Firewall: Inside the Iran-Contra Cover-up

[Q]

Firewall: Inside the Iran-Contra Cover-up
By Robert Parry

http://www.consortiumnews.com/archive/story34.html


"...For Walsh, a lifelong Republican who shared the foreign policy views of the Reagan administration, the Iran-contra experience was a life-changing one, as his investigation penetrated one wall of lies only to be confronted with another and another -- and not just lies from Oliver North and his cohorts but lies from nearly every senior administration official who spoke with investigators.

According to Firewall, the cover-up conspiracy took formal shape at a meeting of Reagan and his top advisers in the Situation Room at the White House on Nov. 24, 1986. The meeting's principal point of concern was how to handle the troublesome fact that Reagan had approved illegal arms sales to Iran in fall 1985, before any covert-action finding had been signed. The act was a clear felony -- a violation of the Arms Export Control Act -- and possibly an impeachable offense.

Though virtually everyone at the meeting knew that Reagan had approved those shipments through Israel, Attorney General Edwin Meese announced what would become the cover story. According to Walsh's narrative, Meese "told the group that although McFarlane had informed Shultz of the planned shipment, McFarlane had not informed the president. ...

" Regan, who had heard McFarlane inform the president and who had heard the president admit to Shultz that he knew of the shipment of Hawk missiles, said nothing. Shultz and Weinberger, who had protested the shipment before it took place, said nothing. Bush, who had been told of the shipment in advance by McFarlane, said nothing. Casey, who requested that the president sign the retroactive finding to authorize the CIA-facilitated delivery, said nothing. Poindexter, who had torn up the finding, said nothing. Meese asked whether anyone knew anything else that hadn't been revealed. No one spoke."

When Shultz returned to the State Department, he dictated a note to his aide, Charles Hill, who wrote down that Reagan's men were "rearranging the record." They were trying to protect the president through a "carefully thought out strategy" that would "blame it on Bud" McFarlane. http://www.consortiumnews.com/archive/story34.html

[molly]

1. Sounds a tad more serious than sex in the oval office

[Q]

2. Watergate showed that the system still worked...

...and that WH wrongdoing could be prosecuted. Iran/Contra cleared the way for WH abuses that still go on to this day in the Bush* administration.

- Isn't it strange that Americans don't seem to care about this stuff? This treason and impeachable offenses? They will devote their attention and dozens of hours to sensational stories like OJ and shark attacks...but can't rub two brain cells together to pay attention to the traitorous acts occuring in OUR WH since Nixon.

[JuniperLea]

3. didn't Oly North come off as a hero?

I remember trying to avoid the news back in those days, but I remember the smug look of superiority on his face.

My b/f and I thought it strange that Reagan suffered an illness all about losing memory after saying so many times that he didn't remember. I think God (or whomever) has a twisted sense of humor:) Or, maybe just.... just?

[burythehatchet]

4. Sure, but did he get a blow job in office.

The answer would be no.

[buddhamama]

5. that we know of

ewwww!