Argo, George Clooney and Revisionist History

Former Canadian Ambassador to Iran Ken Taylor says it will reflect poorly on Ben Affleck if he doesn't say a few words about Canada's role if the director's film "Argo" wins the Oscar for best picture Sunday. But Ken Taylor - who said he feels slighted by the movie because it makes Canada look like an observer to CIA heroics in the rescue of six US citizens caught in the 1979 Iran hostage crisis - is not expecting it. Can we, dear readers, shed any light on this quasi-political disagreement? (1). TAYLOR'S COMMENTS ON THE 2012 AFFLECK ARGO FILM : It was John Sheardown and Ken Taylor and their wives who took in and hid the six Americans in the Canadian Embassy immmediately when they received their call asking for help. Canada provided false passports and plane tickets for them to escape Iran. Taylor became a hero in Canada and the US for his effort. The role he played in helping the Americans to freedom was minimized in the Affleck film, Argo. Former US President Carter, after seeing the film, said in a speech in Canada last November that everything that happened happened because of the Canadians. "Almost everything that was heroic, or courageous or innovative was done by Canada and not the United States," he said. Former Ambassador Taylor said, "Jimmy Carter has it about right, it was 90 percent Canada, 10 percent the CIA." He said CIA agent Tony Mendez, who wrote his recollections in a book called "Argo" that appeared in conjunction with the film and who was played by Affleck, was only in Iran for a day and a half. Sheardown recently died and his wife, Zena, called the movie disappointing. Friends of Taylor were outraged last September when Argo debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival. The original postscript of the movie said that Taylor received 112 citations and awards for his work in freeing the hostages and suggested Taylor didn't deserve them because the movie ends with the CIA deciding to let Canada have the credit for helping the Americans escape. Affleck invited him to go to Los Angeles to correct the postscript, which Taylor did, giving Canada some credit, but he said the film is far from accurate.There's nothing much right from Day One I could do about the movie. I changed a line at the end because the caption at the end was disgraceful. It's like Tiananmen Square, you are sitting in front of a big tank," he said. (2) THE MEDIA'S AND PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN'S 1981 ACCOUNT OF THE RESCUE : At the time the Canadian sheltering and rescue occurred from November 8, 1979 to January 28, 1980, the world was in the dark. President Carter pretended in public that all the Americans were being held. The US media was also fooled. But, a journalist who had uncovered some of the facts of the Canada sheltering situation before January 28, 1980, did not publish the story in order to preserve the safety of those involved, despite the considerable news value to the paper and writer. The article ran on January 29 as soon as the hostages had left Iran, but the CIA role was kept secret by both the US and Canadian governments at the time for the safety of the remaining hostages. In June, 1981, President Ronald Reagan awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to Ambassador Ken Taylor. His address is too long to repeat in full, but here are the important excerpts (please Google "Thank you Canada" for more details and a 1980 documentary film) -- President Reagan : "We're today honoring another act of courage, this one with a happier ending in which the courage and ingenuity were rewarded by success after 79 days. I'd like to sketch briefly the events of those 79 days, to describe not only Ambassador Taylor's courage but also the contribution of all the Canadian Embassy personnel in Tehran and the Canadian Government in Ottawa. Four days after the storming of the American Embassy, Ambassador Taylor received a call from five Americans who had escaped from the Embassy when it was overrun. They were hiding, but they were afraid that they'd soon be discovered and captured. Ambassador Taylor immediately recommended to his government in Ottawa that the Americans be given shelter. Without any hesitation, the Canadian Government granted the permission. Two days later, the Americans were taken to Ambassador Taylor's residence and that of another Canadian Embassy family, the John Sheardowns. Two weeks later, another American joined his five compatriots. For 79 days, they lived there pretending to be visitors. I understand they're the best-read and the most skilled Scrabble players in all of North Ametica. There were several tense moments in the weeks that followed. At one point, an article was imminent in a Montreal paper which would have disclosed the story of the sheltered Americans. In an admirable display of responsibility, the journalist who had written the article agreed to withdraw it from publication. However, from this article, and more immediately from an anonymous phone call to the Taylor's residence asking to speak to two of the escapees, Ambassador Taylor knew that the chances of his guests being discovered were high. At this point, the Canadian Government in Ottawa and the Embassy began the ingenious preparations for an escape. The Canadian Government agreed to issue fictitious passports to the Americans. The Canadian Embassy staff began making flights in and out of Tehran to establish a travel pattern and to learn airport procedures. Finally, on January 28th, 1980, the Americans packed the bags that were given them by their Canadian hosts with the clothes also given to them. Using their Canadian passports, they flew out of the country. Ambassador Taylor and three others of his staff saw them off and then left themselves. Even this brief outline of those 79 days highlights what a team effort it was. The Canadian Department of External Affairs in Ottawa and the Canadian Cabinet responded with speed and decisiveness to help an ally. Ambassador Towe is here today representing the Canadian Government. The U.S. State Department is represented today by Ambassador Stoessel, and there were others who were working at the State Department during the crisis who played a part with discretion and skill. And here today also is Representative Daniel Akaka, the sponsor, and several of his co-sponsors, of the legislation which resulted in the gold medal which I am going to present today. Also present today is Lee Schatz, one of the six whom the Taylors rescued,...Mrs. Taylor is here with her husband and was directly involved with him in this deed. She shared the risks. She did much of the work. It was at her residence that several of the Americans were actually staying. And, finally, it's my great honor to present the medal to Kenneth Taylor whose valor, ingenuity, and steady nerves made possible this one happy chapter in the agony of those 444 days of hostage crisis. Major Kline..." [the Major read the medal inscription] : "The medal is inscribed 'By an Act of Congress, March 6, 1980. Entre amis, appreciation for the noble and heroic effort in the harboring of six United States diplomats and safe return to America. Thank you, Canada.'" Then, President Reagan spoke again. "Ambassador Taylor, it's a great pleasure to present this medal to you on behalf of the American people who are grateful to you and grateful to our neighbor, Canada." ~~~~~ It is clear that the Affleck film distorted the weight of the roles played by Canada and the CIA. We might ask why, since the story is exciting and inspiring as it unfolded in reality. I hesitate to suggest that box office receipts were the reason for making the CIA the mega good guys. And I doubt that Affleck was the guiding light in the story transformation. My guess is that Argo producer George Clooney is the brain behind the re-created tale. Clooney is very active politically on the Democrat side of the ledger. His support for President Obama and his own political actions in Darfur, Haiti and the Sudan are well-known. And he is entitled to tell any story he wants to, even for his own political aggrandisement - but rewriting history - revisionist history as it is known - can be dangerous because it causes people who rely on others for their political and social views to mis-read history and draw erroneous conclusions. Similar criticisms are being made about what seem like deliberate historical distortions in "Lincoln" and "Zero Dark Thirty" about the ben Laden capture. But, when a Clooney film is revisionist, it misleads millions of people all over the world who like and admire George Clooney and take him at his word. A simple note at the beginning or end of Argo could have made clear that the film is a fictional account. Clooney and Affleck chose not to do that. For their own political purposes? Hard to say. But many think George Clooney wants to be President. Continuing to rewrite history could come back to hit him hard with voters if he runs.