Word: contra
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Reviews of The Crimes of Patriots, as well as the book's own jacket, make much of its revelations about the Iran-Contra affair. But they shouldn't. As is the case with Bob Woodward's Veil, portions of this book that deal with the arms for hostages swap are somewhat afterthoughtish. After appearing on the jacket, the name Richard Secord does not come up again until page 273; Ollie North comes up at about the same point but figures even less prominently in Kwitny's narrative...
...isolation, the letter could be seen as a momentary lapse. But it comes in the context of Meese's still unclear and possibly criminal role in the Iran-contra affair, as well as the growing revelations of his involvement in the Wedtech scandal. And, of course, it should not be forgotten that Meese's confirmation hearings were held up as a Special Prosecutor investigated charges of favoritism and corruption. How ironic it is, then, that marijuana use eight years ago is a scandal, while Meese's power and authority remain unimpaired...
...rather too smart--no, too dumb to come. Well, at least she knows that if one doesn't have anything smart to say, one shouldn't come to Harvard. Old Cap Weinberger didn't realize this and we had to resort to ketchup to drown him out. And that Contra-guy, (what was his name?) it took him two visits here before he understood that he didn't fit in. Boy was he dumb! Thank goodness more people are getting the message these days. Pretty soon we won't have to be bothered with any of their dumb ideas...
...Nicaraguan government continued to debate an amnesty for political prisoners, but its contours remained vague. The Sandinistas have resisted a large-scale release of prisoners almost as vigorously as they have denounced contra talks. Last week they hinted that many of Nicaragua's estimated 4,500 political prisoners might be set free on or around Nov. 5. Ortega warned last month, however, that no one guilty of "atrocities" would be freed. At the time, he said the amnesty could apply to ex-guardsmen who were not guilty of "major crimes." Some 2,500 Sandinista supporters last week staged a rally...
Along with just about everyone else, the contra civilian leadership seems to have concluded that the rebels are finished as a fighting force. Even the Reagan Administration has reportedly begun preparing contingency plans to withdraw the contras from combat should the peace plan prevail. Still, as many as 10,000 rebels fight on. "What's going to happen to those kids out in the jungle?" laments a U.S. State Department official. But others at State are asking, Is the pain of getting out of a war reason enough to stay...