Iran-Contra Investigation

I am troubled by the turn the Iran-contra hearings are taking, from the distinct probability that crimes have been committed by certain people in the government, to impassioned pleas that these people are really the most patriotic of Americans, engaged in fighting communism in Central America and preventing millions of Communists from invading our borders. That they believe this, I have no doubt. That some of them are merely profiteers, I also have no doubt.

Which brings me to contra leader Adolfo Calero. Listening to him testify as to his agonizing plight in his pursuit to support the “freedom fighters” in Nicaragua and liberate his country and his people, I doubt if Calero suffers from anything more serious than his feverish desire to liberate America from its money for his own personal gain.

However, his less than accurate testimony concerning his lofty motives in his pursuit of democracy for Nicaragua is overshadowed by the fact that his role in all this is played from the air-conditioned comfort of his residence in Florida.

Calero brought effrontery to new heights by comparing himself to our Founding Fathers, George Washington in particular. How dare he liken himself to this great front-line leader of men, who suffered the same vagaries of nature and war as his troops?

Calero has maintained that with enough money from the Untied States he would not only liberate Nicaragua, but he would also protect us from a Communist invasion. If the United States needs people like Calero to protect us, then we have already lost.

KENNETH L. QUALLS

Los Angeles