Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference West Point, New York
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Bruce Laingen. Now we are prepared to take your questions. Right there in the middle. Daniel Schorr. One point that you did not mention in thanking all those there was one group you did not thank in all those you thought deserved thanks I want to ask you about the media part of this. The media attention to these 52 is pretty strong medicine. I d like to know whether it is good medicine, that is whether it helps in the transition or just simply very heady medicine and are these people prepared for what happens when the media attention stops. Is that a problem? Bruce Laingen. On the latter point, I can assure you that we are ready to go off and become rank and file common citizens again. We are not heroes. It isn t easy for us obviously; we aren t used to this type of situation. This is the first time we experienced it. I hope it s the last time. The press has been understanding. The press has been angry at times. I can assure that from this point on now that you see us here somewhat refurbished, both in body and in mind, we will be fully cooperative, want to be fully cooperative and have no apprehension about dealing with the press.
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Reporter. had a policy of not negotiating with terrorists. Do you agree that you re being taken hostage is an act of terrorism that policy seems to have changed. The government negotiated your freedom. There are many many Americans, diplomats, Marines, all over the world in unfriendly places and even friendly countries with potential terrorists. Do you have any concern that this is a precedent that will further hostage taking on the notion that a deal can be struck for releasing the Americans ultimately. Bruce Laingen. I d like to hope that what we experienced in Iran was an aberration. We cannot proceed on that basis. We must assume that kind of danger will come again. I don t like the word deal. I regard, I believe my colleagues would agree with me the arrangements that have been struck to achieve our release as support of our interests and national honor and not damaging to that principle that you speak of not negotiating with terrorists. We have benefited from the assistance of the friendly government of Algeria and of Switzerland to achieve this settlement. A settlement which I think very much protects our interests. I wonder if Victor Tomseth would like to add to that. I don t want to dominate this show in any way. Victor Tomseth. I would only answer that with a question. In previous terrorist incidents is it indeed true that there have been no negotiations? And I think that if we look beyond the rhetoric involved in those, we do see that there is a form of negotiation in previous terrorists incidents except those that have ended tragically.
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Reporter. Barry Rosen, welcome home Barry. There are a lot of people in New York who would like to hear you describe your experience in particular because you are a fluent Farsi speaker and student of Iranian culture. If you could comment on that level. Barry Rosen. Well, I m very glad to be back. I don t think I can get into all the experiences at this moment, but undoubtedly it was a very stressful situation for me and for the other people. One thing I can say that everybody was totally supportive of each other in the cells that I shared with others throughout the entire experience. I think what we did have was a form of camaraderie and cooperation that was totally supportive.
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Reporter. This question is directed at Mr. Keough. Sir, you are an educator and we have not heard much from you since you have returned. I was wondering if you could share with us. Your family indicated that you did a lot of reading and a lot of writing while you were captive. I wonder if you could share your thoughts about your captivity and what you felt it meant. William Keough. We all did extensive reading and we all wrote 10 times as much as we would ordinarily because each time we completed something in writing, invariably it would be removed when the various security checks took place. So we ended up rewriting materials or notes to the point where we had written them so many times we had them memorized. One of my observations, certainly as you are asking in terms of the educator s perspective, was the one which notes that the Americans involved, particularly the young people since that is my business. The young people perhaps so considerably conditioned to accept this experience because they are used to what frequently is panned in America and that is the flexibility of the school system. The flexibility which is built into the American student. We are used to having different kinds of things happening. Our students are used to adjusting to whatever particular crisis might come around the corner next. As I compare, certainly in the chapel at West Point yesterday, as I looked at the cadets on the altar participating in the service on each and every face, remember now I was looking at the faces of people who are as old as or perhaps a bit younger than so of the so-called students who held us, I saw on our own students faces the simple straightforward word over a smile of determination. The word which certainly did not exist in the faces of the students I have seen over the last 14 months. The ones I have observed over the last 14 months, had on their faces, exposed on their faces the twin emotions of anger and anarchy. Those are some of the observations I ve had. I would say to anyone who is concerned about the American school system, the results of the American school system seem to bare out we haven t done so badly with ourselves as well as with our young people.
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Reporter. I want to ask Kevin Hermening a question. I ve been following your mother for months and I think she s a very brave women, but I wonder what affect her visit to Iran had on you personally, emotionally to get through that ordeal, how that effected it and how you were subsequently treated as a captive after her visit. Sgt. Kevin J. Hermening. Of course I was very glad to see her. And I have to say it happen right at the time, just before we moved out of the Chancery building and were dispersed around the country. As far as my own experiences my treatment had not changed at all after that.
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Reporter. My question is for Sgt. Gallegos. Sergeant, you were caught and see on television during the time of captivity and saying the captors were very good to us. Can you tell us please what had happened to you prior to making that statement? Sgt. William Gallegos. Sir, the captors were good to us following their own standards of course. But if you follow the rest of the statements I made I also told, I don t know whether you understood, but officials from the States Department and my peers in the military understood what I was trying to say. Reporter. What were you trying to say? Sgt. William Gallegos. I was trying to say, Sir, I was saying that the treatment was good for my fellow colleagues so they would not be mistreated. But also I was trying to say we were not being treated well. Reporter. (unable to understand.) Sgt. William Gallegos. No comment.
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Reporter. I d like to direct a question to James Lopez and perhaps some others. We ve heard a number of reports that after the rescue mission a group of hostages were subjected to what amounts to torture out in the desert, somewhere near the site of the rescue mission. Could James Lopez or anyone else comment on that? Sgt. James M. Lopez. I m sorry, Sir, we didn t hear it. Bruce Laingen. The question was whether you experienced or were aware of torture in the desert near Tabas after the rescue mission. Sgt. James M. Lopez. Were we subject to torture? No, Sir. Reporter. We had heard reports that people, that hostages were actually taken out in the desert and that they were subjected to some punishment or torture out there. Sgt. James M. Lopez. No Sir. I think what you re referring to is the fact that dispersed around the country. And it was done in such a helter shelter style that many of us were crammed into small cars and the lodgings were last minute affairs, so that the conditions we were living in, even from the standards before, they were below that.
Returning Iran Hostages Press Conference - Audio qulaity is natural to master
Reporter. I d like to direct this question if I could to Steven Lauterbach. I d like you please to trace your feelings about the way the Carter Administration handled the situation, your feelings about the first part of your imprisonment, toward the end, meeting with Mr. Carter in Wiesbaden, and today. Steven Lauterbach. I m afraid I didn t get the question. Reporter. I d like you please to trace your feelings about the way the Carter Administration handled the entire situation, your feelings during the first part of your imprisonment, toward the end, meeting with Mr. Carter in Wiesbaden, and today. Steven Lauterbach. Speaking for myself, I have no criticisms of the Carter Administration. I feel that everything possible was done to obtain our release. During our captivity we had very little information about the nature of the negotiations. But speaking for myself, I have no criticisms of the Carter Administration. Bruce Laingen. May I add in this respect, a point I wanted to make and that was to reaffirm the respect we feel toward President Carter our great appreciation to him for coming to see us in Wiesbaden, meeting with us quietly, frankly, and honestly. It was a very moving, a very emotional experience. One that all of us appreciated and one that we will never forget.