*****
Iran replaced Persia as that country’s name in 1935 and during World War 2 both London and Moscow jointly occupied Iran. America stuck its snout into there in 1946 and by 1979 Iran had several billion dollars deposited in US banks while America was buying seven thousand barrels of oil each day from Iran.
The American government were coming under intense pressure from its own people about it doing nothing positive to resolve this issue which had become the main news item each day. These events cost Jimmy Carter the presidency and brought in Ronald Reagan. Then the PLO entered the negotiations and secured the release of 13 of the American embassy hostages leaving more egg on carters face. Something had to be done.
Antonio Mendez who was the CIA chief of disguise came up with a madcap idea of rescuing the 6 staying at the Canadian Embassy. He sets out on this mission, whilst an Irish mercenary was asked to put his paramilitary capabilities together to form a task force to get the other sixty six hostages out. That mission ended in complete disaster.
Mendez was an old school CIA operative who despite him being over his section still went into the field because he maintained that it was his plan. He was married with two children and was also a decent artist but he had no problem taking up another life (or taking lives) when it came to another mission.
Argo was the name of the ship that Jason and the Argonauts sailed in search of the Golden Fleece and the Mendez mission was destined to be an epic voyage as well.
The new Iranian regime was led by the Ayatollah Khomeini and he was not for bending at this stage. He demanded that America hand back the former Iranian leader, the Shah, who was hiding in America. The Ayatollah also demanded that the billions that the Shah had stashed in US banks be handed back to Iran. Carter said a quick ‘no’ to this.
Mendez sets out to Iran as a Hollywood producer to scout around looking at locations for a fake Science fiction film called Argo. A Canadian journalist comes to hear about the 6 American officials hidden in the Canadian Embassy but keeps the story quiet for a long time to keep the American 6 safe.
But time was running out.
I enjoyed the book and film, both.
- Antonio Mendez and Matt Baglio, 2013. Argo. Penguin. ISBN 0241964598
Thanks Michael. Seems like a worthwhile book. Will have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteMichael,
ReplyDeleteNot that easy book reviews, but its nice for the rest of us that people take the time to do it.
Good man Mickey - long overdue! Fair play
ReplyDeleteGood for you Michaelhenry. As Nuala says, book reviews are challenging when you attempt before getting a few under your belt.
ReplyDeleteIn Canada Argo has been strongly critised because Ben Affleck minimized thec role played by the Canadians and glorified the role played by the Americans. Holliwood rewrite again history.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cbc.ca/q/blog/tiff/2013/10/01/ken-taylor-canadian-caper/
Thanks for the kind words-
ReplyDeleteAndré-
The book itself pulls no punches and shows the amount of Sacrifice
that the Canadian Embassy and its people were prepared to go to keep
others safe-
That the US government would pay
the wages of a x Irish paramilitary whilst Irish politicians such as Gerry Adams and
x prisoners were/are banned from entering America shows the mind-set of the CIA-maybe its Richard Hass who should be answering some questions instead of looking for answers for the Irish-on page 41
this x Irish paramilitary-[ the book does not say which group he belonged to-]is named as Mike Dougherty who ran a CIA division-
a changed name I am sure but sure
the CIA or American representatives could tell us the truth-
Mickybroy very interesting indeed , and since you have read the book and watched the film,could you not put that new found knowledge to good use ,ie., disguise your president for life and Martybroy and the rest of the quisling crony hierarchy as political wannabes and take them to some far far away place never to return,and since most of them are already in the pay of the secret service then funding for this op should not be hard to find and in true Argus style bye bye,
ReplyDeleteMH
ReplyDeleteAs one who strugles at writing myself, the writing in your Review of Argo shows there has been a not inconsiderate improvement in your grammar, puctuation and writing skills in general.
Pity you reverted to type in your 'Thanks' post - took a while to decipher those comments, not as much as a 'full stop' in sight, still I got there in the end - anyhow, just goes to show, the old Quill has more uses than one.
Mickey,
ReplyDeleteI haven’t read the book nor seen the flick but enjoyed your review. Not that I will read the book or watch the flick a few too many other books on queue and me and my poor eyesight don’t agree at the best of times on TV or films.
Just because you penned a decent review I hope that doesn’t mean you are going to get soft on us now I’d miss the jabs.
Only joking mucker.
All the best
MH,
ReplyDeleteIt is less about the book, than the movie. My intervention was not to criticize your review, but to question Holliwood version. If you can read french look at the link below. Surry, I didn't find oone in english. But to resume: Argo is a pure fabulation says new evidences.
http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/International/2013/08/20/009-argo-otages-iran-cia-mendez-affleck.shtml