Guest of the Ayatollah

[M4Guru]

Found on another forum...

http://iran.theatlantic.com/interact...le_page_1.html

This is a preview of Mark Bowden's (Blackhawk Down) new book, Guests of the Ayatollah. It is the story of the operation to save the US hostages in Tehran and the disaster at Desert One.

It is due to be released on April 24, I believe. The videos of the operators sharing their memories of the operation are really interesting, I hope you guys enjoy this.

[The Reaper]

Read the posted version already.

Some mistakes and inaccuracies, but overall, a decent tribute.

Makes you wonder, if we had made it in, taken our people back by force, and punished those responsible, would the current radical Islamofascist movement be where it is?

Anyone remember where the Ayatollah Khomeni (IMO, the father of this movement) was being given refuge before he went back to Iran?

TR

Originally Posted by The Reaper

Anyone remember where the Ayatollah Khomeni (IMO, the father of this movement) was being given refuge before he went back to Iran?

TR

Not sure ..... wasn't he in France?

[Pat]

Correct. He first went to Turkey, then Iraq, then found a temporary home in France before returning to Iran.

[Solid]

The most recent Atlantic Monthly has a Bowden article on Eagle Claw, either a chapter from or synopsis of this book.

It was an interesting read, but I cannot vouch for its accuracy. There was also an interesting (if short piece) on the Ghurkas by Kaplan. I personally feel that Kaplan has a deep and unhealthy obsession with the idea of old-style Imperial COIN doctrine, but it is still fascinating material.

Solid

PS: In defense of the French, Wikipedia states: "According to Alexandre de Marenches (then head of the French secret services), France suggested to the Shah that they could "arrange for Khomeini to have a fatal accident"; the Shah declined the assassination offer, arguing that this would make him a martyr."

[Pat]

I saw that on Wikipedia also. It took a few minutes then I started to ask myself, "Why would the French let someone, who they offered to assassinate, stay in country?"

[Razor]

Consider the source of information available on Wikipedia.

And it's gripping.

Right off the bat Bowden sets the stage, talking about the players from the Iranian side, then dives right into the take over of the embassy.

Bowden's writing is sharp and puts you in the moment. By the time I finished the first 70 pages, I realized that the train I was on had not only got to my station in NY but turned around and headed back towards NJ!

Best non-fiction book of 06 to date.

j

[Monsoon65]

I just read some reviews of this book and it looks pretty good. I've been in several Introduction to Special Operations Courses and they usually do a briefing of Eagle Claw by someone who was actually there. They always pack the house on that day!

[Warrior-Mentor]

Am reading now....ADD kicked in, so I read the first 100 pages, then skipped to the execution phase of Eagle Claw.

The question I have is, has Jimmy Carter or Kissinger or Rockefeller ever admitted that they might have made a mistake by letting the Shah into the US for medical treatment? What would have happened if Pres Carter had not let him into the US (the 'tipping point' for the students cause to assault the embassy)?

[Alchemist]

Warrior-Mentor:

has Jimmy Carter or Kissinger or Rockefeller ever admitted that they might have made a mistake by letting the Shah into the US for medical treatment? What would have happened if Pres Carter had not let him into the US (the 'tipping point' for the students cause to assault the embassy)?

Interesting question, sir, but I submit that if they hadn't had that grievance they'd have found another. Our embassy was an island of the Great Satan, at a time when revolutionary fervor was running very high. Don't you think--given that they dared to do it for any reason--that they'd have attacked it sooner or later anyway?

[Team Sergeant]

Originally Posted by Alchemist

Warrior-Mentor:

Don't you think--given that they dared to do it for any reason--that they'd have attacked it sooner or later anyway?

I agree, it was not the tipping point, they would have stormed the embassy for any reason..... They just wanted a reason, any reason, to capture or kill Americans.

[JMI]

Making a toast with the shah wasn't the smartest thing Carter could have done either.

About 100 pages in, and being a history buff I dig the book.

I remember being in the 4th grade in St. Stephens elementary school. I punched a hole in our classroom globe right where Iran was located. Got suspended for it, but I'll never forgot how mad I was when I was little. Must have been all those evenings hearing my Father bitch at the evening news.

[C46thVA]

Originally Posted by JMI

I remember being in the 4th grade in St. Stephens elementary school. I punched a hole in our classroom globe right where Iran was located. Got suspended for it, but I'll never forgot how mad I was when I was little. Must have been all those evenings hearing my Father bitch at the evening news.

I will never forget that awful morning as we rode the bus to school. The radio was on and they broke in with news of the tragedy at Desert One. Becuase of my Dad I was pretty tuned in to world events even as a young lad. What a sh**ty day.
JW

[JMI]

225+ pages in and I love how the Marine contingent is what you'd expect - besides that Subic character - a bunch of hard ass mother's who don't take crap off the "students." Best part of the book so far, IMO..

What I never knew as a kid was the danger to Iran (and the US) that the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan actually had during the hostage takeover, both to our interests in the Middle East, and to Iran's western oil fields. Seems the USSR had an opportunity they were afraid to follow through on, for fear of the US and its might!

I hark back to those days when people feared us, and I gather they will if they push enough.