The “Canadian Caper” was the joint covert rescue by the Government of Canada and the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of six American diplomats who had evaded capture during the seizure of the United States embassy in Tehran, Iran, on November 4, 1979, after the Iranian Revolution, when Islamist students took most of the American embassy personnel hostage, demanding the return of the US-backed Shah for trial.
More information at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Caper, https://www.international.gc.ca/gac-amc/history-histoire/ken-taylor.aspx?lang=eng, https://web.archive.org/web/20120620203730/https://www.wired.com/magazine/2007/04/feat_cia/all/, https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/revisiting-canadas-contribution-to-resolving-the-iranian-hostage-crisis
Yes, and a reminder that the Hollywood movie they made about this event (Argo), was funded by the CIA and rewrites history to make it seem like an American plan when it was basically entirely a Canadian plan:
Historical inaccuracies
Canadian versus CIA roles
After the film was previewed at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival,[43] many critics said that it unfairly glorified the CIA’s role and minimized the Canadian government’s role (particularly that of Ambassador Taylor) in the extraction operation.[44] Maclean’s asserted that “the movie rewrites history at Canada’s expense, making Hollywood and the CIA the saga’s heroic saviours while Taylor is demoted to a kindly concierge.”[45]
The postscript text said that the CIA let Taylor take the credit for political purposes, which some critics thought implied that he did not deserve the accolades he received.[46] In response to this criticism, Affleck changed the postscript text to read: “The involvement of the CIA complemented efforts of the Canadian embassy to free the six held in Tehran. To this day the story stands as an enduring model of international co-operation between governments.”[47] The Toronto Star wrote, “Even that hardly does Canada justice.”[48]
In a CNN interview, former U.S. president Jimmy Carter addressed the controversy:
90% of the contributions to the ideas and the consummation of the plan was Canadian. And the movie gives almost full credit to the American CIA. And with that exception, the movie is very good. But Ben Affleck’s character in the film was… only in Tehran a day and a half. And the main hero, in my opinion, was Ken Taylor, who was the Canadian ambassador who orchestrated the entire process.[49]
Taylor noted, “In reality, Canada was responsible for the six and the CIA was a junior partner. But I realize this is a movie and you have to keep the audience on the edge of their seats.”[47] In the film, Taylor is shown as having been ordered to close down the Canadian embassy. This did not happen, and the Canadians never considered abandoning the six Americans who had taken refuge under their protection.[47]
The Canadian embassy took in, hid, made Canadian passports for them, and brought them out of the country disguised as Canadian citizens. Though you wouldn’t know it if you watched the US made movie about it.
I always used to wish other countries can also become friends with their neighbours and cooperate like USA and Canada.
Then USians proved that they’re just shitty and will attack their allies just for the fun of being bullies. I guess we should’ve expected them to eventually treat us like they treat the global majority.
Good luck, Iran.