Iran-Contra Pardons
President Bush’s recent decision to pardon former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger and the other Iran-Contra crooks should remind us all of the following disturbing facts:
* The money that bought the weapons that were traded in an effort to release the hostages belonged to you and me (it was taxpayers’ money to be spent only by our elected representatives in Congress).
* That money made Gen. Richard Secord and Albert Hakim illegally rich. It also enabled Lt. Col. Oliver North to earn legally thousands of dollars by charging $25,000 for 45-minute speeches and for the publication of his best-seller book “Under Fire--An American Story.”
* Trading arms for hostages only encouraged the terrorists to take more hostages. When North was trading, they held only four hostages. When the crime was discovered, they held nine. Case closed!
GROVER G. MORGAN JR.
Van Nuys
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