October Surprise: America's Hostages in Iran and the Election of Ronald Reagan

by Gary G. Sick

Describes how the Reagan-Bush campaign made a secret deal with Iran to delay the release of the American hostages until after the 1980 election

Genres: Politics, History, Nonfiction, American History, The United States Of America, Iran

277 pages, Hardcover

First published November 19, 1991

Reviews

[Steven Wilson]

An excellent piece of journalism on an unfortunate piece of US history. Gary Sick, who served on the National Security Council of Republican and Democratic Presidents, and was princip White House Aide during the Iranian hostage crisis in the 1980's, gives the lowdown on the behind the scenes (illegal) dealings of the Reagan campaign which lead to the hostages being kept longer in order to effect the outcome (in Reagan's favor) of the presidential election against Jimmy Carter.

[Nick Lloyd]

If you thought colluding with a foreign government to subvert a presidential election was new to 2016, you were mistaken. Former Naval Officer and NSC staffer Gary Sick provides convincing evidence that Reagan's campaign manager and future CIA director William Casey met with Iranian agents during the 1980 campaign and made a deal to delay the release of the 52 hostages until after the election, thereby guaranteeing his boss's victory. It's difficult to blame the Iranians here, as Carter really shot himself in the foot by refusing to budge on providing arms to Iran in exchange for hostages (arms were needed far more than the unfrozen assets he offered, as Iraq invaded Iran that year and forced an existential battle upon the new regime). Casey was the only one offering to restart the arms trade (ironic, considering the campaign's rhetoric about never negotiating with terrorists, although entirely in keeping with the administration's actions six years later when it became public that they were trading arms for hostages with...Iran). Second place in this duplicitous travesty goes to Israel, who promised to uphold the U.S. arms embargo public only to continue moving arms to Iran privately. Overall, a stellar episode in the history of American democracy.

[Bruce Fogerty]

An interesting account written by a long time foreign relations advisor to both Democratic and Republican administrations. This book details how the Reagan Election Campaign negotiated with Iran, in an act of treason, to undermine the democratically elected Carter Administration for political advantage. The Reagan Campaign's goal was to prevent the Carter Administration from resolving the Iranian Hostage Crisis from being resolved before the November 1980 Election. The deal put together by Casey, Reagan's Campaign Manager, was arms for hostages, and set the stage and provided the model for the Iran-Contra affair five years later.

This book gives the reader a good idea on how international relations are conducted "below the radar".

I enjoyed the book, although the writing could have been polished a bit more.

[Jim]

Fascinating account of how Ronald Reagan's campaign manager William Casey negoitiated with Iranians and Israelis during the 1980 presidential campaign to have American hostages held for a longer period so as to undermine President Jimmy Carter's re-election.

Truly an insight into the world of politicians, arms dealers, and double agents written by a Washington insider who served under Ford, Carter and Reagan on the National Security Council after a 22 year Navy career.

While it does not change my opinion of Reagan, who I have always considered a war criminal, it provides a well documented example of deceit on a massive level.

[Judy]

Sick was a National Security Council member under Presidents Ford, Carter, and Reagan. He was the member in charge of the Middle East during the hostage crises in Iran. It was only later that he found evidence that the Reagan-Bush campaign undermined Carter's attempts to resolve the hostage crisis. At the time of the book his evidence was not firm, but now Ben Barnes has confirmed it.

[Kathleen Kirchner]

Fascinating

[Mattc]

This book tells how the reagan/bush team delayed the release of U.S. hostages in iran until after the U.S. election between Carter/Reagan for polititcal gain. the hostages were released 2 hours after Reagan was sworn in.

[Bruce]

While Republicans claim they fear October surprises they seem to be the ones always carrying them out.