Operation Eagle Claw: A Dismal Failure

There were countless leaders during the Iranian Hostage Crisis, far too many to mention in just one project. Therefore, I have narrowed my topic to the Leadership of President Jimmy Carter. President Carter was a small-town Democrat from Georgia. Before he ran for president, he was virtually an unknown. Therefore he ran a “grassroots campaign,” which can be incredibly

Furthermore, the Shah purchased billions of dollars worth of weapons of security from the US. In 1979 the realm was overthrown by extreme Islam’s that were followers of Ayatollah Khomeini. The intention of the Iranian students was to display their displeasure against the Shah. Their demand was the return of the Shah for a trial followed by his death. In addition, they asked that the US stay out of their country’s affairs. Carter’s approach required the safeguarding of American hostages but also guaranteed an alliance with Iran. Carter’s tactics on the situation had devastating effects on his run for re-election (Hamilton, 1982).

On David Farber 's book Taken Hostage, Farber informs us about the Iran Hostage Crisis and America 's First Encounter with Radical Islam. This book tells us how the United States and Iran got into conflict, leading to the Iranians holding American Embassy members hostage as revenge for them feeling betrayed by the United States. It also informs us about other events that occurred in a decade that caused the United States many problems. Farber talked about all the events that lead to the Iranian Hostage Crisis. November 4, 1979, seizure of the United States embassy in Tehran and the hostage of four hundred and forty four days following, were the first steps leading up to the perpetual War on Terror. Farber believes the failure from American policymakers and more specifically from President Carter, to identify the severity of the crisis made for the prolonged crisis. The sheer ineptitude of Carter administration was the cost of the US to lose it’s way economically, culturally, politically and even military. Carter struggled to respond to the impulses of Islamic fundamentalism within the prevailing Cold War paradigm. They saw the real battle as against secular modernism and they recognized that the US was the major force spreading this cultural and political belief throughout the world. The media misrepresentations of the struggle and mass media manipulation of Americans played on the peoples emotions. Although Carter was popular at the beginning of his presidency, this began

November 4, 1979, seizure of the United States embassy in Tehran and the hostage of four hundred and forty-four days following, were the first steps leading up to the perpetual War on Terror. In the book Taken Hostage by David Farber informs about the Iran Hostage Crisis and the First Encounter with Radical Islam. United States and Iran got into conflict, leading to the Iranians holding American Embassy members hostage as revenge for them feeling betrayed by the United States. It also informs us about other events that occurred in a decade that caused the United States many problems. Farber believes the failure of American policymakers and more specifically from President Carter, to identify the severity of the crisis made for the prolonged crisis. The sheer ineptitude of the Carter administration was the cost of the US to lose it’s way economically, culturally, politically and even military. Carter struggled to respond to the impulses of Islamic fundamentalism within the prevailing Cold War paradigm. They saw the real problem as against modernism and they knew that the US was the major force spreading this belief throughout the world. The media misrepresentations of the struggle and mass media manipulation of Americans played on the peoples emotions. Although Carter was popular at the beginning of his presidency, this began to change when he was unable to solve economic problems and was unsuccessful in negotiating the release of the American hostages in Iran.

The United States history during 1977 to 1989 went through two presidencies and whirlwind of events happened. When President Jimmy Carter became president he wanted to lower the inflation rates to make life easier for the people of the United States. While that was his goal it got completely derailed. Near the end of Jimmy Carters presidency, a group of Iranian students took over the U.S Embassy in Tehran and took people hostage. Over the course of the 444 days the hostages where held captive while the people of the United States voted for a new president to help lead them into a new direction. The people voted for Ronald Reagan. While he was president things didn’t go as he planned as well. The issues with Iran did not calm down and escalated to something bigger. After the Iran hostage crisis, the US had another issues with Iran and it was the Iran- Contra affair. During this essay I will be talking about the book called “Taken Hostage” by David Farber and the information in the book. The book is about the time frame of Jimmy Carter’s presidency and the issues with Iran and the hostage crisis. The second half of my essay is towards President Ronald Reagan’s and the issues about the Iran- Contra affair and the lasting issues between Iran and the United states.

Which followed through to Ford’s Administration and the Carter Administration. As well as the illegal bombing of Cambodia. Carter gets harassed about his evidence of his failed foreign policy because of the Iranian Hostage crisis, which was not handled well, and the credit for the solution belonged to Reagan.

The Iranian hostage crisis was one of the most dramatic events in a series of problems that took place during President Jimmy Carter’s term. The crisis, beginning in November of 1979, received the most coverage of any major event since World War II. It was one of many problems faced in light of the United State’s complex relationship with Iran. The effects on both the US and Iran were astronomical, especially politically as well as economically and socially. It took a heavy toll on American relations with the Middle East and changed the way we engage in foreign affairs. In light of this crisis, Iran started an international war that we are still fighting thirty-two years later.

During this time, the people of this time became stricken with unprecedented gasoline and energy shortages and lost their jobs. Despite the previous political issues between Iran and the United States intelligence came up with plans to rescue 52 Americans from the United States embassy in Tehran, Iran. The Americans were taken by Iranian radicals in the attempt to enforce the patriotism and the release of assets. This not only caused economic hardship, military, and presidential conflict between the United States and Iran. It also brought forth the leadership of calling rescue mission by Jimmy Carter and the legacy Jimmy Carter and the legacy of the military officials fearlessness of negotiation and a surge of patriotism throughout the United States the legacy Jimmy Carter and the legacy of the military officials fearlessness of negotiation and a surge of patriotism throughout the United

During the election of 1980 most Americans eyes were fixed on two presidents. Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. Most Americans hearts were fixed on one issue. The Iranian hostage crisis. Jimmy Carter, the current president, had tried without success to end the crisis diplomatically. Ronald Reagan, an actor turned politician, had very little experience in a political position. Carter was not fit to handle the current crisis. His attempts to free the hostages had gone poorly both diplomatically and through use of force. Ronald Reagan was not very well known as a politician, he was known as an actor and many people believed that he would just act in office instead of being the

Carter as president of the United States in 1976, with his vocal emphasis on the importance of human rights in international affairs, was a turning point in US-Iran relations.”(Bakhtavar) The reason this was a turning point U.S.-Iran relations was because president Carter used this against the Shah of Iran, saying that he was infringing human rights. This created a conflict between the United States and Iran. His focus on Iran, put the Shah under pressure, and created many problems between the two countries. Continuing from the last quote, “The Shah of Iran was accused of torturing over 3000 prisoners. Under these banner of promoting human rights, Carter made excessive demands of the Shah, threatening to withhold military and social aid. (Bakhtavar) Carter’s human rights promotion led him to pretty much extort the Shah and use the the Shah and his country’s resources for his own gain. When Iranians who didn 't like the Shah saw this lack of support from the US they saw an opportunity that was not there before. All this led to something, which President Carter did not realize would happen, the overthrow of the Shah. The final quote in this article says, “Thus Jimmy Carter 's misguided implementation of human rights policies not only indirectly led to overthrow of the Shah of Iran, but also paved the way for loss of more than 600,000 lives, Iran 's rule by Ayatollahs, the Iran-Iraq War, Iraq 's Invasion of Kuwait and Desert Storm,

A major cause of the Iran hostage crisis can be tied to the United States involvement with Iranian politics in 1953 when they supported a military coup to give power to Shah Pahlavi. This coup was very successful and served as a model

Rarely in the history of U.S foreign policy has the diplomatic pendulum swept so wide an arc over such a short span of time. The swift regime change Iran witnessed in 1979 set forth a series of events that would define U.S relations with the Middle Eastern nation for decades to follow. It never occurred to me that one incident that lasted a little over a year could have such drastic repercussions.

President Carter accepted the permission for the Shah to come the the United States to obtain treatment for cancer. The College students charged the palace quite quickly, with the takeover happening within a matter of hours. The CIA has tried to intervene the situation, but failed. Another report says that the capture of America’s Embassy and its diplomatic staff was a hugely symbolic victory over “The Great Satan.” “The Great Satan” as being America, because America is known to be hated by most Iranians. The hostages are still being kept captive with little food and water. There are supposed " mock executions" happening at the Embassy. Another source says that this is a way to raise the intra and international profile of the revolution leader, the anti-american cleric Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. There was a hostage rescue attempt called “Operation Eagle Claw” it was a United States Armed Forces operation ordered by US President Jimmy Carter to attempt to end the Iran hostage crisis by rescuing 52 embassy staff held captive at the Embassy of the United States in Tehran on 24 April 1980. When they tried to rescue the 52 American hostages held in Tehran it ended with eight U.S. servicemen dead and no hostages

This mission was considered very to implement. It is said that this mission is the greatest disaster of Carters presidency (Houghton, 2001). On April 25, 1980, 97 soldiers were assembled to complete a rescue mission to free the hostages. On the way to Iran, the helicopters transporting the soldiers were caught in a sandstorm. Two of the helicopters collided and eight soldiers were killed. President Carter cancelled the rescue mission after the deaths of the soldiers. The remaining members of the rescue force chose or were compelled to leave behind the bodies of their colleagues in the Iranian desert (Houghton,

Background: On November 4, 1979, Iranian militants stormed the United States Embassy in Tehran and took 52 Americans captive. This terrorist act triggered the most profound crisis of the Carter presidency and began a personal ordeal for Jimmy Carter that lasted 444 days. President Carter committed himself to the safe return of the hostages while simultaneously protecting America’s interests and prestige. He pursued a policy of restraint that put a higher value on the lives of the hostages than on American retaliatory power or protecting his own political future.