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TIME: Almanac 1990
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1990 Time Magazine Compact Almanac, The (1991)(Time).iso
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122589
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12258900.012
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1990-09-22
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NATION, Page 35American NotesIRAN-CONTRANorth Returns A Favor
Among the witnesses at congressional hearings on the
Iran-contra scandal, former National Security Adviser John
Poindexter was the only one "who didn't hang Oliver North out to
dry." So says North, who last week sought to convince Federal Judge
Harold Greene that he should not be forced to testify at
Poindexter's upcoming trial. North claimed that his memories of the
secret arms sale to Iran had become so intertwined with the account
Poindexter gave Congress that he could no longer distinguish
between them. The implication was that he could not give evidence
against Poindexter without violating an immunity agreement under
which the Iran-contra defendants' congressional testimony cannot
be used against them.
Judge Greene skeptically told North that "it seems pretty
farfetched to rely on Poindexter's version of events when you were
there yourself." But even if North is compelled to testify, the
case against his former boss faces other hurdles. Poindexter has
subpoenaed Ronald Reagan's diaries to support his claim that many
of his actions were ordered by the former President. He also wants
to use classified Government documents. If he is denied the right
to use either as evidence, the case against him could be dismissed.