Why Is Oliver North Still Involved in the Middle East?
  • May 4, 2007

Why Is Oliver North Still Involved in the Middle East?

Why Is Oliver North Still Involved in the Middle East?

I receive scores of letters each week–some via snail mail, some by e-mail. Here’s one I thought worth sharing. I suspect there are many people who, like this US sailor (and for the sake of privacy, I’m not sharing his name) want to know how the hell Oliver North is "in any way involved in any situation in the Middle East." As a service to this good sailor, and others who care about how those who shamed our country in the Iran-Contra scandal are back in this White House, I am attaching a few choice links to Nation articles and other sources.

Katrina vanden Heuvel
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I receive scores of letters each week–some via snail mail, some by e-mail. Here’s one I thought worth sharing. I suspect there are many people who, like this US sailor (and for the sake of privacy, I’m not sharing his name) want to know how the hell Oliver North is "in any way involved in any situation in the Middle East." As a service to this good sailor, and others who care about how those who shamed our country in the Iran-Contra scandal are back in this White House, I am attaching a few choice links to Nation articles and other sources.

…..

17 April 1007

To whoever is reading this…

I am currently a US Sailor aboard the USS John C Stennis operating in the Persian Gulf. I read your magazine a lot as I am currently enrolled in your subscription.

I am doing fine, I will be getting an honorable discharge this August as long as I don’t do anything stupid and just do my job and stay out of trouble. I can’t say I have enjoyed the military as it has its ups and downs. But I am proud of the fact that I have served my country as patriotic intentions were the reason for my enlistment. I have no regrets.

The main reason why I am writing is cause of a man I see on the news known as Oliver North. I had no clue who this man was or what he was about. My supervisor was outraged at the fact that he is a war commentator and speaking on the issues of strategies of warfare.

My supervisor educated me a bit on the Iran-Contra affair. Is there any possible way that The Nation magazine could run a small article explaining what Oliver North is about and the whole Iran-Contra affair. It is one thing to hear it from one person, but it’s another to hear it from a group. I don’t get any internet access to check it out myself, and if I do, I use it to check my accounts and pay bills. And if Oliver North is speaking out on the issue, who the hell is he to even be any way involved in any situation in the Middle East?

Any inputs would be nice. You can also email me with some education.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

GR (USN)

LINKS

Wikipedia Article

Iran/Contra Rehab: David Corn 2002

From Iran-Contra to Iraq

Iran/Contra: 20 Years Later

 

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Katrina vanden Heuvel Katrina vanden Heuvel is editor and publisher of The Nation, America’s leading source of progressive politics and culture. An expert on international affairs and US politics, she is an award-winning columnist and frequent contributor to The Guardian. Vanden Heuvel is the author of several books, including The Change I Believe In: Fighting for Progress in The Age of Obama, and co-author (with Stephen F. Cohen) of Voices of Glasnost: Interviews with Gorbachev’s Reformers.


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