Ollie North: The fall of a homespun hero

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Lt. Col. Oliver North must have harbored bitter thoughts as he awaited the verdict on 12 felony charges against him. He had soared so high—wheeling and dealing, and moving and shaking. Now he has fallen so far, so fast—indicted and facing possible imprisonment-deserted by friends and patrons.

Life is so unfair, he must think. But it was not bad luck that put North where he is today. It was arrogant contempt for the American people, and serving a ruling class that ultimately had contempt for him.

North served as a kind of super-James Bond Agent 007. He had an office in the White House where the imperial presidency ruled. North found the tone in the White House in harmony with his views as a Marine colonel.

Executive power was to be pre-eminent-exerted in any way necessary. Lying and cheating were legitimate tactics to overcome your enemies: the enemy being the American people, who opposed White House policy. The Iran-Contra scam appealed to North as a "neat scheme" to get around Congress, which, he believed, had no business vetoing White House plans.

As he flew back and forth across the Atlantic, planning strategy, dealing in millions and negotiating with foreign governments, North must have imagined himself to be a man of power—instead of just a point man for the White House gang.

North's delusion of grandeur peaked when the contra scam unraveled and he was called before the Senate investigating committee. Here the bemedaled Marine colonel lectured the Congressmen on the proper political order for America. The executive and military would decide policy, and Congress would have to go along.

Committee members, who wanted only a partial and half-hearted investigation of the scandal, gave North a platform from which to harangue the nation. The American right saw a homespun hero in North and whipped up support across the land. Overnight teeshirts with North's picture were produced, cries of "Ollie North for Congress," were heard. It seemed the new-found hero was on his way.

Second thoughts

Then came the morning after. The teeshirts remained on nangers. People had second thoughts. Was lying to the people consistent with democracy? Did the people really want to support the murderous contras?

Then all the air leaked out of the pumped-up tigure, North was reduced to the size of a pawn in American power politics. Having failed in the role of hero, North was now to become a fall guy in the trial that became inevitable.

President Reagan had called North a hero. But he had SPILL CONTAINMENT NORTH TRIAL PISCLOSURES 0989HERBLOCK fired him the minute the scandal broke. He refused to pardon the patriot as Ford had pardoned Nixon to head off a trial.

Abandoned by the White House, North vowed to tell all. He subpoenaed carloads of documents and called the former president to the stand. But Reagan refused to stand by his friend and hero, and made a deal with the court to release a few selected documents.

North used the "Nuremberg" defense. He was only carrying out orders; President Reagan approved of what he was doing and knew the details.

North produced the documents to prove it.

Nicaraguan sabotage

A summary of the documents showed that Bush was sent to Honduras in March 1985 to offer benefits to President Suazo if he would support the contras by basing them in his country.

It was also revealed that in August 1986 President Noriega of Panama volunteered to assassinate Sandinista leaders if the United States would boost his image. He presumably meant: overlook and cover up his drug dealing.

The administration reportedly said "no thanks" to the assassination offer, but suggested that sabotage of key Nicaraguan installations would be welcome.

An oil refinery and an airport were suggested as priority targets.

Evidence offered at the trial alleged that the Iran-Contra gang hired an airline, run by the international drug cartel, to deliver arms to the contras. On the return trip, they carried cocaine.

The administration hopes, by sacrificing North, to put Iran-Contra behind them. Congress, which has just signed an agreement to send the contras "humanitarian" aid, would also like to bury the past. One Washington insider observed that further investigation of the scam will not go very far because the ultimate result would be Dan Quayle in the White House.

But more trials are scheduled, more facts will come out. George Bush may be limping along as a discredited president. More important, more Americans are coming to realize that capitalist rule means government by a minority that lies and cheats and has only contempt for the American people.

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