Flashback to Colonel Ollie North

[kentuck]

The witness just arrived at the Capitol and was in full military dress uniform.

I recall how Ollie North came to the hearing in a similar manner during the Iran-Contra scandal.

It was very difficult to question a man in military uniform.

An interesting development.

[katmondoo]

1. I remember his testimony and I said to my husband "He is lying" He looked shocked when I said that.

To me it was obvious. Ollie North is a liar and that will never change.

[Maeve]

3. My uncle, an Air Force Lt Col. at the time, agreed with you

He found North's dishonesty embarrassing

[JHB]

4. Yep. North even justified his lying by blaming Congress for info leaks where HE was the leaker.

https://www.nytimes.com/1987/07/20/world/newsweek-says-north-was-a-source-of-leaks

Newsweek Says North Was a Source of Leaks
July 20, 1987

In his testimony before the Congressional committees investigating the Iran-contra affair, Colonel North said that he had lied to Congress about his actions because he felt its members often leaked sensitive information. As one example, he discussed the hijacking by Arab terrorists of the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro in October 1985, in which an American tourist, Leon Klinghoffer, was killed.

After the ship's passengers were freed, United States planes intercepted an Egyptian plane carrying the men believed to be the hijackers. Newsweek printed an article about the incident that contained many behind-the-scenes details of the interception.

In its latest issue, Newsweek noted that Colonel North testified at the Iran-contra hearings that ''a number of members of Congress'' made revelations about the Achille Lauro operation ''that very seriously compromised our intelligence activities.''

''But the colonel did not mention,'' the Newsweek article continued, ''that details of the interception, first published in a Newsweek cover story, were leaked by none other than Colonel North himself.''

[Beringia]

2. He looks fit as a fiddle

[Baitball Blogger]

5. I'm going to love to see how the conservatives frame this one.

[Wounded Bear]

6. Ollie North was a fucking weasel...

undeserving of the uniform he wore.

Meanwhile, Repubs are trying to do it again. They practised for this.

Remember:


They will not hesitate to trash a legitimate hero for their purposes.

[rsdsharp]

7. Lt. Col. Vindman is wearing Army dress blues.

North testified in service greens, not the Marine blue dress uniform.

You can see the difference in the second and third figures in this illustration.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniforms_of_the_United_States_Marine_Corps#/media/File:USMC_uniforms.jpg

[NewJeffCT]

8. North wrapped himself in the flag

I recall the quote "Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel"

but, the media loved North and his "aw shucks, I just did it for America" demeanor and sold it to the country.

[crickets]

9. Ollie should have gone to jail for a very long time.

Instead, he barely received a slap on the wrist and walked away with his public reputation mostly intact. His convictions were reversed and he's toodled along over the years with numerous books, a radio show, and his own TV show. He managed to make a career out his criminality, twice.

Nauseating.