CIA Assassination Attempts on Fidel Castro & The Iran Hostage Crisis Rescue Mission

The CIA's covert operation targeted Fidel Castro, utilizing his lover, Marita Lorenz, for assassination.

### The CIA's Secret Plot to Assassinate Fidel Castro
* 🗺️ In 1959, fearing the spread of communism, the CIA sought to assassinate Fidel Castro, with 19-year-old Marita Lorenz, Castro's lover, as their unlikely operative.
* 💕 Marita's relationship with Castro provided unique access, bypassing his tight security, making her a prime target for recruitment by the CIA.
* 🤰 After a forced abortion orchestrated by unknown parties, the CIA exploited Marita's emotional vulnerability, turning her against Castro.
* 💊 The CIA provided Marita with poison pills, obtained through the Mafia, for the assassination attempt.
* 🚨  The assassination attempt failed when Marita, overcome with emotion, couldn't administer the poison, revealing the CIA's plan to Castro.
* 💔 Despite the failed attempt, the CIA continued exploring options to eliminate Castro, highlighting the numerous plots against him.
* 🇺🇸 The incident underscores the high stakes of the Cold War and the lengths the CIA went to counter perceived threats.
* ⏳ The story highlights the CIA's covert operations, including their involvement with the Mafia and the lasting impact on Marita Lorenz's life.

### The CIA's Argo Operation: Rescuing Six American Diplomats from Iran
* 🗺️ The 1979 **Iranian hostage crisis** began with the storming of the US embassy in Tehran, following the Islamic revolution and US support for the Shah.
* 🚨 A small group of American diplomats escaped the embassy amidst the chaos and found themselves on the run in Tehran.
* 🔦  The escapees spent **six grueling days** moving between safe houses, fearing capture by Iranian authorities.
* 📞  After contacting a friend at the Canadian embassy, the six diplomats found refuge at the Canadian ambassador's residence.
* 💡 The CIA, alerted to the situation, devised a daring plan codenamed **"Argo"**, involving a fake Hollywood film production to extract the diplomats.
* 🎭  The plan involved creating false identities, forging Canadian passports, and convincing Iranian officials that the Americans were a Canadian film crew scouting locations.
* ✈️ On January 25th, 1980, the six diplomats, posing as filmmakers, successfully left Iran on a Swiss Air flight.
* 🤫 The **Argo operation** remained classified for 17 years, showcasing the CIA's extraordinary capabilities and the ingenuity of the rescue plan.

### CIA's Beirut Operation: A Top-Secret Story of Revenge and Failure
* 💣 A car bomb attack on the US Embassy in Beirut in 1983 killed 63 people, including 17 Americans, prompting CIA Director William Casey to authorize a **retaliatory operation**.
* 💥 The attack was followed by another devastating bombing of a US Marine barracks, killing 241 American servicemen, the largest single loss of American lives since Iwo Jima.
* 🕵️‍♂️ CIA Director Casey tasked Robert Bayer with investigating the attacks, leading to the identification of Islamic Jihad, later revealed to be Hezbollah, as the perpetrators.  The investigation revealed the involvement of **Sheikh Muhammad Hussein Fadlallah**.
* 🎯  Casey, convinced of Fadlallah's culpability, despite legal restrictions on assassinations, planned an operation to eliminate him. This involved securing funding and using a third party (Saudi Arabia) to carry out the assassination.
* 💣 A car bomb was used in an attempt to assassinate Fadlallah, but the operation tragically killed 83 innocent civilians, injuring 283 more.  Fadlallah survived.
* 💔 The failed assassination attempt exposed flawed intelligence and revealed that Fadlallah had no direct involvement in attacks on the West.
* 💔 The incident led to the CIA establishing the Counterterrorism Center, improving intelligence gathering and targeting methods.  This event, and the failures exposed, ultimately led to the development of drone technology.
* 🇺🇸 The events in Beirut highlighted the challenges of combating terrorism and the high cost of intelligence failures, emphasizing the need for improved tactics and intelligence.

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Real Stories

CIA's Assassination Attempt on Fidel Castro

The CIA's concern over Fidel Castro's communist influence in Latin America.

President Eisenhower's order for Castro's assassination.

Marita Lorenz, a 19-year-old woman, was recruited due to her ability to bypass Castro's security.

The CIA's plan involved the Mafia, a Watergate bug, and Castro's lover.

Marita Lorenz's encounter with Fidel Castro on her father's ship.

Castro's rise to power and alliance with the Soviet Union.

Marita Lorenz's romantic relationship with Castro.

Marita Lorenz moving into Castro's penthouse apartment.

The CIA's recognition of Marita Lorenz as a potential asset.

Castro's visit to the US and the CIA's observation.

Marita Lorenz's pregnancy and her understanding of Castro's commitment to Cuba.

Marita Lorenz's forced abortion and subsequent involvement with the CIA.

The CIA's plan to turn Marita Lorenz into an assassin.

The CIA's request for Marita Lorenz to assassinate Castro.

Marita Lorenz's return to Cuba and failed assassination attempt.

The CIA's reaction to Marita Lorenz's failure and subsequent assassination attempts on Castro.

The Canadian Caper: CIA's Rescue of American Diplomats from Iran

The Iranian hostage crisis and the escape of six American diplomats.

The diplomats' escape and six days in hiding.

Tony Mendez's assignment to rescue the diplomats.

The plan to disguise the diplomats as a Hollywood film crew.

Mendez's arrival in Iran and the execution of the escape plan.

The diplomats' successful escape from Iran.

Terrorist attacks targeting Americans in Beirut.

The bombing of the US Embassy in Beirut and the death of Robert Ames.

William Casey's response and determination to find those responsible.

The bombing of the US Marine barracks in Beirut.

The investigation into Islamic Jihad and the identification of Hezbollah.

The US withdrawal from Lebanon and Casey's plan for revenge.

The legal challenges and Casey's decision to circumvent the law.

The CIA's evidence linking Hezbollah to the attacks.

President Reagan's approval and the involvement of Saudi Arabia.

The botched assassination attempt on Sheikh Fadlallah.

Casey's revelation of his involvement to Bob Woodward.

The establishment of the Counterterrorism Center and the development of drones.