European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 29, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse Paga 10 the stars and stripes saturday november 29,1988 column is Flora Lewis Reagan needs better Crew steadier course v in t True of course but it did at the fears Are spreading around the world that Washington is headed for another watergate. Thai is not Good news for anybody not the United states not allies and friends not even the russians if they can understand it though Tass is inking ghoulish pleasure in telling some lies of its own these Days such As denying any Moscow involve ment in arms Shi Penis to Iran. While president Nixon was twisting slowly in inc wind scarcely anyone out Side the United states understood what was happening. Now people abroad Are Rushing to imagine they see a repetition of the premature demise of a presidency. It is certainly avoidable la would have been avoidable for Ninon if he had t persisted in piling evasion and contempt on outrage. These things Are cumulative and so is the danger. A paralysed and impotent . Government for two years would be a disaster for the world at a time when great issues need immediate attention. Sandinista even mullahs Pale in importance beside the two pressing questions of an attempt to reverse the arms race and redress the International financial system. The problem is thai there can be Little Confidence that these overwhelming needs will receive rational attention when it can now be seen so vividly How absurdly the White House has been working. There arc Many lessons. The first one is for Congress and the press. Nobody would have dreamed that the while House was arranging for the ayatollahs to finance the nicaraguan contras via Israel. Bui Many people outside the administration knew that foolish things were being done in the name of slogan policy and that end runs were being made to circumvent Congress. Polished image. No the Teflon ii erod ing and at last the substance and the Means come to be examined. In i Tim seem too difficult politically to Challenge Reagan s method of operation. This stems from a confusion of policy and personality in the Public mind abetted by television and the de liberate efforts of while House image makers. It i the task of politician and journalists to restore the distinction. The second lesson is for the Public which in Many areas has been intolerant of factual criticism on the ground that patriotism requires unquestioning sup port for our a Nice Man can make some dreadful mistakes and should be encouraged ,10 Correct them not to conceal them with a smile. It is certainly True that a successful presidency requires the ability to Gener ate Public support. But the Public also needs to understand what it is support ing and to notice the difference Between Pep talks and informative explanation. A third lesson is for Reagan. To his credit he has shown that he can learn. He pulled out of Lebanon after insisting that would be a disaster but it took the marines disaster to persuade him. He saw the need to Deal with the russians despite his evil Empire Credo. But he did t draw the conclusion that foreign policy requires coherence and a Clear View of the Long term As Wea As the headache of the moment. Nor that this requires experience and expertise from advisers whose prime concern is not just How a move can be made to play Well in be Olchuk. For Lix Yean he has avoided a Clear decision on what sen. Albert Gore has rightly called the civil warfare on Strate Gic policy raging out of now he has some urgent strategic question to nce with the Salt 11 As Well As guidance on the morm1ng afters ii Rod that had been piling up. Has som Quesi ind the Over two years ago for example a decide on compliance no Icv and that end runs were being Means e l be examined. Congressman on the intelligence commit and abm treaties As Well As Guzi. T mde to drum vent Congress. Why has t this been done All along tee answered a question about financing intricate Post Reykjavik negotiations. Waskl ass %3�?& Goffi Jyh a mafias in what in t asked to fund. That James j. Kilpatrick we need to know the truth and we need if soon friends of Ronald Reagan knew the meaning of nightmares tuesday night. In their dream they experienced a sickening sense or Terri ble limes remembered of a Senate select commit tee or criminal trials and impeachment hearing of a question that look on a life of its own what did the president know and when did he know it the iranian imbroglio cannot fairly be equated with the watergate scandals of 197znot yet anyhow. Watergate involved the crime of burglary. We do not vet Enow what crimes if any. May have been committed in the bizarre Shell game that was played with Israel and Iran. But there Are similarities and these Are bound to disturb the White House sleep. Richard Nixon had his cordon Liddy Mastermind of the break in at democratic National Headquarters Reagan has his Oliver North apparent Mastermind of Lee iranian operation. ,11 no burglar. He has a Fine reputation As a Loyal officer in the Maryj corp but what did he do and who authorized him to do Iton he wednesday morning after the tuesday massacre the memories and lessons of watergate come vividly to mind. Nixon himself never authorized the burglary. I am certain that Reagan never authorized the Clandestine scheme that saw million of Olla transferred to the Contra of Nicaragua. In the watergate affair attorney general on Mitchell weakly gave Liddy a free hand. Who a Vrda John Stitsell to it col. North the scandal of watergate was not the break in itself. The scandal came with Nixon s Effort to con ceal other criminal operations by Hii White the scandal was obstruction of Justice. The scandal was lying. Since the iranian Story broke three weeks ago the White House has been engaged in damage control. The Effort has t worked. Time after time reporter questioned chief of staff Donald Rega Naad vice adm. John Poindexter the now ousted National Security adviser. We left these briefing As if we had left a chinese dinner Nice but not tilling. This won t do. It simply will not do. On tuesday the president named Bis own investigating Board it will be composed of honorable men out these will be the president s men. Much More is required. The country rightfully May demand the. Equiv ent of the senate5 select committee on watergate. We need another Sam Ervin another Howard Baker. Unfortunately no such committee could readily be constituted now. The 99th Congress has and journed1 the 100th Congress cannot be convened until Jan. 6. If a special committee were to be Cre ated it would need subpoena Powers it would Nee staff and an appropriation. An investigation just be conducted comprehensively. Existing congressional committees can do at Best a piecemeal Job in this pre Chril a period. The Washington press corns slavering Over the Juiciest Story in 14 years will hold a journalistic bucket for any leak it can catch but revelations in the pres Are a poor Zubr Tiute for Public testimony under oath. A Hundred questions press for answers. On that wednesday morning it seems inconceivable that Robin and Batman could have acted alone. No one will believe it. Who provided the Wink the encouraging nudge where was Secretary of state own Shufa when the lights went out where Wai Wil Liam Casey director of the Cia where Wen in joint chief of staff the vice president toe Ecru by of defense Wai everybody in the dark everybody maybe so but if to the inescapable conclusion will pain the president s friends. If a Prei idol cannot be charged with complicity. Wilt to god charged with incompetence. It Wai Hii responsibility to eau Bligh such controls that North and poin Dexter would have found it unthinkable to go Tan ing off on their own. Donald Recap a poor analogy that Bank presidents can t be expected to keep Tab on Bank tellers will not Wash. This basement plot was hatched almost literally under the president s nose the watergate affair said the Senate commit tee 12 Yean ago reflect an alarming indifferent displayed by fee in High Public office or petition to concept of morality and Trust. Indeed the con duct of Many watergate participants Elii grounded on the belief that the ends justified the Means that the Lawi could be flouted. Something of that sort May have happened Here. At the moment we do not know in a happened. We have to have the truth the who Emily and nothing but the truth and to have to Haven Toon. Re to Unhul Felt in b
