw while the hostage crisis was going on. It didn't work out well for us and Carter, who was in the middle of a re-election campaign, didn't make another attempt. The Iranians decided to release the hostages on inauguration day most likely because they didn't want to have to deal with Reagan.

CaughtInThe said:

Well, except we're only days after the events and none of us knows what happens in the coming years.

Or if our traditional allies will hold important intel back from us since our president is trashing and ridiculing them. Plus, they can't trust him.

Click to expand...

Leftists enemies of the President of the United States criticize him for not sharing with them the secret intelligence behind the decisions he must make as President. Leftists are not supposed to be given that information. Nobody without a security clearance and a need to know is supposed to be given that information. Leftists don't generally know this because so many of them were trained in American universities by Marxist morons.

Lutherf said:

FWIW, there was a little thing called Operation Eagle Claw while the hostage crisis was going on. It didn't work out well for us and Carter, who was in the middle of a re-election campaign, didn't make another attempt. The Iranians decided to release the hostages on inauguration day most likely because they didn't want to have to deal with Reagan.

Click to expand...

You only get to try that sort of thing once, anyway.

marke said:

Leftists enemies of the President of the United States criticize him for not sharing with them the secret intelligence behind the decisions he must make as President. Leftists are not supposed to be given that information. Nobody without a security clearance and a need to know is supposed to be given that information. Leftists don't generally know this because so many of them were trained in American universities by Marxist morons.

Click to expand...

All you have to do to get that information is log on to twitter when Trump is cracked out on Adderall.

JBG said:

Back in November 1979 Iranian "students" seized the U.S. embassy in Teheran, holiding over 40 Americans hostage. The Carter Administration relied upon "quiet diplomacy" to obtain their release. This was successful, over one year and two months later. As the November 9, 1979 New York Times reported (link):
By contrast, after the Iranian government, led by Qasem Soleimani incinerated the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, our President speedily had him removed, with extreme prejudice. What a difference 40 years, almost to the day makes.

Click to expand...

Donald Trump would prefer for you to contrast him with Barack Obama, not Jimmy Carter.

JBG said:

Back in November 1979 Iranian "students" seized the U.S. embassy in Teheran, holiding over 40 Americans hostage. The Carter Administration relied upon "quiet diplomacy" to obtain their release. This was successful, over one year and two months later. As the November 9, 1979 New York Times reported (link):
By contrast, after the Iranian government, led by Qasem Soleimani incinerated the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, our President speedily had him removed, with extreme prejudice. What a difference 40 years, almost to the day makes.

Click to expand...

Carter did not initially secure the release of the hostages. His diplomatic negotiations failed so Carter ordered a rescue mission that resulted in the death of 8 American soldiers.
It wasn’t until 1980 when Iraqi invaded Iran that negotiations commenced again. It is believed the standoff was a major factor in Carters 1980 landslide loss to Reagan.

CaughtInThe said:

Well, except we're only days after the events and none of us knows what happens in the coming years.
Or if our traditional allies will hold important intel back from us since our president is trashing and ridiculing them. Plus, they can't trust him.

Click to expand...

What a dumb statement!

Our "traditional" allies have been sucking at the American tit for 70 years - it's about time they started to pay their own way. Any of those "allies" that hold back important intel are not our allies but are our enemies. As a Vietnam Vet, I am sick of seeing our soldiers placed in imminent and constant danger because of American involvement built on a platform of appeasement that allows enemies such as Iran to get away with murdering our soldiers since 1979.

These so called "allies" are in name only as they follow the same dictates that Presidnt Trump utilizes that are best clarified by Charles DeGaul who stated "There are no national alliances; there are only national self interests!".

Jean-s said:

Donald Trump would prefer for you to contrast him with Barack Obama, not Jimmy Carter.

Click to expand...

Trump would equally love both comparisons.

Outlook said:

Carter did not initially secure the release of the hostages. His diplomatic negotiations failed so Carter ordered a rescue mission that resulted in the death of 8 American soldiers.
It wasn’t until 1980 when Iraqi invaded Iran that negotiations commenced again. It is believed the standoff was a major factor in Carters 1980 landslide loss to Reagan.

Click to expand...

Quite true. And the hostages were only released out of fear that Reagan would pull an operation similar to Soleimani's killing.

JBG said:

Trump would equally love both comparisons.

Quite true. And the hostages were only released out of fear that Reagan would pull an operation similar to Soleimani's killing.

Click to expand...

That is what was speculated.
The Carter administration agreed to terms called the Algiers Accord in which the hostages were released in exchange for Iran funds to be unfrozen and immunity from lawsuits.

JBG said:

Trump would equally love both comparisons. ...

Click to expand...

The word is contrast. Not even in Donald Trump's brilliant mind, perhaps the most brilliant in American history (make that world history) can there be any comparison between him and either Jimmy Carter or Barack Obama.

Jean-s said:

The word is contrast. Not even in Donald Trump's brilliant mind, perhaps the most brilliant in American history (make that world history) can there be any comparison between him and either Jimmy Carter or Barack Obama.

Click to expand...

At lesat Trump is not a fool as was the case with Carter or a child looking for approval in the case of Obama.