European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 1, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes saturday August 1.1987 columns Tom Wicker Reagan to blame for own loss of credibility is president Reagan idling the truth the whole truth and nothing bul the truth about the Iran con Ira affair polls suggest that a majority of Ameri cans doubt ii for that. Reagan has no one to blame bul himself. Last week s new York times lbs news poll for example showed thai s3 percent of the respondents do not believe the presi Dent when he insists thai he was not in formed about the diversion to the contras of profits from the iranian arms sales. Well Why should they believe him his chosen National Security adviser John Poindexter did Lell the congressional committees thai he made inc Deci Sion to divert the funds and did not Lell Reagan bul Poindexter also admitted lying and withholding information from Congress and other officials and on 184 occasions old the committees thai he could t remember various events and actions some quite recent. The Admiral t credibility is nil. Former National Security advisers including Henry Kissinger and Brent scowcroft said they found it hard to be Lieve thai Poindexter could or Wouldhave made such a momentous decision on his own. When disclosure of the diversion forced Reagan to demand the admirals resignation the president did not ask his departing National Security adviser who had authorized the diversion or now it had come about or anything about it even though the Issue endangered his in lire administration. Reagan claims not to remember sign ing an arms of hostages intelligence find ing thai poin Deriter later destroyed Lopre vent embarrassment to the president. The larger Story thai has unfolded before the congressional committees has been one of administration officials who engaged in repeated lies distortions halon its withholding of information and Allemis to mislead with even Secretary of stale George Schuliz so he testified among the victims. Trying to Deal with what is described As Reagan s growing frustration at the Public s unwillingness to believe him a James resign wsrs"6 White House spokesman recalled the Tower commission s statement that inc president did not we believe intend to mislead the american Public or cover up unlawful  the Tower report however by the com Mission s own statement and As shown by later congressional inquiry was not a com plete account. Besides whatever Reagan s intent Aslo unlawful conduct Uherc s no real doubt that he and his associates did intend to mislead the Public they said they would not pay Ransom for hostages when in fact they were trying to Trade arms for hostages. They said they would not sell arms to Iran when in fact they were Selling thou Sands of Tow and Hawk missiles to Iran though after the sales were disclosed Rea Gan said thai All the arms sold could be carried in one cargo plane. They said they were a trying the idler and spirit of the Boland Amend ment restricting Aid to the contras when in fact they were circumventing it in numerous ways. It. Col. Oliver North and Poindexter. If not Reagan no doubt would argue that All this was necessary to protect Covert operations that they believe advanced the National interest. It i hard to see How they did. Or could have but in any Case the Rool of the administration s problem lies in those Covert operations and nol in Congress or the press. These were secret activities concealed from Congress insufficiently debated within inc administration heavily de pendent upon non official people and foreigners and ordered by the president Over the protests of the secretaries of state and defense. He knew these operations confounded his own Public poli cies and forced him to lie to the world if disclosed which was All but inevitable they were bound to damage if not de stroy his credibility. Reagan ordered them carried out  of this necessarily Means thai the president was told of the diversion Lothe contras or that either he or poin Dexler is lying on thai particular Point. It All docs mean that the Public can hardly be blamed for its loss of Faith in the credibility of this administration including that of Reagan. Events and testimony to Congress in fact have Only confirmed what 1 Saida the scandal was breaking open last november. He won t again Lead the Public by virtue of its unmarred Tuisl in him. Humpty dumpty can l be put Back together  la new Yot rim mows s swim a useful tips emerge from Iran Contra hearings to this crisis most of the time they did t mean any the congressional committees investigating the Iran Contra affair Are collecting some useful lips for the next president of the United slates among them arc inc following Good friends can make bad attorneys general. Clip the Wingl of the National Security Council. Ditto the Central intelligence Agency. Beware of former Campaign managers and reorganize your Cabinet to serve As your chief source of advice. In a More frivolous vein Cut off All air condition ing in Washington during july and August and give everybody a much needed rest. In his testimony before inc committees de Meese did nothing to Challenge the Rule that Good friends male bad attorneys general. All his political life in Sacramento As Well As Wash Melon his main loyally has been to Ronald Reagan Miner than to the Law. Nothing in his Legal training justified his appointment As the principal Law enforcer of inc tend and his testimony dramatized inc Point. He was concerned primarily nol with the control Oft Cul Oliver North or of vice adm. John Poindexte now rear Admiral but with damage control. His Iii Imons was not Only unpersuasive but Al limes in grammatical and he has a convenient memory. Somi presidents have had Good  also Preuth Dover inc department of Justice with Dis Union. President Eisenhower s attorney general her re it Bro nil and president Carter i Anflin Bdl were two such men. Bell however remarked that president Reagan s mistake was in moving Meese from the White House where he was dealing primarily with political ques Lions into the Justice department where he Kepi thinking in political rather than Legal terms. Winning presidents not unnaturally want to Reward the men who have run their successful campaigns bul this has not always been u Good  Nixon for example chose his Law partner and Campaign manager John Mitchell As attorney general and drowned Al watergate. William Casey ran Reagan s successful Campaign and wanted to be Secretary of stale. Reagan turned him Down bul said he could have any other Job he warned. Fortunately he did t choose Justice but look the Cia und sometimes operated Llibre As if he had the Post he really  was Secretary of stale George Shull who Sug go sick the other Day that the Lime has come to Cut the Csc Down to size. It is too big and too involved i running policy instead of gathering intelligence he said and seems to be accountable to nobody. Maybe inc main observation to come Oul of these hearings is that presidents stumble into trouble by making thoughtless appointments and then relying on these appointees for critical policy advice and giving them authority they have no right to escrow. 1  Robert Mcfarland Casey and menu Are a Sci in Point. I lick did t no in to pie Sidi Over this crisis most f the time they did t anything except 10 help the preside no by denying him and con Gress the facts they needed for accountable decisions. Is there a belter Way during the Coli Cal transition period when Reagan was picking a Cabinet and deciding How to organize his administration Caspar  Jjon the Model of Tinat Uji a  � Ani my. To Weinberger thought the president should establish offices for the Secretary of stale Secretary of de sense and attorney Genera in the executive office build ing across the Street from the Oval office and meet with them along with the White House chief of staff Ever morning to consider the major problems for decision Schuliz had made a similar proposal years ago when he was Treasury  bul Hie idea was rejected. Panty because ii might innate the inner members of inc Cabinet and inc Heads of the Csc and inc la. In the end of course it All comes Down 10 the use of the president s appointive Power. Nobody worries or example Ghoul judge Webster now dim Ting inc f a. Or Howard Hakr. The White House chief of Slator Frank car Luigi Al the Csc. Bui meet Al the jul iliac department is still a problem. When president Ford interviewed Ludward h.  of the univ Cisily f Chicago for the Pust of allure general he asked him we ii the to part mini of Justice needed my ii needs a  us replied. He so the Job and ran it or vol