VANCE DEFLECTS A CALL FOR TOUGHNESS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81B00401R000500120004-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 12, 2001
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: October 28, 1980
• Content Type: NSPR

Approved For Release 2001/11/23 : CIA-RDP81 B00401 R000500120004-3
A TICG= At r' i2
ON Pats -~(-V
THE WASHINGTON POST
28 October 1980
ifcts? a CallforTouness-
Fourth of a series- ;
r ` By Scott Armstrong _ _
WaenuilwnemtSt+uEwnter
On Nov '9, 1978, US Ambassador
? for Iran William. Sullivan sent an eyes-
'r only cable ; to. the secretary. of state in
:Washington urging a major, policy.
change toward the embattled shah:-The
revolution in: Iran.. was growing,- the
shah seemed doomed, -and. .the~ domi-
nant figure. emerging was the.78-year=-
old' ' Ayatollah, . Ruhollah:-. Khomeini,,
whose character, and 'outlook: were :vir.--
policy~~
tually. unknown to.=Americam
..- ,_,.
makers.
Sullivan, oncean enthusiastic booster
of the-shah; was now-a?convert to? dire!
forecasts He titled- his cable: . "'Thinking
the Unthinkable.",