Reagan, Iran, Contras and Breaching the Public Trust

The one charge which President Reagan cannot escape is that of colossal duplicity.

Tricky? He urges our allies not to arm Iran but, even with knowledge that the Iranians were responsible for the slaughter of our Marines, sends them arms himself. Deceitful? How many times has he told us--oh, so sincerely--that he will never deal with terrorists, that to pay ransoms will only endanger the lives of all Americans abroad, yet all the while allowing his aides, how else but knowingly, to secretly solicit funds for that exact purpose?

Would he have done either of these things had he known that he’d be found out? Of course not. He simply thought that he could supplant government by the people by one of his own devising, all behind our backs.

In the next breath he declares, “Just cause and deep concern and noble ends can never be reason enough to justify improper actions or excessive means.”

And we are now asked to trust him?

The stench of the disclosures and non-disclosures in Washington is sickening.

ELLIOTT W. MICHENER

El Monte