A Real Iran Crisis Story Behind 'The Diplomat'
A Real Iran Crisis Story Behind 'The Diplomat'
In 2007 a US Navy admiral plotted to create a military clash with Iran
The Diplomat, the military crisis-cum-rom/com series now winning popular, if not critical, plaudits on Netflix, is bolted to a plot line featuring a U.S. ambassador to London’s desperate attempt to head off a war with Iran following a mysterious attack on a British aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf.
Played by Keri Russell, straight from her triumphal role as an undercover Soviet spy in The Americans, Ambassador Kate Wyler is a Middle East expert who smells political machinations behind the urges of the British P.M. and the American president to attack Iran.
As it turns out, there was a real life plot by high-ranking American admirals in 2007 to provoke Iran into a military confrontation. And that plot was derailed by an equally winsome political adviser to the 5th Fleet in Bahrain, Gwenyth Todd, who persuaded top State Department officials, who had been kept in the dark, to intervene.
“To Todd, it was like something straight out of “Seven Days in May,” the 1964 political thriller about a right-wing U.S. military coup,” I wrote in the August 21, 2012 edition of The Washington Post Sunday Magazine.
The nearly 5,000 word piece failed to get much traction, almost certainly because key State Department officials involved in stopping the plot refused to go on the record. The admiral involved also dismissed my findings. But it’s worth revisiting today, I think, amid rising voices for a military showdown with China in the South China Sea, not to mention escalation with Russia over Ukraine. You be the judge. ###
As a thirty year Navy vet who was a fly on the wall when some very important things were happening, I have no doubt that this lady is an unsung patriot.
The whole Seven Days in May/neocon thing is not overblown one bit. Didn’t know that about Cosgriff but it doesn’t surprise me at all. CDR Inman was more worried about covering his six than doing or supporting the right thing. There’s a lot of that.
How far we have fallen.
Don't think we can stand down on either Ukraine or South China Sea, yet our government's record on basing approval for military action on their word is .... lacking.
I objected to us invading Iraq. I lost a lot of "friends" because of my position. History has proven me to be correct although they still won't talk with me.
Our government's record for telling the truth is nil. This problem goes back decades, if not centuries. How do we fix it?
I read widely and prefer news sources I have to pay for (not advertiser supported).
Thanks, Jeff.