President Reagan and the ‘Iran Deception’

I’d like to compliment The Times for the special report (Dec. 28), “The Iran Deception.” It was objective, detailed and timely.

This report was also the first place that I have seen significant note of the abduction of CIA agent William Buckley in connection with this affair. What I didn’t see, and I can’t understand why not, is the suggestion that the real motivation for trading arms to Iran was to obtain the release of Buckley.

I believe that it was only a coincidence that others were hostages at the time, and supposed concern for their welfare was only an afterthought--a rationalization expected to appeal to the emotions of the American public. The sudden and “unexplained” end to arms shipments becomes easily explained as the point where it was finally confirmed that Buckley was already dead.

The tenor of this entire deceptive and probably illegal affair reeks of arrogance and disregard for the American principles of government by laws. I hope that President Reagan’s “six years of magic” (read “deception”) are over for good! Showmanship has replaced statesmanship for far too long, at the cost of U.S. respect all over the world.

RICHARD K. THOMPSON

Sunland