European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 22, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes monday december 22,1986 columns Tom Wicker experts take saudi denial with Grain of Salt Tiff. Saudi arabian government has dented hav ing had anything to tin Wilh the american arms sales to Iran. Jul thai does t seem to Square with the discovery by the Fri of saudi links to a suspect Swiss Bank account thai May in pc been used in inc complicated transaction and the denial is taken Wilh a Large Grain of sail by some Middle East experts who Are familiar with saudi affairs and attitudes. They say in was Only to be expected thai Adnan Khash Oggi the saudi arms peddle who helped arrange the  Deal insisted to Barbara wallers on National television that the saudis had not been involved. In their View his statement provided Only an other layer of cover for a saudi Royal family that could have slopped but instead gave the Green Light la inc arms Sale. Ken Scoggi has conceded thai he played a Middle Man s Par in bringing together he parties to the Sale and helping to arrange the financing. The history of his operations the Middle East analysts say confirms thai he acts Only with the approval of King fahd or other highly placed members of inc saudi ruling family and that he protects i desc Royal connections Ai All costs. In that Light in is All but inconceivable thai Kha Scoggi without approval from Riyadh would have Lakin pan in a matter of such importance As the . Arms Sale to a revolutionary iranian government whose fierce islamic fundamentalism seems a major threat 10 he conservative saudi arabian regime. But Why would he saudis want to assist in an arms Deal that on its face seems to lend assistance to thai iranian government the experts say the saudis would have thought they had Good reasons traditionally inc Oil Rich but militarily insecure saudi Royal family has used its wealth to buy insurance policies against those who threaten ils regime of her Middle East governments terrorists revolution Ary groups Elc. Thus while saudi Arabia has helped finance Iraq in ils War against Iran it also has sought to keep open a Channel to Iran As an insurance policy against an iranian Victory. In october for instance Sheik Yamani the saudi Oil minister was dismissed. He was an advocate of  of plentiful saudi Oil As a Means of keeping world prices Down bul he was sacrificed the experts say. When the saudi government responded to heavy pressures from other Oil producers by culling production and letting prices Rise an accommodation in the demands of ran in particular. Traditionally Loo the Royal family and the saudi government have sought to maintain close relations with inc United slates. In i hair View Washington William f. Buckley or. Especially the Cia which among saudis enjoys an exaggerated re Pullion for Power would be the ult male protector of the regime against outside pressures or internal revolution As iranian adva macs in manpower and resources began to make an iraqi defeat seem More Likely he necessity increased for the saudis in their tradition of seeking insurance against any potential threat to hedge i hair bets on inc Middle Eastern War. One Strong reason for their desire not to make a mortal enemy of the Ayatollah Khomeini and his government is the presence in the Eastern area of saudi Arabia of a Quarter million shiite moslem whose living Standard is somewhat lower than thai of the rest of the nation. The shill is Are considered particularly susceptible to the revolutionary and fundamentalist preachings of inc Ayatollah. Thus in inc View of he Middle East experts who discussed the matter the saudis had their own reason for giving their tacit approval when Kha Shoji approached them with the news that Washington wanted to sell arms via Israel to he threatening regime in Tehran. They would be lending their assistance to and bolstering their position with i hair assumed protectors in the United slates. They would get credit in Iran for helping provide some badly needed weapons or at least for not blocking the  could have blocked it by calling off Kim Hogg and leaking the Story for publication. But to have done so might have impaired their relations with the Reagan administration another reason Tor letting the arms Sale go Forward with saudi Blessing. There is of course no smoking gun in Ihil Lincoff reasoning. But to those familiar with he indirection of politics and diplomacy in he Middle Salt none ii needed. New Noih t Levis speak up North and take us out of our misery a letter to colonel North dear colonel North in 1971, you and two com rades in arms who had been fighting together in Viet Nam Drolc to me to protest the treatment by the press of . Military conduct distort Day based on the Dis closures of my Lai. I found your letter so compelling thai i invited you to appear on firing line where for an hour you slated your Case against the Media s misrepresentations. I have no double thai now you Are saying the same kind of thing about Media distortion Only this time in private because you arc not making your views known publicly. Your lawyer Lold you to Clam up. Permit me to Lell you what you and Admiral Poindexter Are by your conduct communicating to the Media. Your silence is gradually being interpreted As evidence thai president Reagan is guilty of lying to the american people 1 interpose Here a own views be cause they Are tangentially relevant. They Are that if inc president in his role As commander in chief and in anticipation of acquiesce in congressional action a few months later contrived to bring Relief to the contras hurray for him. Bul of course that is no longer the Point inc people arc wondering about and arc being encouraged to wonder about by the Media. The Point now is did or. Reagan tie to the american people when he told them fall out on iwo occasions shul he never authorized inc Transfer of funds from Switzerland to the contras now you have been taking the fifth amendment when asked Whai you know about All of this and Here is whal Many people arc thinking. It is thai there is a Subtle conspiracy going on Between you and president Reagan. His quid is that he Calls you a National hero and your quo is thai you Clam up All of this done under the cover of the fifth amendment. You Are pleading a right against self incrimination and you arc doing this