TIME: Almanac 1993/TIME Almanac 1993.iso/time/caps/87/87capcon.8

Text File | 1992-10-19 | 3.8 KB | 76 lines

                ú'                                                            ╚July 27, 1987

IRAN-CONTRA

It Ain't Over Till It's Over


North's pleas have given new impetus to contra-funding efforts


Lieut. Colonel Oliver North spent nearly three years
coordinating arms purchases and helping to raise money for the
contra rebels fighting in Nicaragua. But none of North's secret
activities may prove as vital to the rebels as his testimony
before the Iran-contra committees. As millions of Americans
watched on television, North pleaded passionately for support
of efforts to overthrow Nicaragua's Marxist Sandinista junta.
He was even permitted to deliver his patented fund-raising
pitch, minus the projection of 57 slides that usually accompany
the spiel. Holding a photograph of a makeshift contra grave,
North, his voice choking, told the legislators, "Gentlemen,
we've got to offer them something more than the chance to die
for their own country and the freedoms that we believe in."

Ollie's salesmanship provided the opportunity for
long-demoralized contra backers at the White House and State
Department to mount a new campaign for aid. As a Washington
Post/ABC News poll indicated that public support for military
aid to the contras rose to 43% on July 15, from 29% on June 1,
White House Spokesman Marlin Fitzwater called North's testimony
"helpful." President Reagan echoed North in his weekly radio
commentary. "The American people are tired of the off- on again
policy in Central America," he said.

The Administration may soon ask Congress to approve long-term
aid to the contras of perhaps $150 million over 18 months, up
from the $100 million narrowly okayed last fall for fiscal 1987.
That would keep the rebels in beans and bullets until Ronald
Reagan leaves office.

The contras' efforts in the field have also given a boost to
their cause. The Administration says the rebels have put nearly
15,000 soldiers inside Nicaragua, up from 5,000 last December.
Last week the contras announced that 500 soldiers attacked and
overran a strongly held Sandinista garrison at San Jose de Bocay
in north-central Nicaragua. Although the Defense Ministry in
Managua announced fewer casualties and a much less successful
assault than contra leaders claimed, the insurgents said it was
their biggest victory since the rebellion began six years ago.
Contra military progress could help swing moderate lawmakers
in favor of continued funding when the issue comes to a vote
this fall.

Yet opponents remain confident that Congress will refuse to
renew the funding. "Even after six days of Ollie North, there
is still no clear majority in favor of contra aid," said
Michigan Congressman Dave Bonior, chief deputy Democratic whip.
"I think we have an excellent chance of cutting off aid.
"Predictions of a complete cutoff were widespread last fall when
it was first learned that the Administration had been
circumventing congressional restrictions on support for the
rebels. But lawmakers now admit that any new aid package must
be considered apart from the scandal. "With North's testimony,
there's obviously a mood in Congress that the issue of contra
aid needs to be handled on its merits," admits California
Democrat Leon Panetta, a contra opponent.

Democrats are particularly sensitive to North's complaint that
Congress has been a fickle patron of the rebels. One compromise
may be to approve continued economic aid for Central American
democracies but with a lower amount of military aid than the
President requests. Another would be to approve "phaseout" funds
to pay for contra resettlement. "Nobody's talking about no
money," said Democratic Congressman David Obey of Wisconsin,
another opponent. "It is going to be difficult to shut off the
contras."

--By Michael Duffy/Washington.