It was 1987! At a lecture the other day they were playing an old news video of Lt. Col. Oliver North testifying at the Iran-Contra hearings during the Reagan Administration. There was Ollie in front of God and country getting the third degree, but what he said was stunning! He was being drilled by some senator; "Did you not recently spend close to $60,000 for a home security system?" Ollie replied, "Yes, I did, Sir." The senator continued, trying to get a laugh out of the audience, "Isn't that just a little excessive?" "No, sir," continued Ollie. "No? And why not?" the senator asked. "Because the lives of my family and I were threatened, sir." "Threatened? By whom?" the senator questioned. "By a terrorist, sir" Ollie answered. "Terrorist? What terrorist could possibly scare you that much?" "His name is Osama bin Laden, sir" Ollie replied. At this point the senator tried to repeat the name, but couldn't pronounce it, which most people back then probably couldn't. A couple of people laughed at the attempt. Then the senator continued. Why are you so afraid of this man?" the senator asked. "Because, sir, he is the most evil person alive that I know of", Ollie answered. "And what do you recommend we do about him?" asked the senator. "Well, sir, if it was up to me, I would recommend that an assassin team be formed to eliminate him and his men from the face of the earth." The senator disagreed with this approach, and that was all that was shown of the clip. By the way, that senator was Al Gore



Also: Terrorist pilot Mohammad Atta blew up a bus in Israel in 1986. The Israelis captured, tried and imprisoned him. As part of the Oslo agreement with the Palestinians in 1993, Israel had to agree to release so-called "political prisoners". However, the Israelis would not release any with blood on their hands. The American President at the time, Bill Clinton, and his Secretary of State, Warren Christopher, "insisted" that all prisoners be released. Thus Mohammad Atta was freed and eventually thanked the US by flying an airplane into Tower One of the World Trade Center. This was reported by many of the American TV networks at the time that the terrorists were first identified. It was censored in the US from all later reports.

I always thought that Colonel Oliver North is a kind of hero figure to me. And those damn Democrates!

Off topic: Who is Oliver North? Why is he so popular? I don't really know the man because I only see him on Fox News.

If you read John Singlaub's book, "Hazardous Duty," you come away with a different view of Ollie. I think and hold firm that Oliver North is a well-meaning guy with a tremendous amount of ability. However, when you read the Singlaub book (and you need only to see the first chapter) you may come away with a more balanced view of his all human nature. Having said that I enjoy him on Fox News and am an avid reader of his column. And, I almost fell out of my chair over Zach's input. If the Republicans were smart they would be showing that tape on an hourly basis.
DJ

In my personal opinon I think that all Democrats that had to do with the Clinton administration are a bunch of commies.They should all be hanged.

I find it somewhat disturbing that you show such little faith in your system of government, speaking of the Democrats as blood-suckers who aught to be hanged
An opposition (though it is supposed to be a "loyal" opposition) is necessary in a democracy and, from information I have seen, they do represent a sizeable minority of the American population. Basically, I am wondering exactly why most people on this site seem to hate the Democrats so much. The only things I know about American politics comes from what I have seen on the news and learned in Political Science and American History classes. I don't live there, so I probably do not understand the entire situation.
I might as well remind you that in World War II, while FDR and the Democrats were pushing for legislation to aid the British and Russians, at that time fighting Nazism alone, the Republicans put up a front in some instances to attempt to block this. Fortunately for us, some members determined it would be a good idea to forget party solidarity for a moment and sided with Roosevelt.

Nic

Nic, I believe more politically savvy people here would probably agree with me that the Democrats and Republicans of the WW II-era that you mention had and acted upon different ideologies than the groups of today.

Some would also go further to state that there is little difference between a Democan and a Republicrat today. There are schisms between extreme liberalism (under the guise of a Democrat label) and extreme conservatism (under the guise of a Republican label). Most of the US population falls between the two views - hence the source of debate between the two - often heated and emotional. It's like two siblings who are fighting - step in the middle of it though, and you'll quickly discover how much they really do love each other when they jump on you. Don't always take the hot retorts literally...

Gunnie

Zach--you would a lot of support for that point of view in my neck of the wood. Of course, we would figuratively speak of these action.
DJ

Thanks for the explanation, Gunnie. I agree that the parties (as they are in Canada) are very different today than they were during WWII, but it is interesting to see that the same conflicts occurred.

Nic

I am sorry to debunk Zach's original entry, but it is an internet urban legend.

COL North did speak as part of the hearings and did respond to a security system installed by the US Government. He was speaking not about Osama bin Laden, but about the Terrorist the attacked the cruise ship Achille Lardo (sp?) in the Med and killed an American citizen. The terrorist died recently in Baghdad. It was not Senator Gore that asked the question, as he was never on that commitee. I heard this story straight from COL North's mouth.

Jeff

Hahaha thx for the compliment DJ.

Well Ranger when I first saw it I thought it was a little suspicious at first but I thought it would be a interesting topic to discuss about.Thanks for clearing that up for me.

Zach,

No sweat. I fell for it the first time I heard it until I heard COL North talking about ths issue

The terrorist that threatened Lt.Col. North was Abu Nidal.

Jeff--nice clean-up. Given your input, I believe the Achille Loral slain were the victims of Abu Nidal who went to terrorist heaven while in Iraq.