It's Been 28 Years

It was 28 years ago today that Iranian students -- including Mahmoud Ahdamindejad -- stormed the United States Embassy in Iran, committing an act of war, and beginning 444 days of capitvity for (eventually) 52 United States citizens (including the Marine guards).

The Iranian Hostage Crisis as it came to be called was a disastrously embarrasing episode for the United States.  It ended one presidency, and undoubtedly gave rise to the next.  It was ultimately not ended by diplomacy (contrary to the fanciful dreams of James Earl Carter and his flack Warren Christopher), but by Iranian fears over what would the Iran-Iraq ware might do if the Iraqis were successful (again) in bombing Tehran.  In fact, their hatred of Carter was SO intense, they insisted that the release would not occur until 12:01 pm EST on Inauguration day of 1981.

Personally, the Iranian hostage crisis is the first "big thing" I remember in the news.  At the ripe age of 8, I remember day after day -- for over a year -- walking back and forth to school and watching the number of US Flags and yellow ribbons on Clearwood Road and Edgedale Road climb as normal Americans in our working class neighborhood continued to show their love of country.  Malaise my ass.

I remember the anger and the arguments at family dinner over the Desert One fiasco-- and the blame placed clearly at the feet of Jimmy Carter for not giving the military what they needed.

I remember seeing the bmx bike seats with the Ayatollah's face on them at C.A. Mueller's bike shop, and the Mickey Mouse picture of Mickey waving a flag, flipping the bird, and saying "Hey Iran!".  And let's not forget "Bomb Bomb Bomb, Bomb Bomb Iran" sung to the tune of the Beach Boys' Barbara Ann.

It's pretty fair to say that the Iranian Hostage Crisis made me a Republican.  Ronnie seemed to have a plan, and his faith in America never faltered.  Jimmy couldn't buy a clue, and his faith in American disappeared. (In fact, he is still looking for it in plagiarized maps of the Middle East).

Note: I was really a Republican before I was a conservative.

It's been 28 years now, and nothing much has changed.  Iran is still a complete disaster, although now they are much more dangerous.  Those students are today's leadership.  That radicalism is today's fanaticism.  That old enemy is tomorrow's next.

Let's hope the next President that confronts Iran does it better than the last one.  And next time -- add the extra CH-53, and tell the Saudis to go frak an oil well when we can't get flyover rights.