Word: swifts
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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Since the hostages were generally unaware of what was going on in the world. Swift says their most frightening moments often came at times that seemed relatively uneventful to outside observers. One night riots broke out in a nearby stadium and the revolutionary guard marched in firing volleys into the air. "It sounded like there was a huge demonstration approaching the embassy and people were firing volleys into the air [in an unsuccessful attempt] to hold them off," Swift remembers. "We didn't think we'd make it through that one. It was a tiny news item in papers over...
Gunfire--both rifle shots and, after the start of the Iran-Iraq war, anti-aircraft fire--echoed constantly throughout the embassy compound. Swift says the generally chaotic and uncontrolled atmosphere on the grounds made the months at the embassy particularly terrifying. Many of the students were fully armed, but most seemed inexperienced with handling guns and Swift was constantly afraid of being shot accidentally...
...Swift says she was very relieved when, in November 1980, she and Koob were moved from the embassy compound to a nearby prison "The embassy compound was just so uncontrolled you could never tell what was happening to you," she explains. The move meant we were really under government control. In the great big prison...
Probably the worst aspect of the experience, Swift says was the "feeling of complete power lessness" the sense of having "absolutely no control over anything" For a foreign service officer she adds, this was particularly difficult Unlike most of her fellow captives. Swift ha! been through a hostage situation before. As an officer on the Philippine desk when the U S ambassador was taken hostage. Swift sat on the outside and watched the U S response. "I knew it was U.S. government policy not to ransom hostages." Swift says, adding. "The students would sit there yelling "Give back the Shah...
...same time as a political officer. Swift says she belived the Ayatollah Khomeim meant what he said," and when she learned he had endorsed the demand to return the Shah, she lost much hope. "I didn't figure they would give us back at least until the Shah died...