Upon its release in 1983, Follett's novel On Wings of Eagles caused some embarrassment to the U.S. State Department's diplomatic corps due to its unfavorable depiction of their actions during the 1979 Iranian crisis. In the novel, representatives of the U.S.

Embassy in Iran, when approached by Perot, refuse to lend their assistance to several of his employees because they mistakenly believe that these men had once bribed Iranian officials. Perot then organizes his own covert operation which circumvents regular diplomatic channels and successfully rescues his men. The novel's central controversy lies in Follett's portrayal of Ross Perot as a "take charge" hero while U.S.