European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 20, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Plausible deniability by . Apple or. New York times ear adm. John a Poindexter s assertion Hal he had never told president Reagan Aboul the diversion of iranian arms profits to the rebels in Nicaragua gave Tho Whito House what it sought evidence to corroborate Reagan s own declarations. Poindexter s statements last week to the congressional committees investigating the Iran con Ira Alfair almost certainly removed any Remote possibility of impeachment. But on a number of Levels Poindexter s testimony was profoundly damaging 11 raised new questions and text he president Wilh 18 months remaining in his term in a highly vulnerable position. Opinion polls have shown Hal a Large majority of the american Public does nol believe Reagan s statements that he knew nothing of the diversion. It is Lar from Clear thai the doubters will change their minds now that the Admiral has corroborated his chief s Contention. If is Public remains sceptical Reagan will have difficulty in finding new ways to persuade in. Poem totter probably represented the president s last Best Hope of turning the tide of credibility and there were elements of his testimony thai May cause some to doubt him. For example he said he could no recall our of the live memos that i. Col. Oliver l. North said he whole recommending Hal the Admiral North s Superior seek presidential approval Lor the diversion. Two of Poindexter s predecessors As Nali Onat Security adviser expressed astonishment that he did not Lake Tho matter to Reagan. Brent scowcroft a retired air Force general spoke of Iho impropriety of policy making by unelected of cals. And Henry a. Kissinger commented i was a tar More assertive Security adviser than Admiral Poa Idoler and i would never have dreamed of making a decision like  even in Reagan does manage to persuade the nation of the honesty he will lace charges Hal he was neg Figel in his management of foreign policy such a negations will be a renewal of the Tower commission s Condu Sjon Hal setting priorities is not enough Lor any president. The commission headed by John g Tower a termer Appl Tolo rear adm. John m. Poindexter last Friday on the third Day of a testimony before the congressional committees investigating the Iran Contra affair. Republican senator from Texas was appointed by the president to review the Iran Contra affair and made its report in february. Rep Thomas s. Foley a Wash the House majority Leader said Teagan s asserted Lack of knowledge raised a More serious fundamental problem than in the president had known Aboul  sen. Williams Cohen r Maine agreed thai the consequences of ignorance were potentially very serious because the Buck is supposed to Slop Al Iho top not with a subordinate " Many of the committee members and other politicians said they found it hard to visualize the atmosphere that must have existed in the while House to persuade Poindexter to believe thai he As a Mere Stafl member could approve something As in Porlant As the fund diversion the impression of a White House in disarray was reinforced when the Admiral testified thai Reagan had signed a document As Early As november 198s. Retroactively authorizing the Sale of arms to Iran m Exchange Lor the release of american hostages. Monday july 20, 1987 tha preside no has said an Exchange was never his intention although to has acknowledged thai the initiative deteriorated into that. Marlin Filz Waler. The Whito House spokesman explained the discrepancy by saying Reagan did not remember signing i he document so Ono of Iho two policies that culminated in Iho Currenton Rovery began Wilh a document that Iho pics dont has forgotten and the Olhorn began Wilhour his knowledge according to the White House. I i hint it s always the responsibility of a Start to prefect their Leader the Admiral testified. But to said in Elloul thai he chose to protect Reagan not by warning him of a potentially explosive dangers of a policy but by keeping him in ignorance of that policy Poindexter defended his decision in three ways by citing what he called the Broad authority Reagan gave him in implementing approved policy by arguing to knew the president s thinking Well enough to know he would approve of diversion and by asserting that to wished to give Tho president plausible  repeatedly Contra dicing Whito House statements poin Dexler insisted last Friday that Reagan would have approved diverting iranian arms Sale proceeds to the nicaraguan rebels if he had known about in. When asked about the insistence of Fitzwater thai Reagan would not have approved of the plan Poindexter replied i would have expected him to say that. That is the whole idea of  at one Lime plausible deniability was taken to mean the ability to deny something that was True and to be believed in the denial. But according to Richard Helms a former director o Central intelligence it  the 1950s and 1960s to mean reaching decisions on cover operations without involving Reagan so that he could honestly maintain that he knew nothing. Various committees of senior officials were set up to make the decisions he said later however the Law was changed and presidents were required to sign findings that Covert operations were necessary and Ihus explicitly to accept responsibility for them. That is Ine situation at present. Bui Poindexter sought no finding for the diversion. One of the reasons for the old system readopted by Poindexter. Was the special character of the american presidency. In parliamentary democracies As a French Dipol Mal commented the revelation of an operation bungled As badly As this one would inevitably cause the government to All especially if the operation had been authorized by a civil servant. Bui failing impeachment american government do not fall so it was thought Wise to fashion a system that would deflect the blame from the president when an operation was uncovered and thereby avoid crippling him Lor the rest of his term. But Congress concluded that that consideration was outweighed by the need for such decisions to be made in a Way that Tho government could be held accountable to the electorate Lor them if need be. One element of Poindexter s account did no seem to Square with what happened when the while House discovered the diversion. The Admiral and North both have now said that the colonel proposed the diversion and pain Dexter approved it. Why then was poin Deilor permitted to resign while North was dismissed to some the inconsistency recoiled North s Lesli Mony thai he and William j. Casey the head of i he Central intelligence Agency who died in May discussed the Nolion thai North would be acting As Scapegoat if the diversion became Public. Casey according to the colonel suggested that perhaps someone lurch of up the line might have to be the fall Guy in the controversy became too heated. Ultimately Poindexter s willingness to fall on his sword May present Reagan with a political Hob on s Choice. The Admiral has been notified Hal he is a principal target of the investigation of Lawrence e. Walsh the special prosecutor which almost always Means that the person involved will soon be indicted. Ii Hal happens As seems Likely the president will have to decide whether to allow a Man who says he acted solely to protect him to endure a criminal rial Wilh the possibility of a prison sentence Ai the end of whether to Pardon him thereby suggesting at Leas to the cynical. Fial a bargain had been struck to persuade the Admiral to lustily As he did. The stars and stripes Page 13