Iran-Contra Hearings - Testimony of Colonel Oliver North.
Iran-Contra Hearings - Testimony of Colonel Oliver North.
Iran-Contra Hearings - Testimony of Colonel Oliver North.
Iran-Contra Hearings - Testimony of Colonel Oliver North.
Oliver North leaving hearing room. Judy Woodruff Voiceover- Elizabeth Drew, there were some interesting points that Senator Rudman was just making. Particularly this last point about the American people not supporting aide to the Contras. In Studio: Elizabeth Drew- Well he was making a quite profound point because so much of, too many times Colonel North said that that American people were wrong. He didn t quite put it that way but that his cause was right. It was right to go ahead and continue aide to the Contra s when Congress had said no. Congress had been weak and vacillating in aide to the Contras. The argument that was being made was that Congress was wrong and therefore going ahead and doing these things was right. And Rudman said look I support aide to the Contras but then he brought out some polls that showed that people don t like aide to the Contras. Then he said that there have been many times when things might have seemed right, we re not done. Harry Truman in that period could have gone to North Korea and captured North Korea. And he said that the people didn t want it so we had to stop. Lyndon Johnson was frustrated by Vietnam because the people opposed what he was doing. Then he said the American people have the right to be wrong. The constitution begins with we the people . It was his civics lesson, I think Judy over North s head, to the audience who has heard so much of well Congress was wrong to oppose aide to the Contras.
Iran-Contra Hearings - Testimony of Colonel Oliver North.
In Studio: Judy Woodruff. Well I was just told in my earpiece here that the committee members are deciding right now whether they finish tonight, finish with Colonel North. Or whether they stop now and resume his testimony in the morning. Another thing he brought up Elizabeth, and I guess it was his next to last point by Senator Rudman was, was that at one point Colonel North promised in his discussions with the Iranians that the United States would in some way help in the release of the Dawa. Tell us again who the Dawa is and the significance of that. In Studio: Elizabeth Drew-These are the Shiite Muslim Lebanese people, who have been 17 of them held prisoner in Kuwait. They have been a very sensitive point because among the things that they did was blow up an American Embassy in Kuwait. Many, several terrorist acts have been taken in the Middle East and the demand has been the release of those prisoners. And it has been an important point, major point of principle, annunciated many times by the administration that they would not bring pressure on Kuwait to release those prisoners. And the North, Secord, Hakim in their Negotiations with the Iranians of a release of the hostages promised to get those hostages released. So Rudman was going back to that, his obviously his basic point was what were you and these other people doing Negotiating these things? And did you have the authority from the National Security Council Advisor as you ve told us? So this is a very serious question as to how he could have authorized this. He pointed out that after Reagan heard about this, he said he went into hyper orbit. I thought that North s answer was a little strange frankly. He didn t say it with much conviction. He obviously didn t have a very good answer I have to say. He just said that he figured that at some point they would go free. This is from someone who d been writing the statements that they must never be allowed too. But at some point they would go free, so we might as well get something for it.
Iran-Contra Hearings - Testimony of Colonel Oliver North.
In Studio: Judy Woodruff.-And of course as we know from listening to the testimony after the last number of weeks, there were other promises that were made to the Iranians. Promises about how the United States would come to the defense of Iran if it were attacked. Promises about attempting to topple the leader of the Iraq government, which is of course at war with Iran. Peter Rodino, Congressman from New Jersey; Democratic Congressman from New Jersey, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee led off this late afternoon questioning. He led some very important questions. I m just now told excuse me Elizabeth that they ve gaveled so we ll listen her but let s go over a little of this as we watch what s going on at the committee. In Studio: Elizabeth Drew-I think the Senator Inouye is about to speak.