[June 29, 2021] Some of us remember the “Iranian Hostage Crisis” in 1979, where 52 American diplomats and citizens were held hostage after Iranian militants took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran for 444 days. In 1979, poor American leadership was an invitation to rogue actors to hit against the interests of the U.S.
American leadership at the time was weak. Under U.S. President Jimmy Carter, the nation was in a general malaise (see my take on his “malaise speech” here). It was July 15, 1979, that Carter gave, what others call, his greatest speech. The New York Times said the speech “struck a chord” and was on-target, giving the President a lift in his confidence rating by citizens. I remember the speech well. I also remember thinking, “we’re screwed.”
Less than four months later, on November 4, 1979, Ebrahim Raisi led students belonging to the Muslim Student Followers of the Imam’s Line in the embassy takeover. An anti-American media described the violation of international standards and human rights as an “entanglement.” America projected weakness, and Iran took advantage.
Today, Raisi is a cleric known as an international criminal for participating in the largest massacre and genocide after World War II, the massacre of 30,000 political prisoners in 1988. He was part of the Delegation of Death.1 The delegation was commissioned by Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of the Iranian regime, to “clarify the situation of those political prisoners who did not change their opinions against the clerical dictatorship.”2
For additional information about Ebrahim Raisi, you can read comments from Dominic Green. At the request of our friends at PowerLineBog, Spectator has made his column accessible for the time being. His article opens this way:
The president is a placeholder for the people who really run the country. The elections were rigged. And most of the American media cheers along. No, not the United States: Iran. The peace-loving, centrifuge-spinning, flag-burning regime has a new president, Ebrahim Raisi. The Biden administration did promise us a new era in US-Iranian relations, and here it is: Raisi will be the first Iranian president to take office while under sanctions for mass murder.
Amnesty International has called for Raisi’s prosecution for “crimes against humanity.” The big problem for the United States is that we are again showing weakness in the face of evil. When that happens, bad things are just around the corner. This is a universal hard-learned lesson that American politicians seem unable to learn. President Biden would do well to reject Raisi, but that will not happen, confirming that the U.S. postures but is incalculably weak.
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What’s up guys and gals. Well, if you ain’t willing to take out Iran’s leadership, then you ain’t a good person. Evil is not always hard to see. Maybe we just think a little evil is okay. WRONG. Get with it folks. Speak out against Iran and its terror methods. China is next on the chopping block for murdering people.
Iran’s leaders need to go down. Recognizing evil is, as Gen. Satterfield notes, is an important leader trait. Go USA 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
How is it that so clearly evil can exist and yet so few are willing to do something about it. The situation in Iran reminds me of the time Hitler came to power and the big powerful countries of Europe were more interested in appeasing him than stopping him. Later, after they figured out what he was doing, it cost millions of lives and horrific destruction.
Go figure.
Pray that the US does not fall for the most evil country in the world, again.
You got that right but, alas, I’m afraid the Biden-Harris will take us down that path simply because Trump opposed it. Their way of governing is simply anti-Trump. But, as we all know, being anti-something is no way to lead. Biden and Harris are not competent leaders.
Pres. Jimmy Carter was the worst president in US history. Now, Pres. Biden appears to be in the competition.
“Biden tells Israeli president ‘Iran will never get a nuclear weapon on my watch’” ha ha ha ha ha. Biden is actually encouraging and enabling Iran to get a nuclear weapon. Biden is just saying words that have no meaning from him because all he can do is real a teleprompter on what someone else wrote from him. I predict Biden won’t even be able to read it in a year from now. Weakness will be his legacy.
… and VP Harris’ legacy will be her laugh.
You’re killing me Valkerie. But what you say here is so right. Many have written about the weakness of Biden and the lack of real support among true Americans.
👍👍👍👍 I agree.
Me too. Thanks.
Staring evil in the face ….
Great article, Gen. Satterfield, thanks.
Exactly why I keep coming back to this site, Darwin. You too, I suspect.
Wow, and Iran is getting away with this on the international stage. Part of the reason they can do it is that American media is all behind them and have the same anti-American philosophy.
In my opinion, some strong country needs to go kick some butt in Iran. That’ll teach em a lesson.
Excellent article and right on target, once again Gen. Satterfield. Iran is a rogue nation. That means someone, one day, will be forced to take out its leadership. The people are not the problem except they go along with the evil that runs the country. Ebrahim Raisi is a mass murderer, yet America is cozying up to him. Why? We are weak and stupid at the same time.
Sad but true and yet so many liberals (or should I just say useful idiots) cannot see they are being led down a path by the ring in their noses.
Yep, and why not. If you are a liberal, you are superior to everyone else on earth. You cannot be outsmarted or out moralized.
Good point Max. Thank you for a great comment. 👍
Appreciate the upvote, Randy.
I remember the time well. Pres Carter was not up to the task of being a real leader. He was very weak. Just like Biden and Harris. Both Biden and Harris together wouldn’t even make one Carter and that is pathetic.
Ouch, tell us what you think Bryan. But, alas, I must write here that I agree with you. Biden is so weak that it invites ‘strong’ countries to hit back at us. Take Iran as just one example. They did it in 1979 and will do it again now.
I hate to say it but American draws terrorists to its shores because it is now weak.
So we can destroy them with extreme prejudice. Now Biden is president and we attract terrorists and criminals because they vote Democrat.