Oliver North Research Articles

“The Most Marketable Political Commodity”: Oliver North, Iran-Contra, and American Domestic Politics

From Oliver North's congressional testimony in 1987 to his near-successful Senate run in 1994, this article assesses the significance of the Iran-Contra scandal to the American domestic political landscape. It positions Iran-Contra at a transitional moment in right-wing politics, torn between loyalty to Reagan on one hand and the combativeness of the 1990s’ New Right on the other. In four stages—denial, fame, fundraising, and forgetting—defenders of North set forth a model of how ascendant forces in the New Right would, post-Reagan, transform scandal into political capital. Iran-Contra provided grist for media outlets that demonized the mainstream media, voters and members of Congress who excused criminality, and two White Houses who longed to forgive and forget. Thus can the historiography of American conservatism, currently in full bloom, begin to reckon with Iran-Contra's place in domestic politics.

Why Reagan was not impeached

In the aftermath of Watergate and Vietnam, Congressional investigations uncovered the largely unknown activities of the CIA and other agencies, which included arming and interfering in the domestic politics of regimes in both Central America and Iran. These programmes had also involved supporting reactionary regimes in ways that some saw as drawing the United States into conflicts, like Vietnam, without public knowledge or consent. In 1987, it was revealed that the Reagan administration had operated a clandestine policy in Nicaragua that evaded the restrictions placed upon the executive by the Boland Amendment in terms of aid given to the Nicaraguan Contras and that National Security Council (NSC) staff had lied to Congress and concealed these illegal actions. They had solicited funds from foreign allies and smuggled arms to the Contra insurgents in support of their efforts to topple the Sandinista regime. Contrary to the Arms Export Control Act and to its own publicly stated policy, the administration had also sold arms, particularly missiles, to Iran, which had been branded a sponsor of international terrorism since the Iranian revolution, and which was currently at war with its neighbour, Iraq. Such deals had formed part of ‘arms for hostages’ negotiations that were also contrary to official policy. Finally, it was disclosed that profits from the arms sales had been diverted to fund the Contras and hence to evade Congressional restrictions on funding. This article explores why these illegal actions did not result in President Reagan’s impeachment. It considers the merits of the administration’s claims that this was a ‘rogue operation’ by zealots within the NSC, and the success of its efforts to present Reagan as eager to cooperate with efforts to discover the truth of what had happened. It reviews the interactions between the Tower Commission, Congressional investigations and Office of Independent Counsel probe (Lawrence Walsh) and shows how these contributed to Reagan’s ‘escape’ from impeachment. It reviews the argument that Reagan’s underlying health problems contributed to his lax management of NSC operations and it considers the importance of televised testimony, particularly that of Oliver North, in shaping public opinion in the administration’s favour. Finally, it considers how this significant episode in 1980s politics foreshadowed major trends in US politics that can be seen as culminating in the present, acute partisan divide, Donald Trump’s double impeachment, and a manifest decline in public trust and respect for American political institutions.

Acting and Speaking with Power: Oliver North and the Iran–Contra Deal—The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

How leaders behave in difficult situations are an important part of controlling their narrative. This public-sourced case provides students an opportunity to examine how one leader behaves while under scrutiny. The material presents a short history of Lieutenant Colonel Oliver Ollie North, a US national security adviser under US President Ronald Reagan. North testified before Congress, and an analysis of his testimonies provides an opportunity to view how he conducted himself under pressure. This case is meant to be paired with another case presenting the story of the former president of Stanford University, Donald Kennedy, who was accused of overbilling the government for indirect costs on research contracts: Acting and Speaking with Power: Donald Kennedy and Stanford Accounting—Indirectly Accused? (UVA-OB-1338). Used together, the cases present an opportunity to compare two very different approaches to speaking and acting with power. Excerpt UVA-OB-1337 Sept. 23, 2020 Acting and Speaking with Power: Oliver North and the Iran–Contra Deal—the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly From the command-and-control environment that Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North had worked within the United States Marine Corps to the covert operations he ran through the National Security Council in the mid-1980s, North would withhold information, create his own airline delivery service, set up operations with a shell company to exchange money, arrange for missiles to be delivered to Iran, and provide money to rebels known as Contras fighting their government in Nicaragua—all against the explicit laws of Congress, but with his boss's knowledge. When the whole affair unraveled, North was to appear in front of a joint congressional hearing in July 1987 to answer questions and reveal details about his role in what had become a public and international affair. While preparing for the hearing, North had several decisions to make about how he would present himself during the hearing. One thing was a certainty: he would be sure to show up looking sharp in his Marine Corps uniform. The Contras . . .

PIUS AENEAS OR AENEAS THE WIMP?

I wonder if you agree with me that Aeneas, at least in the first half of the Aeneid, appears to be something of a Wimp? We're programmed, of course, to think of heroes as butch, fighting types. Many books about the Aeneid have a section on Aeneas' character, describing him in fairly Macho terms and forgetting, conveniently, that Aeneas' reaction to the problems he faces in the early part of the Aeneid is often to weep. We don't like heroes who weep -General Colin Powell or General Oliver North don't seem to be blubberers. The Sibyl's brisk reminder to Aeneas has a point, "Night is coming, Aeneas: yet we waste hours in weeping" (A. 6.539): Aeneas weeps a good deal.

Secret Agent Man: The Need for a Specialized Court-Martial to Try All Espionage-Related Crimes

This paper claims that the current procedure for trying espionage-related crimes is inadequate. Specifically, this paper argues that the Confidential Information Procedures Act fails to remedy the issues of confidentiality and national security that arise in civilian courts. For that reason, the United States should create specialized court-martial-style courts to try cases of espionage. In this specialized court-martial system, defendants would have access to confidential information crucial to their defense while also allowing the government to protect matters of national security. This would significantly decrease the likelihood of disclosure of confidential governmental information to the public. First, this paper describes the three major styles of courts the United States currently uses: civilian courts, courts-martial, and military tribunals. It also explains why each particular venue is not suited to try cases regarding espionage-related crimes, including the need for transparency in civilian courts and why the United States cannot truly consider military tribunals to pursue these crimes. Second, the paper describes Congress’ past attempts to remedy the problems detailed in the first section. Specifically, it details the Confidential Information Procedures Act, along with the accompanying silent-witness rule. Section two of the paper further details the flaws of this Act, including how defendants have successfully circumvented that Act in order to force the government’s hand. The paper will use Oliver North, of Iran-Contra fame, and Thomas Andrews Drake as specific examples of the defendant’s ability to “graymail” the government into either reducing or completely dropping espionage charges. Third, the paper demonstrates how the United States should tailor the current court-martial system to make it an effective tool for prosecuting all espionage related crimes. Specifically, it details how the United States could create a special court that deals only with espionage-related crimes. There would be no immediate public access in the specialized court-martial; rather, the public would have access to the redacted record after the end of the proceedings. While defendants do have a right to a public trial, all courts have generally made exceptions in the past for certain types of crimes and cases. The United States should simply add espionage-related crimes to the list of those already sequestered from the public. By allowing the public access to a redacted record after the proceedings, the public still gets to enjoy a certain level of transparency. While the public would not get to see the classified documents or read confidential testimony, it would be aware that the court-martial tried the defendant for espionage-related crimes. Further, all non-confidential information would remain open to the public. Therefore, the specialized court-martial would be the most effective and secure way to try espionage-related cases without completely sacrificing the public’s right to know about the proceedings.

UNDER FIRE AN AMERICAN STORY

Under Fire is the official autobiography of Oliver North and is available in both hardcover and paperback editions. Although the former is of a considerably better quality and contains more photographs, the softcover is naturally less expensive and contains an extra chapter. From the first page, Under Fire, is a compelling read and remains so throughout, despite the substantial detail which does not lend itself to enhancing one's ability to understand the complex workings of the United States Federal Government, Rather than concentrating solely on the lran-Contra scandal, Under Fire seeks to be much more and might better be described as a personalised history of Middle America, Although the book opens with the scandal and how news of it was broken to the world in November 1986, it soon rearranges itself into a chronological pattern and reverts to the days of Oliver North's childhood in upstate New York.

Mythbusting Publishing: Questioning the ‘Runaway Popularity’ of Published Biography and Other Life Writing

Mythbusting Publishing: Questioning the ‘Runaway Popularity’ of Published Biography and Other Life Writing

Stations of the Cross: Adorno and Christian Right Radio , and: The Psychological Technique of Martin Luther Thomas' Radio Addresses (review)

The evangelical cum political broadcasts of James Dobson's Focus on the Family are an unlikely place to go looking for salvation if one is a Marxist-inflected critical theorist. After all, it is this Colorado Springs-based organization that lent its considerable support to Colorado's anti-gay rights Amendment 2 and counts Gary Bauer and Oliver North among its most popular guests. Nevertheless, it is in this seemingly most conservative of cultural products that Paul Apostolidis hopes to find the "negative-utopian" glimpses of a path to revolution.

More Form than Substance: Press Coverage of the WTO Protests in Seattle

The mainstream U.S. news media have been shifting rightward for at least two decades, as their corporate owners enforce tighter ideological conformity. Oliver North and Pat Buchanan, for example, are now regular commentators on television talk shows. And all of the media now refer to people as "consumers," cogs in a capitalist machine. But still, news is less than half as profitable as entertainment, and media firms are intensifying pressures on their "news properties" for higher profits, which means the pursuit of upscale demographics. Owners are removing journalism's much vaunted separation of newsroom practices and business decisions, blurring the line between news and entertainment, and forming partnerships with one another to offer online news services.This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website, where most recent articles are published in full.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.

Saint Mary of the Contra, Our Lady of Oliver North

This paper traces the evolution of (Catholic) church‐state relations from Nicaraguan independence through to 1998, showing how a symbiotic relationship has emerged whereby one makes recourse to the other in order to justify its existence and provide it with moral authority. This relationship, however, has been threatened on a number of occasions. First, by the advent of liberation theology during the Somoza period, second by the increasing secularisation of the FSLN regime during the 1980s. Recent years have seen the Catholic Church recapture its previous authoritative position in the national political arena, although increasing voter apathy and the growth of the Protestant Church movement could again threaten its position.

Muffled Echoes: Oliver North and the Politics of Public Opinion. By Amy Fried. New York: Columbia University Press, 1997. 308p. $49.50 cloth, $19.50 paper.

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Muffled Echoes: Oliver North and the Politics of Public Opinion. Amy Fried

<i>Muffled Echoes: Oliver North and the Politics of Public Opinion</i>. Amy Fried

Men of Zeal: Memory for Metaphors in the Iran-Contra Hearings

Despite the belief that metaphors are thought to be powerful persuasive devices, little empirical evidence exists to support this claim. A first step in examining the persuasive impact of metaphors is to measure recall and production variables concerning the persuasive message. This study examined recollections regarding the Iran-Contra hearings among honors introductory psychology students. Recall of the hearings appeared heavily influenced by externally imposed (i.e., media, politicians) metaphors. Moreover, metaphors used typically expressed an attitude about the Iran-Contra affair, particularly about Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North's involvement.

Muffled echoes: Oliver North and the politics of public opinion

Ten years ago the Iran-Contra affair swept the headlines as the nation watched an indignant Lt. Col. Oliver North testify before a congressional committee. Although polls showed that most Americans were critical of North's actions and ambivalent toward the man himself, media coverage left the opposite impression, with its broadcasts of Ollie-for-president rallies and stories of congressional aides overwhelmed by a torrent of pro-North mail. In this book, public opinion is more than the sum of a pollster's tally; instead, Amy Fried defines it as a political tool, integral to the political process, where vested interests compete to legitimize their interpretation of the public voice. Fried explores the construction, interpretation, and uses of public opinion, raising important questions about the media and the role of special interest groups in determining policy.

Son Thang: an American war crime

Three months after Army lieutenant William Calley was charged with the infamous massacre of civilians at My Lai, the Marine Corps had to deal with a savage war crime of its own. Although the incident received little of the media attention focused on Calley's crimes, the murder of sixteen women and children by five Marines at Son Thang-4 raised serious questions for the Corps and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Gary Solis, a Marine combat officer in Vietnam and later a judge advocate, draws on his considerable experience to describe the horrifying crime, its problematic investigation, and the complex courts-martial. It is an engrossing true courtroom drama, complete with unpredictable outcomes and the involvement of both Oliver North and James Webb. Were the five Marines of the self-styled killer team sent to Son Thang-4 on 19 February 1970 carrying out orders to punish the hamlet or reacting to snipers when they opened fire on noncombatant civilians at point-blank range? Were their actions simply a consequence of weeks of unrelenting combat in which fellow Marines were killed by the invisible Viet Cong and their boobytraps? Using trial records and extensive interviews, Solis brings to life the host of military and civilian attorneys, judges, and juries who wrestled with these and other thorny questions in the midst of a combat zone. His riveting courtroom narrative is every bit as fast-paced and readable as the best legal fiction, and his authoritative assessments of the principals' performances, explanations of the peculiarities of military justice, and analysis of issues that rocked the very foundation of the military code of justice assure the book's long-lasting value. Herefor the first time is the full story of what happened at Son Thang-4, including the controversial deliberations and verdicts - a study as pertinent today as it was in 1 Corps, Vietnam, more than twenty-five years ago.

God at the Grassroots: The Christian Right in the 1994 Election

Chapter 1 The Christian Right and the 1994 Elections: An Overview Chapter 2 Florida: Running Globally and Winning Locally Chapter 3 Georgia: The Christian Right and Grass Roots Power Chapter 4 Texas: The Emergence of the Christian Right Chapter 5 Oklahoma: The Christian Right and Republican Realignment Chapter 6 Virginia: God, Guns, and Oliver North Chapter 7 South Carolina: The Christian Right Wins One Chapter 8 Michigan: Veering to the Right Chapter 9 Minnesota: Christians and Quistians in the GOP Chapter 10 Iowa: Everything Comes up Rosy Chapter 11 Oregon: Identity and Politics in the Northwest Chapter 12 The Past as Prologue: The Christian Right in the 1996 Elections

Ethics, National Security and Bureaucratic Realities

Some have characterized Oliver North's conviction in federal court, for lying to Congress among other things, as the criminalization of policy differences, whereas others have condemned his actions as subversive of constitutional checks and balances. Within the government, "designated liar" has become an unofficial title when selecting an agency official to give the "company line. "for Congress or the public. The commonplace acceptance, even expectation, of official lying as exemplified by North is merely accepted as a fact of governmental life. What is it about the culture of national security decision making that makes lying an acceptable form of behavior? The authors have found that some of the real-world factors that shape individual behavior include organizational indoctrination, access to information, succumbing to that cult-like mystique of routine access to classified information, and national-security policy making itself.

OLIVER NORTH AND THE NEW CHRISTIAN RIGHT IN THE 1994 VIRGINIA SENATE ELECTION

This study assesses the influence religious beliefs had on the political opinions and voting intentions of whites likely to vote in the 1994 Virginia Senate general election. Analysis of survey data indicated that Protestant Biblical Literalists were significantly more conservative in their political views than other religious segments of the Virginia electorate. Protestant Biblical Literalism was also discovered to be the single most important predictor of a declared intention of voting for Oliver North in the general election. The study provides evidence pointing to the continuing importance of religion as a factor in southern electoral politics.

Ailing Leaders in Power 1914-1994

Do you think I am trusty and faithful? Do you see no further than this facade, this smooth and tolerant manner of me? Have you no thought O dreamer that it may beall maya, illusion?—Walt Whitman, 1855. This is a book with a cautionary message about ailing world leaders, both in politics and in all manner of high office. The message is timely and topical in the American context as we enter an election year. Hugh L'Etang is a persuasive writer; he is your guide through a museum of morbidity and mortality among the powerful of this century. Some exhibits, such as the failing physical or mental powers of Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Churchill, are familiar to many of us. Less familiar figures under scrutiny are Brezhnev, Saddam Hussein, Oliver North, Imelda Marcos, and other living and dead US presidents. Marginalia include military personalities, judges, and business heads, some

Preparing for armageddon: Citizen militias, the patriot movement and the Oklahoma city bombing

The devastating explosion in Oklahoma City on 19 April 1995 has drawn attention to the existence of citizen militias and the Patriot movement of which they are part. Opposed to gun control and taxation and strongly influenced by claims of concealed foreign troops, concentration camps and plans to impose a New World order, Patriots are the inheritors of a radical rightist conspiratorialism dating back to the 1960s. Believing American liberties to be as threatened by Oliver North as by President Clinton, the movement is a diffuse subculture which encompasses both racist adherents of what is termed Christian Identity and more traditional Christian fundamentalists (and even includes some members of ethnic minorities). The Oklahoma bombing, it believes, was the work of forces seeking to demonize the movement but while it argues that the creation of militias is purely defensive, there is a constant danger of confrontation with the state in the rhetoric of a second American Revolution.