October Surprise, by Honnegger, Barbara
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58 of 64 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
The author worked for Ronald Reagan during his campaign for the Presidency, then served on the White House staff, and the Department of Justice. In 1983 she was the first resignation of conscience from the Reagan-Bush Administration. "Their guiding principles were that loyalty to a royalist version of the Presidency was more important than the Constitution, and that the truth was a 'problem' to be solved."
She began to investigate the 1980 deal between the Reagan-Bush team and the Iran: if the Iranians held their Americans captive until Reagan was President, they would be better rewarded. And they were! Releasing the captives in October 1980 would have given President Carter a boost in the polls, and re-election in November.
Her book is filled with a many details, and their references. It lacks any pictures of the individuals involved; there is no index, which lessens its use as a reference book (deliberate?).
Chapter X, "The Sound of Silence" tells of her attempts to break through the censorship of Network Television. The Congressional Committee that investigated the selling of arms to Iran also refused to look into anything that occurred before 1984. No reason was ever given.
Barbara Honegger was first to write an excellent book on the subject. She noted that Richard Allen was also involved in the 1968 affair where Nixon's people tried to sabotage the American-Vietnamese talks in Paris. That trick also worked. If truce was declared in 1968, only 22,000 would have died, not 33,000 more.
But the real, unreported scandal of 1980 was the sabotage of the Desert One rescue attempt. Helicopters were sent out over the desert without air filters; the sand and dust soon ruined their engines. Also, no backup or reserves were sent on this critical mission. The failure of this rescue mission prevented the rest of the plan from being carried out. Its success would surely have resulted in President Carter's re-election. Some think that the military-industrial complex was amply rewarded by the greatly increased spending of the Reagan-Bush administration.
Yet some of this arms buildup was not for our forces. The author notes that the arms sold to Iran came from the Reforger stores, which were only to be used in repelling a Soviet Bloc invasion. But could this scenario have been only a fantasy used to justify increased military spending?
Did the US encourage Iraq to attack Iran? Did we then sell arms to both sides? What was the effect of all this in the end? Fomenting wars to sell arms to both sides, and to mediate a "balance of power"? Isn't this what put a former Empire into world-wide disrepute before its demise?
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
October Surprise, Barbara Honegger
Barbara Honegger joined the policy research team of the Reagan-Bush campaign, then worked as a Research and Policy Analyst. This 1989 book tells about the conspiracy to win the presidency by preventing an early release of the Americans held hostage in Iran. The Reagan administration believed it was more important than the Constitution (`Introduction'). They had contempt for the electorate. She resigned in 1983 and did the research for this book. Some of the witnesses used in this book are not sterling characters. Those who denied the "October Surprise" story are flawed deceivers (p.3). It explains the timing of the release of the hostages and why the Reagan-Bush administration sent arms to the Iranians since 1981 (p.4) even when there were no hostages. Some people who knew of the of the pre-1980 negotiations died mysteriously (p.5). This books lacks an Index to the many names in it.
The Reagan-Bush team was afraid of an "October surprise" where President Carter would gain the release of US hostages held captive before the election. They worked against this (Chapter 1). The Iranians were considering a release (p.8) but not to Carter (p.17). A false story was created to possibly delay the release of hostages (p.37). This no-win situation is explained (p.39). White House secretaries may have leaked debate materials (p.46). Chapter 2 tells about the changes in Iranian policy; did they get a better deal from Reagan (p.57)? Yes (p.59). The bomb on Pan Am flight 103 was originally linked to Iranians in retaliation for shooting down an Iranian civilian airbus (pp.116-117). If Carter tried for a hostage release was he outbid (p.141)? Massive quantities of US arms and spare parts had been shipped to Iran as soon as Reagan and Bush were in the White House (Chapter 6). Israel shipped military equipment to Iran because they were at war with Iraq (p.157). It also meant getting oil from Iran (p.158).
Where did the Reagan-Bush administration get American weapons and spare parts worth billions of dollars (Chapter 7)? By taking them from US military storage depots in Europe (p.172). There was an advantage to this (p.182). It was illegal to send American weapons to Iran (Chapter 8). But this was done (p.188)! Those who reported the losses were threatened or killed (p.192). Or ignored (p.193). France also sold arms to Iran (p.203) as well as Italy (p.210). Was the assassination of Olof Palme linked to arms sales to Iran (p.217)? Other countries sold arms for oil or heroin (pp.220-222). Chapter 9 tells about the links between right-wing politicians and organized crime to sell arms to Iran. The broadcast media, particularly network television, censored this news (Chapter 10). [Isn't TV just entertainment?] Examples are given (ABC radio covered this story but not ABC TV). The `Washington Post' distorted her story (pp.254-255). She was rejected by the `Larry King Show' (p.256)! Reagan authorized psychological warfare against the American public (p.262)! The Iranians supported Bush against Dukakis (p.267)! Candidate Dukakis ignored this scandal (p271). [Do you wonder if presidential contests can be rigged?] There is a story about Dan Quayle (p.272).
Reagan signed a "license to kill" as part of counter-terrorism (`Epilog'). Note what happened to those who were involved with, or knew about, the secret negotiations between the Iranians and the Reagan-Bush team. Some died of violence, attempted assassination, or murder. Some were US citizens, others were not. Just a coincidence?
Barbara Honegger joined the policy research team of the Reagan-Bush campaign, then worked as a Research and Policy Analyst. This 1989 book tells about the conspiracy to win the presidency by preventing an early release of the Americans held hostage in Iran. The Reagan administration believed it was more important than the Constitution (`Introduction'). They had contempt for the electorate. She resigned in 1983 and did the research for this book. Some of the witnesses used in this book are not sterling characters. Those who denied the "October Surprise" story are flawed deceivers (p.3). It explains the timing of the release of the hostages and why the Reagan-Bush administration sent arms to the Iranians since 1981 (p.4) even when there were no hostages. Some people who knew of the of the pre-1980 negotiations died mysteriously (p.5). This books lacks an Index to the many names in it.
The Reagan-Bush team was afraid of an "October surprise" where President Carter would gain the release of US hostages held captive before the election. They worked against this (Chapter 1). The Iranians were considering a release (p.8) but not to Carter (p.17). A false story was created to possibly delay the release of hostages (p.37). This no-win situation is explained (p.39). White House secretaries may have leaked debate materials (p.46). Chapter 2 tells about the changes in Iranian policy; did they get a better deal from Reagan (p.57)? Yes (p.59). The bomb on Pan Am flight 103 was originally linked to Iranians in retaliation for shooting down an Iranian civilian airbus (pp.116-117). If Carter tried for a hostage release was he outbid (p.141)? Massive quantities of US arms and spare parts had been shipped to Iran as soon as Reagan and Bush were in the White House (Chapter 6). Israel shipped military equipment to Iran because they were at war with Iraq (p.157). It also meant getting oil from Iran (p.158).
Where did the Reagan-Bush administration get American weapons and spare parts worth billions of dollars (Chapter 7)? By taking them from US military storage depots in Europe (p.172). There was an advantage to this (p.182). It was illegal to send American weapons to Iran (Chapter 8). But this was done (p.188)! Those who reported the losses were threatened or killed (p.192). Or ignored (p.193). France also sold arms to Iran (p.203) as well as Italy (p.210). Was the assassination of Olof Palme linked to arms sales to Iran (p.217)? Other countries sold arms for oil or heroin (pp.220-222). Chapter 9 tells about the links between right-wing politicians and organized crime to sell arms to Iran. The broadcast media, particularly network television, censored this news (Chapter 10). [Isn't TV just entertainment?] Examples are given (ABC radio covered this story but not ABC TV). The `Washington Post' distorted her story (pp.254-255). She was rejected by the `Larry King Show' (p.256)! Reagan authorized psychological warfare against the American public (p.262)! The Iranians supported Bush against Dukakis (p.267)! Candidate Dukakis ignored this scandal (p271). [Do you wonder if presidential contests can be rigged?] There is a story about Dan Quayle (p.272).
Reagan signed a "license to kill" as part of counter-terrorism (`Epilog'). Note what happened to those who were involved with, or knew about, the secret negotiations between the Iranians and the Reagan-Bush team. Some died of violence, attempted assassination, or murder. Some were US citizens, others were not. Just a coincidence?
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is the book that convinced me of foul play in the Carter-Reagan-Anderson election of 1980. It is now ironic that many who believe correctly that Reagan's team traded weapons for the release of hostages in the Iran-Contra Scandal can't believe the same team made a similar deal (for the DELAY of release of hostages) with much higher stakes before the 1980 election.
Independent candidate John B. Anderson told me that a group of Iranians approached his campaign attorney, the late Mitchell Rosgovin, about a deal involving the procurement by Iran of spare military parts the nation had ordered before the embassy takeover. Anderson refused the offer and reported it to the Carter State Department. Does anyone seriously believe the Iranians would approach an independent candidate but not the main opponent of President Carter?
Honegger's book was so good that Reagan's ploy should not be considered a surprise anymore.
Independent candidate John B. Anderson told me that a group of Iranians approached his campaign attorney, the late Mitchell Rosgovin, about a deal involving the procurement by Iran of spare military parts the nation had ordered before the embassy takeover. Anderson refused the offer and reported it to the Carter State Department. Does anyone seriously believe the Iranians would approach an independent candidate but not the main opponent of President Carter?
Honegger's book was so good that Reagan's ploy should not be considered a surprise anymore.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unconscionable political behavior, exposed.
When I share what is in these pages with people, they shake their heads... "No It Is Not Possible... Read more
Published 1 month ago by James H. Chesky
5.0 out of 5 stars
october surprise
Details of this book is breath-taking, I had been looking for this book since 1987!!!
Gary Sick published a book then under a same name, confusing, I read that one too, it... Read more
Gary Sick published a book then under a same name, confusing, I read that one too, it... Read more
Published 8 months ago by History buff
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