Absolutely true. He greased the skids for removal of the Shah using the rationale of his human rights policy. Vance convinced the Shah not to use Savak (the secret police) against his political enemies.
The Shah was corrupt, but he was a vital ally. We had over 1,000 Americans assigned to our Embassy and consulates as well as critical listening stations along the Caspian monitoring the Soviet Union's nuclear and missile programs. And we had a huge number of American businesses in Iran. In 1978 there were over 70,000 Americans in Tehran alone.
In Tehran you could buy Playboy on the newsstand. Women dressed in Western garb with very few wearing a shador. There were more women in the Iranian Parliament than there were in the US Congress. Israel had a trade mission in Tehran.
There were 50,000 Iranians studying in the US, the largest contingent of foreign students in the US. It was many of the students wearing paper bags over their heads that demonstrated in front of the WH against the Shah and help convince Carter that he should ease out the Shah in the name of human rights. It was a disastrous decision that gave us Khomeini and the biggest state sponsor of terrorism. And thanks to Obama, a future nuclear power.
I can recall vividly in 1977 on New Years Eve in Tehran when Carter visited Iran. There was an entourage of over 900 people counting the reporters including Barbara Walters. The Shah picked up the tab for everything. A year later the Shah was gone thanks to Carter.
Great summary of the past, never saw or heard about that before. Another consequence of electing a no experience President.
Wow I had not heard that version before thanks very much! I had heard that the Shah was corrupt but compared to the mullahs a saint.
We can only hope that the current protests will morph into something that gets rid of the terror loving mullahs.
I remember in basic training and technical school in 1976 we had a huge contingent of Iranian Air Force student/trainees.
They also had a strong redneck attitude about them. One set off the fire alarms in their barracks when he tried to burn the feathers off a chicken he bought from some farmer. I’ll never forget the Keesler AFB fireman coming outside holding a dead smoking chicken but its foot. We all laughed as the “all-clear” was given.
The abc panel all cry-babying now that Trump has exposed their bias and their fake news. They can’t stand the truth ever getting out. Meanwhile, the Iran revolt goes on and totally ignored in the discussion today!! Must be Trumps fault. LOL!!
Then predictably back to Trump colludes with Putin all agreeing its the defining story of this year.
unreal!!