Today 11/18 Iran-Contra (6 posts)

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  • Profile picture of catpaw catpaw said 6 months, 1 week ago:

    Today in 1987 a joint congressional committee issued its final report on the Iran-Contra scandal after almost a year of hearings.
    It concluded that a complicated plan of using funds from secret weapons sales to Iran were used to finance the Contra war against the Sandinista government of Nicaragua. The clandestine manipulation was one of “secrecy, deception, and disdain for the law.”
    President Ronald Reagan was charged with the responsibility of the affair and some congressional members faulted the president with nothing more than poor judgment, saying his intent was justified with fighting communism. CIA Director William Casey was also implicated with withholding information from the president. Accusations were mostly along party lines.
    Iran-Contra raised the question that often appears in foreign policy or secrecy: Do the ends justify the means?
    ALSO
    Today in 1883 American and Canadian railroads began using schedules based on time zones. Towns across the country used their own time, determined at “high noon.” Rail transportation reduced travel time from days to hours; a uniform time schedule became imperative and railroads took it upon themselves to use a uniform system, rather than ask the federal government to come up with one. Most American and Canadian towns and cities embraced the more efficient time zones.
    Congress finally recognized the railroad time zones and adopted them in 1918 and put time zones under the supervision of the Interstate Commerce Commission.
    ALSO
    Rest in peace Chester Alan Arthur, 21st president (1881-1885), who died today in 1886 at New York City at age 56. He died of a kidney disease known as Bright’s Disease, which was diagnosed in 1882 but kept secret. Arthur was born October5, 1830 at Fairfield, Vermont. He succeeded to the presidency on the death of James Garfield and serve less than 4 years. Chester Arthur is buried at Albany, New York.

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  • Profile picture of catpaw catpaw said 6 months, 1 week ago:

    From the Reagan diaries:
    Monday, November 24 [1986]
    Big thing of the day was 2 hour meeting in the Situation Room on the Iran affair…our Col. North (NSC) gave the money to the “Contras.” This was a violation of the law against giving the Contras money without an authorization by Congress. North didn’t tell me about this. Worst of all John Poindexter [National Security Advisor] found out about it & didn’t tell me. This may call for resignations.
    Tuesday, November 25
    John P. came in this morning & announced he was leaving the NSC & returning to the Navy. I told him I wouldn’t refuse his resignation but regretted it…We broke the story—I told the press what we’d learned. This headed them off from finding out about it & accusing us of a cover up….& I’m appointing a commission to review the whole matter of how NSC Staff works. Ed Meese stayed with the press & took their Q’s. They were like a circle of sharks.

    The commission’s conclusions imply the president had control of the Iran-Contra operation. The diary reveals a different story–the president was not informed until the damage was done. Goes to show what the public is told and what happened can be two different things.

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  • Profile picture of Lamonster Lamonster said 6 months, 1 week ago:

    I remember when the press was like “a circle of sharks” going after the truth. Seems like a long time ago.

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  • Profile picture of drilnliftcrude drilnliftcrude said 6 months, 1 week ago:

    Yeah… Fast and Furious, Benghazi….
    Looks like the great American press corps will have to suspend/neuter its curiosity for another 4 years.

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  • Profile picture of RosemarysAbortionist RosemarysAbortionist said 6 months, 1 week ago:

    Says tha smallest trolling motor of the slow boat fleet.

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  • Profile picture of catpaw catpaw said 6 months, 1 week ago:

    A word about the “The Reagan Diaries” [Douglas Brinkley, editor. HarperCollins Publishers. 2007.]

    Unlike memiors and autobiographies that can be proof-read and edited before publication, The Reagan Diaries are a hand-written journal with cursory sentences, as if to be reminders. The work was never meant to be published. As such, Reagan is candid with his opinions, observations, religious convictions, political convictions and emotions as much as day to day national and international affairs. Indeed, one almost feels like a voyeur, viewing something meant to be personal and private. Which makes The Reagan Diaries all the more credible and a rare insight into the mind and character of a President.
    Whenever historic events are related to the Reagan Administration, I would put The Reagan Diaries above any other source that is accessible.
    Whenever I transcribe The Reagan Diaries, feel priviliged. Your are reading the innermost thoughts of a President–the only daily presidential diary in American history.

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