New Mark Bowden book on Iranian hostage rescue mission

[KB]

The Atlantic Monthly May issue's cover story, "The Desert One Debacle," by Mark Bowden, details the Carter administration's ill-fated attempt to rescue the fifty-three American hostages captured by Iranian revolutionaries in 1979. The operation was headed by the Delta Force, then a newly formed elite Army unit, and executed in complete secrecy. As planned, it constituted "one of the most daring thrusts in U.S. military history," but after a series of miscalculations and a few strokes of extraordinary bad luck, the mission ended disastrously—with eight American deaths, and no contact with the enemy. "It was a debacle," Bowden writes. "It defined the word 'debacle.'" The article appears online [iran.theatlantic.com] (http://r.pm0.net/s/c?3ne.fvbu.3.c2ay.1i34) as part of a special interactive Web site featuring photos, maps, links to original (formerly secret) documents, and videotaped interviews with many of the Desert One participants.

Bowden has spent the past five years studying the Iranian hostage crisis—he has traveled throughout Iran and interviewed a wide variety of sources, including former American hostages, some of the Iranian students who took part in their capture, and the military men, politicians, and negotiators who tried, in one way or another, to end the standoff. Some of his work on the topic has previously appeared in The Atlantic—"Among the Hostage Takers, (http://r.pm0.net/s/c?3ne.fvbu.4.7jln.1i34)" in December 2004, and "Captivity Pageant, (http://r.pm0.net/s/c?3ne.fvbu.5.b0bb.1i34)" in December 2005—and the sum of his labors is collected in his newest book, Guests of the Ayatollah (http://r.pm0.net/s/c?3ne.fvbu.6.c34h.1i34), which will hit stores later this month. An accompanying documentary will air this June on the Discovery Times Channel. A Web site dedicated to the book (www.theguestsoftheayatollah.com (http://www.theguestsoftheayatollah.com)) will launch April 13th.

[AFG]

I'll buy it, I loved Black Hawk Down

[RGRBOX]

Although I liked BHD,and will probably read this one too. Why do these guys always have to use words like "Debacle"? I don't think that all that happened during that mission spelled the end of anything.. just the begining.. and if you look at the USSOCOM today, it has learned a lot from that failed mission... I know some of the people whoo were on that mission, Rgrs, and Delta members, and I've never heard any of them use that word... I think most were sadden not to have been able to complete the mission.. to show their skills, and training.. and to win the day.. it was a hard mission, but I also, along with some I've spoken to who believe it was possible...

[Aerosoul]

Haney attributed the problems with the mission to the helo crews if i recall. at least for the most part. i'll be interested in the book though, i like Bowden.

[Flagg]

I've always respected Bowden's work. I will certainly be giving this book a read.

Anyone who enjoys his books should check out his older/lesser known stuff prior to the serial Blackhawk Down newspaper column for the Philadelphia Inquirer that made him famous.

[Charlie dont surf]

im sure itl be a very balanced view at the event and smartly writen.

[Frostythesnowman]

In Haney's book I somewhat remember (this was 4 yrs ago when i read it) that the helos were disassembled in the States and then reassembled in the Persian Gulf by a totally dif't group of people, not the one's who originally worked with the strike force. The pilots that were used I remember reading were also very green and were navy or marine pilots who had little to no experience in desert flying. The helos were also out of date as well. If there's anything else or if I screwed up on something just correct me

[14rdb]

In Jeremy Coulson's book 'No Heroes' about the origins of the FBI HRT and his career with the FBI, he says:

"This heartbreaking accident was not of Delta's making. If a bus hauling the Denver Broncos to the Super Bowl crashed, we wouldn't say the team lost the game. I thought it was grossly unfair that the affair tarnished Delta's public image. Inside the international brotherhood of tactical guys, the commando team retained its luster, attracting the best and brightest people in the Army. Delta was, and is, known for its superb planning process, its scientific approach to assaults, and its extraordinary marksmanship and physical training. It is equal or superior to any other counterterror force in the world."

I mention this because the media loved to point out this 'failure' of Delta Force whenever speaking about them, at least a few years ago when there wasn't a whole lot of other known missions to attribute to them.

[AlphaOneSix]

Why do these guys always have to use words like "Debacle"?

While I would tend to agree that the word is overused, the Iran hostage rescue mission meets the definition perfectly.

[AOCBravo2004]

Haney attributed the problems with the mission to the helo crews if i recall. at least for the most part. i'll be interested in the book though, i like Bowden.

Which I frankly thought was unfair. The Marine Aviators could not control the mechanical problems a couple of the helos had, then you had dust being kicked up like no other while another 53 was on the ground when the rotors hit the 130. Murphy just reared his ugly head into this.

[Aerosoul]

yeah i'm rather inclined to agree with you.

[ronin2172]

Although I liked BHD,and will probably read this one too. Why do these guys always have to use words like "Debacle"? I don't think that all that happened during that mission spelled the end of anything.. just the begining.. and if you look at the USSOCOM today, it has learned a lot from that failed mission... I know some of the people whoo were on that mission, Rgrs, and Delta members, and I've never heard any of them use that word... I think most were sadden not to have been able to complete the mission.. to show their skills, and training.. and to win the day.. it was a hard mission, but I also, along with some I've spoken to who believe it was possible...
Sentiment aside it was a debacle....through no fault of those who participated. No where does debacle mean the end or impossible it's just another word for failure.

No one doubts that the rangers, airmen, marines, and Delta were willing, ready and able to do the job. But when lady luck isn't on your side even the best laid plans can turn into a big mess.

[kraf001]

you might not believe it but there is a generation in Iran (ppl aged 50 to 70) who believe that Russians had something to do with what happened in "Desert of Tabas" to Americans..

furthermore most Iranian believe hostage crisis was not a crisis at all! their reasoning is that if there was a harsh stance in either sides the hostages would have been seriously hurt or Americans would have declared war... to most Iranian the hostage crisis was just a political tool for presidential election in US and they see Contra affairs as a follow up to close ties between some parties in US and America!

[Lanton]

Although I liked BHD,and will probably read this one too. Why do these guys always have to use words like "Debacle"? I don't think that all that happened during that mission spelled the end of anything.. just the begining.. and if you look at the USSOCOM today, it has learned a lot from that failed mission... I know some of the people whoo were on that mission, Rgrs, and Delta members, and I've never heard any of them use that word... I think most were sadden not to have been able to complete the mission.. to show their skills, and training.. and to win the day.. it was a hard mission, but I also, along with some I've spoken to who believe it was possible...
The Desert One incident clearly illustrated the U.S.'s impotence in influencing political affairs in the region. The U.S., with it's multi-billion dollar defence budget and a broad range of sophisticated weapon's systems giving the Pentagon a worldwide power-projection capability couldn't threaten a country like Iran into handing over the hostages voluntarily.

Neither, as the Americans showed, could they mount an operation like Eagle Claw and successfully retrieve the hostages.

In Middle Eastern politics, it's all about perception. If you're percieved as being weak, you're not taken seriously as a power.

[gaz]

I've always respected Bowden's work. I will certainly be giving this book a read.

Anyone who enjoys his books should check out his older/lesser known stuff prior to the serial Blackhawk Down newspaper column for the Philadelphia Inquirer that made him famous.
A lot of those are included in Road Work (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1843543036/qid=1144576572/sr=8-10/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i10_xgl/026-3728606-7929211), it's well worth getting hold of.

[RGRBOX]

Interesting find..

[c46thva]

Anyone interested in the rescue attempt ought to read "The Guts to Try" It was written by a USAF officer who was heavily innvolved in the planning and the execution of the mission. He also lays alot of blame at the feet of the Marine pilots who flew the helos.

[.Incognito]

Also read Delta Force by Col. Charlie Beckwith(ret). He explains a bit about what wrong with the rescue mission in his book. Hope this bump doesn't make anybody make anybody upset.

[ABNINF]

Week old threads aren't that big a deal, it's the 3 and 4 year old threads that people wanna go :cantbeli: