FTR, the mess in Iran was not Carter's fault

[Politruk]

It was Eisenhower's fault. Carter just inherited the situation.

 

[Politruk]

In hindsight, there really was no better way Carter could have handled it.

 

[TJX]

Wow, 444 days of no better way.

 

[Politruk]

Wow, 444 days of no better way.

Can you think of one? Going to war would not have been a better way. A more limited form of military action was tried -- not Carter's fault that it failed.

 

[TJX]

One attempt in a failed rescue and then gave up. Leave no man behind. It’s just a little thing called loyalty.

 

[Politruk]

One attempt in a failed rescue and then gave up. Leave no man behind. It’s just a little thing called loyalty.

A second attempt would have been worse than pointless. The Iranians would have been watching for it.

 

[TJX]

President Carter was great man who had more accomplishments than almost anybody. This was one of his greatest failures.

 

[Politruk]

President Carter was great man who had more accomplishments than almost anybody. This was one of his greatest failures.

What should he have done differently?

 

[Politruk]

Certainly it would not have been a better move to try to preserve the Shah in power.

 

[Politruk]

It was Eisenhower's fault. Carter just inherited the situation.

And it really was a bad move to overthrow Mossadegh's government, just for the sake of British oil interests.

 

[Politruk]

It was Eisenhower's fault. Carter just inherited the situation.

Keep this in mind as we remember him.

 

[Politruk]

Carter toons.

 

[JohnEngelman]

And it really was a bad move to overthrow Mossadegh's government, just for the sake of British oil interests.

Unfortunately, few Americans knew about that. All they knew is that the Iranians humiliated us by capturing the hostages, caused gasoline lines and inflation, and Carter could not stop it.