European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 13, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Oliver North during is slide show testimony in july 1967before the joint House Senate panel investigating the Iron Contra Attar. North in april 1988 arriving Tor pretrial hearing at us Ola met court in Washington on his / involvement in the Iran Contra affair actually reached the contras Swiss Bank account in 1966. To therefore lost the contras nearly Izreo times Iho amount of Money Hal his enlists Iran Contra diversion had provided them. Indeed in april 1986,. While North was writing poin Defiler that the Contr slacked lord. Medicine and boots he apparently overlooked the and Hal his partners in the diversion had a million parked in a lies Swiss Bank accounts the Iran Contra committee s investigation revealed thai of the $16.1 million profit from the sales of arms to Iran Only about $3,8 million went to support the contras As in Erpel the evidence from Congress 1987 Irah Contra report and other Public information the dark Side of North seems 16 be revealed by his role in idea fair. Here s what i believe happened. Mcfarlane testified that he began thinking As Early As february.1984. Abdul Iho need Tor third country support for the nicaraguan contras. The report makes Clear that Thia was Mcfarlane s  in May of Hal year he approached a third country that uttered to provide. $1 million per  Mcfarlane s testimony is that he asked North to arrange the Transfer of funds. North testified differently. He said that Mcfarlane told him to establish the initial resistance account  the Money would be sent. North s actions then put the president at risk. Ohio s Why according to the report Shultz said at a june. 1984 Csc meeting Hal chief of staff James Baker had fold him that i the . Government acted As a conduit for third party Lunding. Thai would bean impeachable offence Cia director William Casey responded that it was permissible if the plan called for direct contributions irom third countries to the.  that View was sustained by Bolh the majority and minority in the Iran Contra report. North proceeded to Lake direct Colliot of funds not appropriated by Congress which his notes reveal he was told could be an Tupea Charlo Altense. The first step according to the report was in late 1984 to Early 1985, when North personally began distributing Contra funds to Contra leaders he selected. In May and june of.1985. North lend to persuade the contras not to buy weapons Al prices 40 percent below those being charged by Richard Secord. Whom North had asked to Supply the contras. Trie report indicates that this is when North became a co manager of the funds in the Secord foreign Banis accounts. If so this was North s second step. The final step according to the report came in november 5985, when North had $800, remaining Iron an authorized activity and directed second to retain Tho Money and spend it Lor the contras. The diversion had begun. Who told him to divert the funds apparently no one. Mcfarlane testified that he did not he was Csc adviser until december a 1985. One Day later. According 16 the Leporld North old foreign officials thai he planned a Genera be profits on Mure arms sales for activities in nicaragua.1 As for Mcfarian s successor Poindexter who report says he testified thai he first heard of the idea when North asked him to authorize h in february 1986 the Iran Contra. Minority Republican report Stales the committees have no evidence. That anyone other than North even considered Iha contras in connection with Theloan. Sales Blore Iha january1986. Presidential decision to sell weapons to Iran. North s error in judgment later concurred Wilh by  Opo cd Hie Way Loine disastrous 1987-88 reversal of Reagan s 1986 Success in obtaining a congressional majority Lor military Aid to the contras and it seriously damaged the Reagan presidency. His mistake was Lolave become directly involved in the management of a private operation supplying military Aid for Tho contras Aller Congress prohibited defense to Cia "01 any Olhorn agencies. Involved in intelligence activities from doing this. We i Agoo Wilh the minority Iran Contra repose s View thai this Rosi Riceton did not apply to the Csc stall simple political common sense suggests that if members of Iho Csc did whal Ollio North did and it became known which has to be assumed in Washington Here would be a political uproar Hal could surely endanger future congressional funding. Further in was improper because the president had not authorized in. Nor did Noil allege Sulho Bizalion from Casey when questioned by attorney general Edwin Mcnese Iii in november 1986. He made the allegation Only after Casey s Doalph in May 1987. In my judgment this online unauthorized diversion was unnecessary. The contras Neo Dod Only Tho relatively Mcdowl Amo  Mages we i wiil Nitin u in Pru Kurn Tor Milf ii Memin attn to lion 1bs3 id tb6. Twi Rocto a i dipl Honi it Humb ooh Iii top Row hat Tif St Jurty count Rutih Tbod by Simon Ana Sci it 13,1.9b8 the stars and stripes Page 15