Iran Hostage Crisis Analysis

Rising tensions in the Middle East lead to perhaps the most infamous event during President Jimmy Carter’s administration: the Iran Hostage Crisis. During November of 1979, Iranian university students with growing anti-United States sentiment stormed the United States embassy in Tehran, capturing and holding 60 Americans hostage for 444 days. Though Carter issued a risky military operation with intent to send an elite rescue team into the compound in April of 1980 (often referred to as Operation Eagle Claw), the mission failed and resulted in the death of eight American servicemen when sandstorms compromised helicopters, resulting in one of the helicopters to crash into another aircraft during take-off. The incident proved disastrous for Carter

“Oh, Lee, that’s gorg-omigod.” The design on the rug was a full face of the Ayatollah Khomeini! There was an explosion of laughter from everyone in the room” (192). Another rhetorical device the authors used to develop a genuine piece was the use of humor, which goes hand in hand with pathos. Actual, humorous events that their interviewees shared were included in the book in an attempt to show the humanitarian side of the crisis and the efforts on both the Canadian and American sides, home and abroad, to keep emotions under control during a very strenuous time of both country’s histories, as well as to give the story more of a reality feeling rather than strictly political. Ethos and logos were often intertwined during the dook, as the two were present for nearly the entirety of it. The Canadian decision to hold the six Americans goes with the ethics of the situation, as described in the story after the escaped six were brought to the attention of Ken

After the six Americans returned to the States and Pelletier’s article was released, Canada gained overwhelming popularity in the U.S., their parliament receiving thousands of letters in gratitude and public demonstrations of thanks throughout the U.S., although it is also stated in the book: “Nor did the Canadian Caper yield any tangible benefits for Canada in its relations with the United States” (234), then further explains the American government’s approval of a number of bills that hurt Canadian environment and trade balance- again, making their decision to help ethically correct even though it didn’t exactly make the most logical sense, displaying Canada as the selfless hero regardless of their own circumstances- presenting themes of bravery, selflessness, and