WILLIAM H. SULLIVAN

With Tehran in the throes of revolution, Under Secretary of State David D. Newsom called from the White House Situation Room with a question for Sullivan: "The National Security Advisor has asked for your view of the possibility of a coup d'état by the Iranian military to take over from the Bakhtiar government, which is clearly faltering."Tell Brzezinski to fuck off.Tell Brzezinski to fuck off.Tell Brzezinski to fuck off. Zbigniew Brzezinski was the President's National Security Advisor whom Sullivan did not like. This quotation is famous, not only because it shows have unhelpful and disrespectful a public official could be in the midst of a national crisis, but it supports the view of some critics of President Jimmy Carter who was not strong enough or respected enough for is various appointed to refrain from this kind of response. Zbigniew Brzezinski had concluded that since the radical, exiled, Islamic fundamentalist, the Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Tehran, the prospect of having a moderate government was nil and wanted to explore the possibility of supporting the Iranian Military in taking over the country. Sullivan, who had little experience with that part of the world and Islamic fundamentalism, wanted to try and negotiate with the revolutionary government and persuade them to adopt a moderate new regime. See Quote 583670.

When the Shah left Iran, the moderate religions leaders of the country. including those who were major opponents of the Shah, approached the American ambassador urging America do something to prevent the exiled Ayatollah Khomeini who had returned to Tehran from taking over the government, as they claimed he would;d create a dictatorial theocracy. Ambassador Sullivan was convinced tghatg America should work with the new government an d negotiate with them for moderation. See the related quotes for more of his erroneous thinking.

What he did not state in his autobiography was how unhelpful and disrespectful he had been to other officials trying to examine alternatives during the Iranian Revolution. Sullivan knew little of the Middle East and Islamic Religious Fundamentalism and believed that the United States would be able to negotiate with and influence the government, not realizing that they were going to institute the most fundamentalist, undemocratic, religious theocracy in the world. Others

With Tehran in the throes of revolution, Under Secretary of State David D. Newsom called from the White House Situation Room with a question for Sullivan: "The National Security Advisor has asked for your view of the possibility of a coup d'état by the Iranian military to take over from the Bakhtiar government, which is clearly faltering."Tell Brzezinski to fuck off.Tell Brzezinski to fuck off.Tell Brzezinski to fuck off. Zbigniew Brzezinski was the President's National Security Advisor whom Sullivan did not like. This quotation is famous, not only because it shows have unhelpful and disrespectful a public official could be in the midst of a national crisis, but it supports the view of some critics of President Jimmy Carter who was not strong enough or respected enough for is various appointed to refrain from this kind of response. Zbigniew Brzezinski had concluded that since the radical, exiled, Islamic fundamentalist, the Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Tehran, the prospect of having a moderate government was nil and wanted to explore the possibility of supporting the Iranian Military in taking over the country. Sullivan, who had little experience with that part of the world and Islamic fundamentalism, wanted to try and negotiate with the revolutionary government and persuade them to adopt a moderate new regime. See Quote 583670.

What he did not state in his autobiography was how unhelpful and disrespectful he had been to other officials trying to examine alternatives during the Iranian Revolution. Sullivan knew little of the Middle East and Islamic Religious Fundamentalism and believed that the United States would be able to negotiate with and influence the government, not realizing that they were going to institute the most fundamentalist, undemocratic, religious theocracy in the world. Others

When the Shah left Iran, the moderate religions leaders of the country. including those who were major opponents of the Shah, approached the American ambassador urging America do something to prevent the exiled Ayatollah Khomeini who had returned to Tehran from taking over the government, as they claimed he would;d create a dictatorial theocracy. Ambassador Sullivan was convinced tghatg America should work with the new government an d negotiate with them for moderation. See the related quotes for more of his erroneous thinking.