Carter’s Foreign Policy

Carter’s Foreign Policy• Improving Human

Rights• Panama Canal

Treaty• Recognizing China• Solving the Middle

East Issues• Improving Soviet

Relations

Improving Human Rights• Made this his number one foreign policy issue

• Continued that throughout his presidency and through today– Opened the Carter Center

• Believed America had to hold their allies and foes accountable – Risked straining relations with friends and widening

existing rift between foes• Boycott of the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics• Soviets response? Boycott the LA 1984 Olympics

– Hurt Americans more so than the Soviets

Panama Canal Treaties

• Talks began after anti-American riots forced America to enter talks regarding future of Canal

• Agreed to gradually turn over control of the Canal to Panama by 2000

Panama Canal Treaties

• Proponents: Improved relations

• Opponents: Gave it away

Recognition of the PRC January 1, 1979

Taiwan -severed formal relations with Taiwan

Carter and the PRC

• Proponents: Improved relations with PRC

• Opponents: Got nothing; sold out Taiwan

Peace in the Middle East

Camp David Accords

March 26, 1979

Carter’s greatest success

Egyptian President

Anwar Sadat

Israeli Prime Minister

Menachem Begin

Camp David Accords

Met in Camp David with Carter acting as mediator. 4 points:

• Israel agreed to a phased withdrawal of the Sinai Peninsula

• US would establish monitoring posts to prevent attacks

• Egypt fully recognized Israel• Israel would begin to negotiate

with Palestine for peace

How did international crises affect Carter’s presidency?

In 1979 a series of events occurred that seemed to overwhelm Carter’s

presidency.

• In 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan.• On November 4, 1979, a mob attacked the American embassy in Tehran, Iran’s capital, and took several dozen Americans hostage.

Soviets invaded AfghanistanDecember 25, 1979

Carter’s Reaction to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan

• Hotline

• Withdrew SALT II

• Olympic Boycott

• Helped Afghan Freedom Fighters

• Carter Doctrine

Carter DoctrineContainment

+

Persian Gulf

=

Did the Soviet Army leave Afghanistan?

NO

Iran-Hostage CrisisNovember 4, 1979 – January 20, 1981

444 Days

Struggle for Power in Iran

Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi

Ayatollah

Ruhollah Khomeini

Shah = US Puppet

OperationAJAX(1953)

Poor Economic Conditions of Iran

Average

Annual

Income of

Iranian Male

(1979)

$500

Riots in Iran

(1978 – 1979)Shah’s “Vacation”

January 16, 1979

Entered US:

October 22, 1979

November 4, 1979Death to the Shah! Death to Carter!

Death to America!

66 Americans taken hostage

14 would be released

52 American hostages would remain

WWCD?What would Carter do?

Felt like his child was kidnapped

Take Away Their Money

Carter Froze Iranian AssetsNovember 14, 1979

Operation Eagle ClawApril 24, 1980

Failure: Operation Eagle Claw

Three of the eight helicopters had engine failures

Failure: Operation Eagle Claw

Operation Eagle Claw -8 killed

The Situation Started to Change

• Shah died– July 27, 1980

• Iran-Iraq War started– September 22, 1980

• Reagan promised to be tougher

Money Transferred

US BanksBank of

England

SwissBank

Account

IranianBank

The Deal (done January 19,1981)

• 2.9 billion in frozen Iranian assets returned

Freedom: January 20,1981

444 days

Hostages Freed: 33 minutes intoReagan’s Presidency

Bye Bye Jimmy