How did Carter aid the Mullahs, other than by not standing up to them directly in the Hostage Crisis and sending them the message that we "werent to be messed with."
Not questioning you, just wondering if you could offer me some more insight. Thanks
There was a moment when the Shah of Iran could have been supported, and when we probably could have leaned on France not to send Ayatollah Khomeini back to Iran, much as the mischievous Germans sent Lenin to Russia in 1917. Carter, however, completely agreed with the Mainstream Media that the Shah was corrupt and had to go, and that the Mullahs would give Iran a more honest government.
It was a serious misreading of the political situation. He could have used the CIA and his political power to block the regime change. Instead he took the popular course and helped destroy the Shah. Once the regime change had taken place, of course, there was little that we could do, short of war.
Later, it came back to haunt him with the hostage crisis, which he couldn't have deserved more.