Pictory

Hindsight - like you said

Asking shah to leave, at least domestically, was not a such a bad idea. I agree about the second part of not arresting the chap and sending him back and getting on with quickly freeing up the society.

Mamane-Omid

Bakhtiar's crucial miscalculation

I realize hindsight is 20-20, but Bakhtiar made a critical strategic error by 1) asking the Shah to leave the country, and 2) allowing Khomeini to enter the country almost simultaneously.  Khomeini's grand entry into Iran within two weeks of the Shah's exit, was highly symbolic and conveyed a message to everyone that a changing of the guard was inevitably going to take place.  

At that point, prior to Khomeini's entry into Iran, Bakhtiar still controlled the military and it had not yet declared its so-called "neutrality."   He could have stopped it.  I realize Khomeini's handlers (both foreign and Iranian) used Western journalists as unwitting human shields as passengers on Khomeini's plane to discourage any ideas about shooting it down.   However, the plane could have been forced to land somewhere remote outside of Tehran, without fan fair, and stormed by military personal with Khomeini imprisoned or re-deported immediately.

Instead, Bakhtiar was passive, allowed Khomeini to keep escalating and taking steps against him, until the facts on the ground were rendered the entire affair a fait accomplit and no one could do anything to stop Khomeini.   

Rest in peace

'Hambastegi' is the main key to victory 

Mehrdad

.......

A real iranian may he rest in peace

FREE IRAN