Loop Denial: What’s the Truth? : New revelations on arms-for-hostages deal

How much did George Bush know about the Reagan Administration’s scheme to swap missiles to Iran for American hostages held in Lebanon? Since 1988 Bush has maintained that as vice president he was “out of the loop” when it came to being informed about the crucial details of this effort, that although he was generally aware of the opening toward Iran he didn’t know that weapons were being bartered for hostages until that fact became public knowledge. But an increasing body of evidence casts grave doubt on the credibility of Bush’s profession of ignorance.

Howard Teicher, a former Middle East specialist on the National Security Council, wrote in last Sunday’s Opinion section: “I participated in several meetings with then-Vice President Bush at which the core elements of the Iran initiative were discussed. There was no ambiguity about the fact that arms sales to Iran were a prerequisite for the release of the American hostages.” Earlier Teicher testified to three congressional committees and a grand jury about Bush’s involvement.

Late last week ABC News obtained a secret 1987 Israeli government intelligence memorandum describing a briefing about the arms-for-hostages deal given Bush. The memorandum, written by Amiram Nir, a now-deceased Israeli official who was a key player in Iran-Contra arms sales, makes clear that Bush was told about the magnitude of the deal and Iran’s conditions. Nir’s record of his conversation with Bush in fact simply supports a memorandum written by Craig Fuller, the vice president’s chief of staff, on the briefing Bush received from the Israeli. The Fuller document was written immediately after Bush met with Nir, on July 29, 1986.

These revelations follow other evidence that has recently come to light, including the record of a conversation between former Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger and former Secretary of State George P. Shultz, indicating that Bush indeed was fully informed and fully supportive of the arms-for-hostages trade.

Bush’s own latest word on the subject was delivered Sept. 25: “I believe I’ve leveled with the American people, and I have nothing to add to it.” But there is now available a compelling body of documentary and other evidence that flatly and, we believe, convincingly refutes that claim. The significance of this evidence is not just that it shows Bush knew plenty but that for four years he has tried to mislead Americans about the extent of his knowledge.

The President says that “trust” is a central theme of his campaign for reelection. Trust means having confidence in another’s honesty. The Bush record of candor on the arms-for-hostages deal is increasingly being eroded. The President, by saying he has nothing more to add, ill-serves those whose trust he solicits.