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October 11, 2016

International Relations

Ben Afflecks ArgoSome Discussions on International Relations

Argo, a 2012 biography/history/drama film showcased one of the conflicts in
the realm of International Relations. The movie depicted the seizure of the American
Embassy in Iran by Iranian protesters as they further take the American staff as
hostages. The United States has then to deal another, probably, bigger problem with
six of her American staff who escaped since the greater area outside the embassy
are not subject to the agreement and security that the US can hope to claim for the
protection of her staff. Good thing, Canada through its Embassy, the Ambassador
welcomed the six in his residence. However, this is not a relief for long. The US
should act as soon as possible for the violence that Iranian protesters can do as they
might discover and go hunting for the missing six. They might execute them as they
are detrimental to the Iranian demonstration, and might find out the involvement of
Canada that can result to the Iran-Canada relations might tarnish. Hence, this is
where the movie, Argo captures in the filmhow the American government, through
its CIA can save this World Politics predicament.
In a realist perspective, as Hans Morgenthau puts it, power is the main core in
international relations. Dealings of countries are all but a struggle of power. For
instance, countries consider which one gets more resources; and far more reaching
is the idea on which one, in the sphere of the global, influences more (Samantara,
2013).
This is essential when one understands US and Iran in their actions as
portrayed in the movie. In international relations, one can look at the concept of the
balance of power. Hence, the conflict between the two countries can be understood
with the lack of this power equilibrium.
In the movie, it seems like Iran is the oppressive country as it portrayed the
onset of the Iranian revolution. However, one has to take into account the other side
of the issue. Tony Mendez, the exfil man who thought of a Hollywood production of
Argo as a skit to rescue the six, has all this gathered together with the CIA as a
solution to one of the awful consequences of what the United States, their
government has provoked the Iranian citizens, which in this movie the student
protesters who stormed the US Embassy.

Important thing to include in this discussion is the fact that US has provoked
the Iranian Revolution. Firstly, it is the state actor of US, its government and CIA that
meddled with the Iranian government when the issue of oil reserves in Iran threatens
the US interests.
At around this period of time, Muhammad Mosaddeq had become leader of a
movement to expel Britain and nationalize the Iranian oil industry. Mohammad Reza
Shah himself appointed Mosaddeq as his Prime Minister in 1951. The result of this
was that the reserves were successfully nationalized and he gained a huge amount
of public support. This irked the capitalist powers of the USA which developed a plan
to overthrow him and had the Shah [Mohamed Reza Pahlavi] returned to power after
only one day in an exile that was imposed by his own demonstrating countrymen. He
then began the White Revolution a move to completely Westernize Iran and pave
the way for a liberal economic policy (ibid).

How exactly did US gives an affront to democracy? How did this state, who in
this way, has been the start of the lack of equilibrium as posited by the balance of
power in international relations?
To overview the scenario, America, through Britain had certain hegemony with
respect to Iranian oil reserves. So when the democratically-elected Mosaddegh
conservatively sought to nationalize British reserves, America was aghast. Again
being true to its nature, she launched a massive tirade against the offending country
at all International forums. One of its diplomats was quoted with communicating the
following through a dispatch: Iran today is sick with disease, with poverty,
governmental corruption and bureaucracy. Politics hardly exists and business and
bureaucracy are corrupt and slipshod. Americas next move was an affront to
democracy: the CIA overthrew Mosaddegh and reinstated the Shah (Samantara,
2013).

We can then further understand CIA, as the state actor of and for US. This
action of US, all together appalled the sovereignty of Iran.
Although this immense offense has not intensified for any revolutions yet in
Iran, President Carter has exhausted them and caused student protestors to burst in
anguish when he allowed the ousted Shah to receive medical treatment in the US,
and there goes all the deeper reasons that rise the Hostage Crisis in the US
Embassy.
President Carter President Jimmy Carters decision to allow Irans deposed Shah, a
pro-Western autocrat who had been expelled from his country some months before,

to come to the United States for cancer treatment. However, the hostage-taking was
about more than the Shahs medical care: it was a dramatic way for the student
revolutionaries to declare a break with Irans past and an end to American
interference in its affairs.