Persian Realm

I agree

...although I am not sure Sadighi "had influence over the people, the opposition, the army(!) and and the clergy(?)". 

 Even Bakhtiar thought Sadighi would have been a better choice, and would have supported him wholeheartedly, but the fact of the matter is that the Jebheh eh Melli crowd already threatened anyone who'd accept the appointment., and he was getting cold feet. He would have ended up much like Bakhtiar.

  It's Mondaymorning-quarterbacking. Two patriotic men, two different recommandations for the Shah; both have some valid reasons to pick their way. Who knows what would have happened , had the Shah stayed ...

Bakhtair had a clear choice but failed to follow it

Bakhtiar could have withdrwan in favor of Dr Sadighi whose acceptance of the premiership was subject to the Shah's stay in the country. Sadighi was the most respected member of Mosaddeq's cabinet who was trsuted and had influence over the people, the opposition, the army and and the clergy. Bakhtiar had NONE of the above credentials and he knew it too well. A combination of his ambition to gain power and the Shah's readiness to leave the country suited both of them very well. Is it not such a sad conclusion that BAKHTIAR DID GIFT-WRAPPED THE COUNTRY AND PLACED IT BEFORE KHOMEINI?

Dr Sadighi was the BEST prime minister Iran never had. No one can argue agianst his patriotism nor his decency. But the Shah preferred Bakhtiar's proposal as he could conveniently leave the country. The rest is history.

The only One

He was the only one who cared about iran and not himself. The islamists, leftists, and pseudo intellectuals were only gangsters posing as revolutionaries while fishing the muddy waters for their own benefit and all collectively led us to the disaster that we have on our hands now. Now we know the nature of all of those nation-less criminals and KHAEN. It is not easy to say, but all who provided support for the revolution deserve what happened to them -- most were killed by khomeini.

Iran lost her biggest chance of history to turn into a decent free country, and we did it to ourselves. Shame on us who sold our country so cheaply, and sold her to a bunch of 7th century mullas and a bunch of Lenin-worshipers.

Dr Bakhtiar

Dr Bakhtiar did what was best for the country at the time. The fact that he was asked to be the prime minister "too late" was not his fault. Faced with the choices, as Ali P. mentioned, Dr Bakhtiar did what was the most patriotic thing to do: present an alternative. It was the political ignorance of the people and the mob mentality that defeated him. The bitter reality is that our intellectuals were more concerned with their own positions in the future of Iran, rather than  the prosperity of the country. Ambition and misplaced loyalty from their part contributed most to the doomed fate of the revolution. 

IRANdokht

3 choices facing the man

Bakhtiar had 3 choices:

1) Sit silent, and do nothing. (That was not HIM!)

2) Join hands with other fellow Jebheh eh Melli fellows, and leftists and other radicals, and giftwrap the country and present it to the Ayatollah (Like many did!)

3) Accept the post under the condition and the authority he asked for, and start telling the nation about his vison for a free and democratic constitutional monarchy.

The courageous man chose the most dangerous and riskiest option.

Too little too late!

Bakhtiar was a good man but he was the worst choice for prime minister under the conditions that he accepted the post. The fact of the matter is that he knew it only too well (that he was the wrong choice). So the next question is: did he gamble with the fate of the country to realize his personal ambitions? If so, that amounted to treason.