European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 28, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Unity cowboys Fem history of Csc by w. Dale Nelson associated press the National Security Council. If recenter of the poli Cal storm Over president Reagan s policy toward ran was formed nearly four decades ago As a Low profile group with instructions to leave policy making to others. Now tha while House says the Council along with the Central intelligence Agency conducted the operational details of iranian contacts and arms deals giving Rise of demands in Congress Lor a greater role in overseeing tha Agency some congressmen Are saying future appointees to the Job should be subject to Senate confirmation. President Reagan has ordered a review of the Council and its unction in determining and carrying out foreign policy. Zignic w Brzeznski who held the position in president Carter s administration thinks upgrading the National Security adviser would be a Good move. I think we have to face the act belatedly that in this Day and age National Security policy can Only be made in the White House because it s More than just diplomacy Brzezinski said All of this was far from anyone s mind when the Council held its first meeting on sept. 26,1947, the year that both it and the Cia were created by Congress. Then presiden Truman indicated that he regarded it As his Council and Hal he expected everyone to work harmoniously without any Marble station of Prima Donna qualities Truman s Secretary of defense James Forrestal wrote in his diary the Council remained a Low key operation during the Eisenhower administration aides and brie carriers were gradually admitted however and by the Early 1960s the Council staff filled dozens of offices in the White House and executive office building. A White House directory lists a professional Council staff of s3 people Wilh specialities ranging from intelligence programs to legislative affairs. The Post of special assistant for National Security affairs or National Security adviser was created in the Truman administration but remained Oul of the limelight until president Kennedy appointed High profile Harvard professor Mcgeorge Bundy to the position. President Nixon stepped up the process appointing Henry Kissinger to the Post and combining the National Security adviser s staff with thai of the Council. Under the system Kissinger dominated and eventually succeeded Secretary of stale William Rogers. You had under Kissinger and Nixon a change to a staff which not Only gave advice to the president but actually conducted negotiations said Morton Halperin a Farmer aide who feuded Wilh Kissinger. The members of the Csc Are the president vice president George Bush Secretary of slate George Shulz and Secretary of Welense Caspar Weinberger. Cia director William Casey and adm. William Crowe jr., chairman of the joint chiefs of stall Are advisers. The Council meets infrequently however and most of the controversy revolves around the activities of porn Dexter and the staff. Poindexter was Reagan s fourth National Security adviser. The first was Richard Allen who resigned in 1882 and was succeeded by William Clark a former California supreme court Justice. When Clark became Mcelory of the Interior his. Place was taken by his Deputy. Robert Mcfarlane. Of Var North  f of the Money to in contras. Oliver North out of the Saddle by Joan Mower associated Pressl t. Col. Oliver l North a key official in Iris plan to finance anti government rebels in Nicaragua with Money from arms sates to Iran has bean linked la Many of the Reagan administration s most controversial foreign policy decisions. North a staunch conservative trained in unconventional warfare operations held the title of Deputy director Lor political military affairs on the National Security Council since 1981. The Csc. Dubbed the National Security cowboys by some congressional critics adopted an activist role during Reagan s tenure with North figuring prominently in the equation colonel North was on the staff As the resident gun runner said Gary sick a Csc staffer in the Carter administration. Besides helping the contras in their attempt to topple Nicaragua s sandinista regime North played a part in persuading president Reagan to Send Marine peacekeeping forces la Lebanon and in the  invasion of Grenada administration sources say the marinas Ware withdrawn from Beirut in Early 1984, a few months after 241 died in a bombing Reagan announced tuesday that North a 43-year old Marine had resigned in the Wake of assertions that he engineered the schema in which israelis sold  arms to Iran for profits used to subsidize Iho contras Reagan has appointed a review Board to  the arrangement which according to All Ernoy a Coral Edwin Mcnese was set up primarily by North North s Boss at the pcs. Vice adm John poin Doitch. Also has resigned even though Reagan said that he was not directly  according to Moose the Only person in the United Stales govern men that knew precisely about this. The Only person was lieutenant colonel Oliver North " Mcnese said it was his understanding thai North intended to retire from the Marino corps North was not available Lor comment his Ollice said nor 111 has Long been a avid Backer of the contras and those who knew him said his alleged role in Selling up a secret funding mechanism probably stemmed from his Devotion to their cause. North was energetic and Gung to a Workaholic whose commitment to the Job was carried Oul at great sacrifice to his family said a former colleague who asked thai he remain Anonymous. North regularly worked 17-hour and 18-hour Days he said North s prodigious work habits his articulate views his close relationship a in former Csc dec or Robert Mcfarland and his ties to now right conservatives combined to give him vast Power. His 1983 biography described him As responsible for National level contingency planning Cansis management and counter terrorism with a regional locus on Centra and South America " Mcfarlane who resigned last december Nui was involved in the Sale of arms to Iran had known North Foi years and referred to him As like a son of memo Washington insiders knew of North s behind the Sec pcs influence he travelled frequently popping up in Central America and last month in Cyprus when american hostage David Jacobsen was released in Lebanon North i connections with the contras brought him the most attention. He was a mainstay of the while House office of Public Liaison s outreach project on Central America often lecturing to groups. Last month sen. John Kerry d-mass., released a report that the senator said raised serious questions about whether the United Stales had abide by the Law in its relations with the contras. Kerry s report was based primarily on Anonymous sources who linked North to the establishment of a private network that allegedly helped the contras with arms purchases Lund raising and enlistment of military trainers at a time when Congress had barred . Officials from providing such Aid. The Csc denied that North had acted improperly. North also was reportedly involved in drafting a Reagan letter that angered syrian president Hafez Assad in the summer of 19b5, the Washington Post reported. The letter was sent to Assad just when the United slates hoped la gain his help in obtaining Iho release of seven american hostages in Lebanon Afler 39 hostages were freed from Twa flight 847 during the Reagan Era. The Csc has also been involved in aiding anti communist rebels in Angola and Afghanistan. Sen. Sam Nunn a a. The incoming chairman of the Senate armed services committee says lawmakers want to determine whether tha Csc has become an action Agency carrying on coven  a native of san Antonio Texas North graduated from the . Naval Academy. A served As a Marine platoon and company commander in Vietnam he was awarded Iho Silver Star and two purple hearts. He taught at the Fri Academy and at the Marine corps Basic school from 1975 to 1 so 1. He worked on policy and planning at Marine Headquarters. The stars and stripes Page 15