RAYGUN SOLD ARMS TO TERRORISTS

(From the FINAL REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT COUNSEL FOR IRAN/CONTRA MATTERS by Lawrence E. Walsh)

These excerpts are from Part I Iran/contra: The Underlying Facts

What Raygun said:

On June 18, 1985, President Reagan made a public statement that would prove to be ironic in light of the arms-for-hostages shipments that were to occur over the next eighteen months:

"Let me further make it plain to the assassins in Beirut and their accomplices, wherever they may be, that America will never make concessions to terrorists -- to do so would only invite more terrorism -- nor will we ask nor pressure any other government to do so. Once we head down that path there would be no end to it, no end to the suffering of innocent people, no end to the bloody ransom all civilized nations must pay."

What Raygun did:

The precise date of President Reagan's decision is unclear. It was no later than August 23, 1985. On that day, President Reagan wrote in his diary that he had received a ``secret phone'' call from McFarlane, that ``a man high up in the Iranian govt.'' believed he could deliver ``all or part of the 7 kidnap victims.'' President Reagan further noted that he ``had some decisions to make about a few points -- but they were easy to make -- now we must wait.'' 38 According to McFarlane, the President approved a commitment to replenish Israel's supply of missiles for those sent to Iran. McFarlane conveyed President Reagan's approval to Kimche. There was no notification to Congress.