U.S. Ships in Persian Gulf

The Times editorial, “Blunder Upon Blunder,” (July 29) regarding American policy in the Persian Gulf may, alarmingly, be right on the mark. The execution of that policy seems surprisingly inept; the policy itself flawed. It is not only that “this whole ill-conceived plan was motivated as much as anything by an effort to recoup what had been lost by the exposure of the Administration’s scheme to sell arms to Iran.” On that premise what also is troubling are the arms negotiations in which the logjam has suddenly and almost miraculously eased. The fear is that the Reagan Administration, frantic to get Iran- contra hearings off the front page, will concede to the Russians what is neither wise nor in our national interest.

The press, however, is not a pristine bystander in this debacle. It has been pounding the public with the Iran-contra affair for over eight months. The press enjoys stirring things up, then self-righteously washes its hands of the mess it helped create.

GAIL FUNARO

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