Lisa Dammeyer for Aljazeera

Iranian Hostage Crisis: What Shah We Do?

By Lisa Dammeyer

In the midst of the Iranian Hostage Crisis, delegates have varied opinions on what action should be taken to retrieve the hostages. In the second committee session, the delegates focused on two main topics: the use of military action and what to do with the Shah. Currently, about 40 hostages have been executed and 14 more have died from the torture that they had endured. The committee quickly ruled out a diplomatic approach to solving the issue due to the fact that Iran has not been overly responsive to that approach. In fact, during the committee session President Carter received word that Iran has cut off all remaining communication with the committee.

The debate started out with the topic of military intervention in Iran. The committee seems to have split themselves into two main groups. One group, led by Deputy Secretary of Defense William Graham Claytor and President Carter, is in search of the quickest and most efficient way to get the hostages out of Iran. They wish to move American troops into Turkey in order to show Iran that they are taking this matter extremely seriously. President Carter insists that the troops will be there in case it is necessary to strike against Iran; no immediate military action would occur. The other side, led by General James Vaught, wishes to establish a specialized task force to be sent in to retrieve the hostages so as to not stir up any more animosity or hostility from the Iranians.

The other aspect of the debate was what should be done in regards to the Shah. While President Carter and his allies wish to respect him as an ally, other delegates wish to use him as a means of bargaining. There was a brief suggestion of handing the Shah over to Iran, where he would most certainly be found guilty of committing crimes against the Iranian people, but the suggestion was quickly shot down by the other delegates. As debate continues, the situation only grows tenser. Hopefully, the committee will be able to agree and come to a quick decision on how to get the hostages out of Iran.