Lieutenant Colonel Oliver L North example essay topic

In October and November 1986, two secret illegal U.S. Government operations were publicly exposed. In addition to naming other people as illegal operatives, the scapegoat of it all was Lieutenant Colonel Oliver L. North. Only months before he was being hera led in the New York Times as 'President Reagan's Man of Action', and now North was being handed the blame of all guilty of illegally negotiating deals with Iran and Nicaragua. As the Iran-Contra Scandal was led into the national spotlight, so was Oliver North. But while in that spotlight, North pleaded the Fifth Amendment, the right to not incriminate yourself. With doing so, he also saved the reputations of many who turned their backs on him.

For this and many other achievements, Lt. Col. Oliver L. North is an American hero. Oliver L. North was born in San Antonio, Texas. His age and date of birth are being withheld due to security reasons. He attended school in Phil mont, New York and later enrolled into the United Sates Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. As graduation neared, North chose the path of being a Marine Corps leader. He was later called into duty in Vietnam, where he was station with K Company of the Third Battalion, Third Marine Regiment, Third Division from December 3, 1968 to August 21, 1969.

During his service, North led many covert operations, and was awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, and two Purple Hearts. He was a 'marine's marine', and was a one-of-a-kind leader. While in Vietnam, he was assigned to counterinsurgency operations in which he met General Singlaub and General Second, then lieutenant colonels. After coming back from Vietnam, he served as a planner in the Marine Corps headquarters in Washington, D.C. After being promoted to Major in the Marine Corps, North led a detachment of Marines who were to assist the rescuers of the aborted mission to free U.S. hostages in Tehran. A little more than a year later, while North was studying at the Naval War College in Providence, he came to befriend Navy Secretary John Lehman. Lehman helped North get a spot on the National Security Council.

Among several military officers sent to the National Security Council, North was the youngest. He was described as a 'bright articulate officer with a gun ho spirit who saw the world in sharply etched blacks and whites. ' His role was to draw up plans, to get them approved, and to see that they are carried out. He was also looked on to help equip the National Security Council to take part in covert operations. He was also called on to enact nuclear war game scenarios to better help the President and his staff for possible situations. And with his ranking of only Lieutenant Colonel, he holds many more responsibilities than many of his senior officers.

He has often offended his senior officers due to their jealousy and their resentment to taking orders from a lieutenant colonel acting in the name of the President. His relationship with President Reagan has also boosted his authority around the White House. A strong believer in everything Reagan, Oliver North has had the ability to talk to the President anytime he wants, one-on-one. Up to this point, Oliver North was looked at as a can-do Marine officer with fervent patriotism and was a personal favorite of President Reagan. But after a whirlwind of stories flew around the Reagan administration, Lt. Col. Oliver North found himself locked out of the place where he had worked for the last five years and was under the suspicion of America.

He was being accused of being the leading man in efforts to sell arms to Iran in exchange for hostages and then diverting those funds to Nicaraguan guerillas who planned to overthrow there government. These actions were illegal due to the Arms Export Act, which prohibited the sale of arms to Iran, and due to the Boland Amendment, which banned aid to military activities in Nicaragua. In a statement released by Attorney General Edwin Meese, Oliver North was 'the only person in the U.S. government who knew precisely about the 14 million dollars allegedly diverted from the secret Iranian arms deal to support the Nicaraguan contras. ' North instantly became the key witness and designated fall guy in the messiest covert operation since Watergate.

Yes, Oliver North was the head of this covert operation. But he did no spearheading. He was told to do so, so he did. In January of 1986, relations with Iran were reaching vol ital levels. Forces inside the White House were urging a more forceful approach to the arms-for-hostages bargain that the Iranians were proposing. The National Security Council Chief John Poindexter assigned North to head this operation.

North began to raise money for this operation by using political fundraisers Carl R. Channel and Richard R. Miller to raise millions of dollars from wealthy Americans. These funds were run through a network of corporations and Swiss bank accounts put at North's disposal. More than $47 million flowed through these accounts. With this money, he funded the operation that would sell arms to Iran in exchange for hostages.

With the money that he received from the sale of arms, he directed it to the Nicaraguan guerilla efforts to overthrow their government. With North being the head of this operative, it was easy to place all the blame on him when things fell through. Although his friends and colleagues referred to him as an 'American hero', they, including President Reagan continued to deny any involvement in the Iran-Contra affair. Lt. Col. Oliver N. North was then charged with altering and destroying documents, accepting an illegal gratuity, and aiding and abetting in the obstruction of Congress.

While pleading the Fifth Amendment in order not to incriminate himself, Oliver North was charged on all charges pressed against him. In the end, the Reagan administration took some blame for the Iran-Contra affair. Many were found guilty, while many were pardoned as soon as President Bush took office. As for Oliver North, a three judge appeals panel on July 20, 1990 vacated North's conviction for further proceedings to determine whether his immunized testimony influenced witnesses in the trial. The Supreme Court declined to review the case. Judge Gesell dismissed the case Sept.

16, 1991, after hearings on the immunity issue, on the motion of Independent Council. Today, Oliver North has his own talk radio show, his own website, and a chance to run for President one day. Although many tried to get him to take the fall by himself, he refused to go down. He is still widely respected as a military officer, as a political strategist, and as a political candidate.

His place is American history cannot be contested. His exposure to the spotlight during a time of political crisis, and never falling, shows us of his supreme courage and valor. This is why the responsibility of the Iran-Contra operation was put on his shoulders. He would not crack under pressure, and always gets the job done. That is why Oliver L. North is an American Hero.