Oliver L. Oliver Danson North was a British engineer and automobile designer in the early twentieth century North
Born October 7, 1943 (1943-10-07) (age 64)
Oliver North in Kuwait after his 9th visit to Iraq. Events 3761 BC - The epoch (origin of the modern Hebrew calendar ( Proleptic Julian calendar) Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. December 2007
Nickname	Ollie
Place of birth	San Antonio, Texas
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1968 - 1990
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel
Unit	3rd Battalion 3rd Marines 2nd Marine Division
Commands held	Marine Corps Northern Training Area, Okinawa
Battles/wars	Vietnam War
Awards	Silver Star Bronze Star Purple Heart(2)
Other work	correspondent with the Fox News Channel United States Senate candidate

Oliver Laurence North (born October 7, 1943 in San Antonio, Texas) is an American best known for his involvement in the Iran-Contra Affair. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Please see " Lieutenant Colonel " for other countries which use this rank In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps 3rd Battalion 3rd Marines (3/3 is an Infantry Battalion in the United States Marine Corps, based out of Kāne'ohe Hawai'i, and consisting The US 2nd Marine Division is a division of the United States Marine Corps, which forms the Ground combat element of the II Marine Expeditionary Camp Gonsalves is a United States Marine Corps training base located in 20000 acres (80 km² of single and double canopy jungle on the Northern end of Okinawa The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia The Silver Star is the third highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States Armed Forces. The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration which may be awarded for bravery acts of merit or meritorious service The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives Events 3761 BC - The epoch (origin of the modern Hebrew calendar ( Proleptic Julian calendar) Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Iran-Contra affair was a political scandal which was revealed in November 1986 as a result of earlier events during the Reagan administration. Currently, he is an American conservative political commentator, host of "War Stories with Oliver North" on Fox News Channel, and a New York Times best-selling author. Conservatism is a term used to describe political philosophies that favour Tradition, where tradition refers to various religious cultural or nationally defined War Stories is a Military History program on the Fox News Channel, broadcast Saturday evenings at 9pm Eastern/6pm His latest book, American Heroes, offers a first-hand account of his extensive coverage of U. S. military units engaged in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Philippines. He is a 1968 graduate of the United States Naval Academy and was a career officer in the Marine Corps, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel after twenty years of service. The United States Naval Academy is an undergraduate college in Annapolis, Maryland, United States that educates and commissions officers of the United States Please see " Lieutenant Colonel " for other countries which use this rank In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps

North was at the center of national attention during the Iran-Contra Affair, during which he was a key Reagan administration official involved in the clandestine sale of weapons to Iran. The Iran-Contra affair was a political scandal which was revealed in November 1986 as a result of earlier events during the Reagan administration. The United States Presidency of Ronald Reagan, also known as the Reagan Administration, was a Republican administration headed by For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The sale of these weapons served both to encourage the release of US hostages and to generate proceeds to support the Contra rebel group. The Contras is a label given to the various rebel groups opposing Nicaragua 's FSLN (Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional Sandinista Junta of National Vice Admiral John M. Poindexter and his deputy, Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North secretly diverted to the Nicaraguan Contras millions of dollars in funds received from a secret deal - the sales of anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles to Iran - in spite of Reagan's public pledge not to deal with the nation. John Marlan Poindexter (born August 12, 1936 in Odon Indiana) is a retired American naval officer and Department of Defense official The Contras is a label given to the various rebel groups opposing Nicaragua 's FSLN (Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional Sandinista Junta of National

North is married to the former Betsy Stuart, whom he met while attending the United States Naval Academy. The United States Naval Academy is an undergraduate college in Annapolis, Maryland, United States that educates and commissions officers of the United States They married on November 13, 1968 (after North was commissioned and finished the Basic School at Quantico, Virginia) and have four children, Tait, Stuart, Sarah, and Dornin. Events 1002 - English king Ethelred orders the killing of all Danes in England, known today as the St Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Basic School ( TBS) is where all newly commissioned United States Marine Corps officers are sent to learn the art and science of being an Officer of Marines Quantico Virginia lies in Prince William County, north-northeast of Fredericksburg Virginia, United States, near Dumfries and Stafford

Early life and career

North grew up in Philmont, New York, and graduated from Ockawamick High School in 1961. Philmont is a Village in Columbia County, New York, USA. The population was 1480 at the 2000 census He attended State University of New York at Brockport in Brockport, New York for two years. The College at Brockport State University of New York, also known as SUNY Brockport College at Brockport or the State University of New York at Brockport Brockport is a Village located in the Town of Sweden in Monroe County, New York, USA. While there, he spent a summer at the Marine Corps Platoon Leader's Course in Quantico, Virginia and gained an appointment to the United States Naval Academy in 1963. Marines (from the English adjective marine, meaning of the sea, from Latin language mare, meaning sea via French adjective Quantico Virginia lies in Prince William County, north-northeast of Fredericksburg Virginia, United States, near Dumfries and Stafford The United States Naval Academy is an undergraduate college in Annapolis, Maryland, United States that educates and commissions officers of the United States He received his commission as Second Lieutenant in 1968 (he missed a year due to injuries from an auto accident). Second Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned officer Military rank in many Armed forces. One of North's classmates at the Academy was former Secretary of the Navy and current U. The United States Secretary of the Navy ( SECNAV) is the Civilian head of the Department of the Navy. S. Senator Jim Webb. James Henry "Jim" Webb Jr (born February 9 1946 is the Junior Senator from Virginia. North beat Webb in a championship boxing match at Annapolis.

North served as a platoon leader in Vietnam where, during combat service, he was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star and two Purple Heart medals. Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially The Silver Star is the third highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States Armed Forces. The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration which may be awarded for bravery acts of merit or meritorious service The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving ^[1] North then became an instructor at the Marine Corps Officer Basic School in Quantico. In 1970, North returned to Vietnam to testify at the trial of Corporal Randy Herrod, a former Marine comrade of his who had been charged with a mass killing of Vietnamese civilians. North was promoted to Captain in 1971 and served as commanding officer of the Marine Corps Northern Training Area in Okinawa, Japan. See " Captain " for other versions of this rank In the uniformed services of the United States, captain is a federal Camp Gonsalves is a United States Marine Corps training base located in 20000 acres (80 km² of single and double canopy jungle on the Northern end of Okinawa

After Okinawa, North was assigned to Marine Headquarters in Arlington, Virginia for four years, was promoted to Major, and then served two years as operations officer of Second Marine Division in Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. Please see " Major " for other countries that use this rank In the United States, Major is a Military rank denotes Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune is near Jacksonville North Carolina, on the Atlantic seaboard of the United States. North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States He next attended the Command and Staff Course at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island and graduated in 1981. The Naval War College (NWC is an education and research institution of the United States Navy that specializes in developing ideas for Naval warfare and passing them Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about 30 miles (48 km south of Providence

After Newport, North began his now-famous assignment to the National Security Council (NSC) in Washington, D.C., where he served as the deputy director for political-military affairs^[2] from 1981 until his reassignment in 1986. The White House National Security Council ( NSC) in the United States is the principal forum used by the President for considering National Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D In 1983, North received his promotion to Lieutenant Colonel,^[3] which would be his last. Lieutenant Colonel ( Lieutenant-Colonel in English from the French grade 's spelling is a rank of Commissioned officer in the armies

During his tenure at the NSC, North managed a number of highly sensitive missions. This included leading the hunt for those responsible for the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing that killed 241 U. The Beirut barracks bombing was a major incident on October 23, 1983, during the Lebanese Civil War. S. Marines; an effort that included North arranging a midair interception of an EgyptAir jet carrying those responsible for the Achille Lauro hijacking. Concept and construction Ordered in 1938 her Keel was laid in 1939 at Vlissingen, Netherlands, for Rotterdamsche Lloyd Also while at the NSC, helped plan the U. S. invasion of Grenada and the 1986 Bombing of Libya. The Invasion of Grenada, codenamed Operation Urgent Fury, was an Invasion of the nation of Grenada, an island in the Caribbean Sea 100 miles north The United States bombing of Libya (code-named Operation El Dorado Canyon) comprised the joint United States Air Force, Navy and ^[4]

During his trial, Oliver North spent his last two years in the Corps reassigned to Marine Headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC located in Arlington Virginia, includes the offices of the Commandant of the Marine Corps and various agencies and staff functions

Iran-Contra affair

Main article: Iran-Contra Affair

North came into the public spotlight due to his participation in the Iran-Contra Affair, in which he was the chief coordinator of the sale of weapons via intermediaries to Iran, with the profits being channeled to the Contras in Nicaragua. The Iran-Contra affair was a political scandal which was revealed in November 1986 as a result of earlier events during the Reagan administration. The Iran-Contra affair was a political scandal which was revealed in November 1986 as a result of earlier events during the Reagan administration. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Nicaragua (ˌnɪkəˈrɑgwə officially the Republic of Nicaragua () is a representative democratic republic and the largest nation in Central America He was responsible for the establishment of a covert network used for the purposes of aiding the Contras. U. S. funding of the Contras by appropriated funds spent by intelligence agencies had been prohibited by the Boland Amendment. The Boland Amendment was the name given to three US legislative amendments between 1982 and 1984 all aimed at limiting US government assistance to the Funding was facilitated through Palmer National Bank of Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1983 by Harvey McLean, Jr., a businessman from Shreveport, Louisiana. Palmer National of Washington DC is a Bank in Washington DC. It was founded in 1983 by Harvey McLean Jr Palmer National of Washington DC is a Bank in Washington DC. It was founded in 1983 by Harvey McLean Jr It was initially funded with $2. 8 million dollars to McLean from Herman K. Beebe. Herman K Beebe, from Louisiana was a convicted felon and Mafia associate Oliver North used this bank during the Iran-Contra scandal by funneling money from his shell organization, the "National Endowment for the Preservation of Liberty", through Palmer National Bank to the Contras.

According to the National Security Archive, in an August 23, 1986 e-mail to John Poindexter, Oliver North described a meeting with a representative of Panamanian President Manuel Noriega: "You will recall that over the years Manuel Noriega in Panama and I have developed a fairly good relationship", North writes before explaining Noriega's proposal. The National Security Archive is a 501(c(3 non-governmental non-profit research and archival institution located within The George Washington University in Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) Electronic mail, often abbreviated to e-mail, email, or originally eMail, is a Store-and-forward method of writing sending receiving John Marlan Poindexter (born August 12, 1936 in Odon Indiana) is a retired American naval officer and Department of Defense official Panama, officially the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America. Manuel Antonio Noriega (born February 11, 1934) He was never officially the President of Panama, but held the post of "chief executive officer" If U. S. officials can "help clean up his image" and lift the ban on arms sales to the Panamanian Defense Force, Noriega will "'take care of' the Sandinista leadership for us. "

North tells Poindexter that Noriega can assist with sabotage against the Sandinistas, and suggests paying Noriega a million dollars cash; from "Project Democracy" funds raised from the sale of U. The Sandinista National Liberation Front ( Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional) is a socialist Nicaraguan Political party. The National Endowment for Democracy, or NED, is a US Non-profit organization that was founded in 1983 to promote Democracy by providing cash S. arms to Iran – for the Panamanian leader's help in destroying Nicaraguan economic installations. ^[5]

In November 1986 as the sale of weapons was made public, North was fired by President Reagan, and in July 1987 he was summoned to testify before televised hearings of a joint Congressional committee formed to investigate Iran-Contra. Herman K Beebe, from Louisiana was a convicted felon and Mafia associate The image of North taking the oath became iconic, and similar photographs made the cover of Time and Newsweek, and helped define him in the eyes of the public. During the hearings, North admitted that he had lied to Congress, for which he was later charged among other things. He defended his actions by stating that he believed in the goal of aiding the Contras, whom he saw as freedom fighters, and said that he viewed the Iran-Contra scheme as a "neat idea. "^[6]

North was tried in 1988 in relation to his activities while at the National Security Council. A National Security Council (NSC is usually an Executive branch governmental body responsible for coordinating policy on national security issues and advising chief He was indicted on sixteen felony counts and on May 4, 1989, he was initially convicted of three: accepting an illegal gratuity, aiding and abetting in the obstruction of a congressional inquiry, and destruction of documents (by his secretary, Fawn Hall, on his instructions). In Common law legal systems a felony is a serious Crime, often contrasted with a Misdemeanor. Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) Fawn Hall (born 1959 was a Secretary to Lt Colonel Oliver North and a notable figure in the Iran-Contra affair, helping him shred confidential documents He was sentenced by U. S. District Judge Gerhard A. Gesell on July 5, 1989, to a three-year suspended prison term, two years probation, $150,000 in fines, and 1,200 hours community service. Events 1295 - Scotland and France form an alliance the beginnings of the Auld Alliance, against England. Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) However, on July 20, 1990, with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU),^[7] North's convictions were vacated, after the appeals court found that witnesses in his trial might have been impermissibly affected by his immunized congressional testimony. Events 1304 - Wars of Scottish Independence: Fall of Stirling Castle - King Edward I of England takes the last rebel stronghold Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) The American Civil Liberties Union ( ACLU) consists of two separate Non-profit organizations the ACLU Foundation a 501(c(3 organization which focuses ^[8]

The Supreme Court declined to review the case, and Judge Gesell dismissed all charges against North on September 16, 1991, after hearings on the immunity issue, on the motion of the independent counsel. The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary. Events 1400 - Owain Glyndŵr is declared Prince of Wales by his followers Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Essentially, North's convictions were overturned because he had been granted limited immunity for his Congressional testimony, and the prosecution had made improper use of this testimony during the trial -- a violation of fifth amendment rights.

Involvement with drug trafficking

During the early and mid 1980s, Lt. Colonel North was alleged to participate in organizing the transportation of cocaine and marijuana from the various sites in Central and South America into the United States as a means of funding the Contra rebels. Congressional records show North was tasked with finding funding “outside the CIA” after the Boland Amendment cut off funding for the Contras in October, 1984. ^[9] Declassified interviews taken during Independent Counsel Lawrence Walsh's investigation into Iran-Contra, as well as North’s handwritten journal entries, detail an extensive operation involving civilian and military personnel from the U. Lawrence E Walsh, (born January 8, 1912) is an American Lawyer and former judge and Deputy Attorney General who was appointed to the Office of the S. and various Central American countries.

On February 10, 1986, Robert Owen, North’s liaison with the Contras, wrote North regarding a plane being used to carry "humanitarian aid" to the Contras that was previously used to transport drugs. Robert Owen (14 May 1771 – 17 Nov 1858 born in Newtown, Montgomeryshire, Wales was a social reformer and one of the founders of Socialism The plane belonged to the Miami-based company Vortex, which is run by Michael Palmer, one of the largest marijuana traffickers in the United States. Despite Palmer's long history of drug smuggling, Palmer receives over $300,000 from the Nicaraguan Humanitarian Aid Office (NHAO) -- an office overseen by Oliver North, Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs Elliott Abrams, and CIA officer Alan Fiers -- to ferry supplies to the Contras. Elliott Abrams (born January 24, 1948) is an American lawyer who has served in foreign policy positions for two Republican U Alan D Fiers Jr was President Ronald Reagan 's Chief of the Central Intelligence Agency 's Central American Task Force from October 1984 until his retirement ^[10]

North’s own handwritten journals provide valuable insight into the mechanics of the operation as well. In his journal entry for August 9, 1985, North summarizes a meeting with Owen. They discuss a plane used to transport supplies from New Orleans to Contras in Honduras. North writes: "Honduran DC-6 which is being used for runs out of New Orleans is probably being used for drug runs into U. S. "^[11]

Other entries in the North Notebooks which specifically mention narcotics are:

• July 9, 1984. Call from Claridge-Call Michel re Narco Issue-RIG T 1000 Tomorrow *(QO384)-DEA Miami-Pilot went talked to Vaughn-wanted A/C (Adolfo Calero) to go *to Bolivia to p/u paste-want A/C to p/u 1500 kilos-Bud to meet w/Group (QO385)

• July 17, 1984. Call to Frank M-Bud Mullins Re-leak on DEA piece-Carlton Turner *(QO418) Call from-McManus, LA Times says/NSC source claims W. H. has pictures of *Borge loading cocaine in Nic. (QO416)

• Jan. 14, 1985. $14 million to finance came from drugs (Q1039)

During Manuel Noriega’s trial in 1991, pilot Floyd Carlton testified that his smuggling operation was flying weapons to the Contras at the same time he was flying dope to the United States. When Carlton’s lawyer asked about Oliver North’s knowledge of these flights, federal prosecutors vehemently objected, and U. S. judge William Hoeveler became angry. “Just stay away from it,” the judge snapped, refusing to allow any more questions on the topic. ^[12]

Investigations into Lt. Col North’s involvement have not been limited to the United States. One notable example is the second report of the Costa Rican Legislative Assembly’s Commission on Narcotics Trafficking, which examined the explosion of cocaine trafficking in that country during the 1980’s. After studying the involvement of Contras and U. S. officials with illegal arms running and drug trafficking, the commission recommended that former ambassador Lewis Tambs, CIA station chief Joe Fernandez, and Lt. Joe Fernandez (born October 25, 1984 in Morgan Hill California) is an American Football Wide receiver, who is a National Football Col. Oliver North be forever denied entry in Costa Rica, a recommendation adopted by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias. Óscar Rafael de Jesús Arias Sánchez (born 13 September 1940) is the current President of Costa Rica, and won the Nobel Peace Prize ^[13]

North has consistently denied any involvement with drug trafficking, stating on Fox’s Hannity and Colmes, “…nobody in the U. S. government, going all the way back to the earliest days of this under Jimmy Carter, ever had anything to do with running drugs. ”[1] Critics counter that although no one in the United States government may have physically trafficked in drugs, there was a coordinated and well documented effort to assist those who did. At the very least, North’s critics contend, high ranking government officials turned a blind eye to the trafficking going on all around them because it proved to be such a reliable source of funding.

Shredding Government Documents

North admitted shredding government documents when the Iran Contra scandal became public. North admitted shredding all documents relating to his contra and Iranian activities - at Casey's suggestion. He testified that McFarlane had asked him to alter official records to delete references to direct assistance to the contras and that he'd helped. ^[14]

Later life and career

Oliver North signing one of his books

Politics

In 1994, North unsuccessfully ran for the Senate as the Republican candidate in Virginia. The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state Republican Senator John Warner of Virginia endorsed Marshall Coleman, a Republican who ran as an independent, instead of North. John William Warner (born February 18 1927 is an American Politician, who served as Secretary of the Navy from 1972 to 1974 and has served as the J Marshall Coleman (born June 8, 1942) is a Republican politician in Virginia who ran for several statewide offices between the late 1970s to On the eve of the election, former first lady Nancy Reagan told a reporter that North had lied to her husband when discussing Iran-Contra with the former president. Nancy Davis Reagan (born Anne Frances Robbins on July 6 1921 is the widow of former United States President Ronald Reagan and served as an influential North lost to by a 46% to 43% margin to incumbent Democrat Charles Robb, a son-in-law of Lyndon B. Johnson. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Charles Spittal "Chuck" Robb (born June 26, 1939) is an American politician Coleman received 11%. North's candidacy was documented in the 1996 film A Perfect Candidate^[15].

Oliver North pictured with Clinton Township, Franklin County, Ohio Assistant Fire Chief John Harris and Lieutenant Douglas Brown at a public speaking event.

In his failed bid to unseat U. S. Sen. Chuck Robb, North raised $20. Charles Spittal "Chuck" Robb (born June 26, 1939) is an American politician 3 million in a single year through direct mail solicitations, major donors, telemarketing, and fundraising events. About $16 million of that amount was from direct mail alone, making North the top political direct mail fundraiser in the country in 1994 and the biggest direct accumulation of funds for a statewide campaign to that date. Direct mail, also known as junk mail, advertising mail or admail, is the delivery of advertising material to recipients of postal Mail. ^[16]

Books and Media

North has written several best-selling books including Under Fire, One More Mission, War Stories — Operation Iraqi Freedom, Mission Compromised, The Jericho Sanction, and The Assassins. Mission Compromised is a fictional novel written in 2002 by Oliver North and Joe Musser that details the story of one of the most secretive military units in history

His latest book, American Heroes, was released nationally in the U. S. on May 6, 2008. In this book, North addresses issues of defense against global terrorism, Jihad, and radical Islam from his firsthand perspective as a military officer and national security advisor and current Middle East war correspondent ^[17].

Colonel North is also a syndicated columnist^[18], and is the host of the television show War Stories with Oliver North, and a regular commentator on Hannity and Colmes, both on the Fox News Channel. Hannity & Colmes is an American television program on the Fox News Channel featuring host Sean Hannity, who presents a Conservative North appeared as himself on many television shows including the sitcom Wings and three episodes of the TV military drama JAG in 1995, 1996 and 2002^[19]. Wings is an American Sitcom that ran on NBC from April 19, 1990 to May 14, 1997. JAG (the American Military Acronym for Judge Advocate General) is an American adventure / Legal drama Television In addition, he regularly speaks at both public and private events.

Other

In 1990 North founded the Freedom Alliance, a 501(c)(3) foundation ". 501(c is a provision of the United States Internal Revenue Code ( listing 28 types of Non-profit organizations exempt from some federal . . to advance the American heritage of freedom by honoring and encouraging military service, defending the sovereignty of the United States and promoting a strong national defense. " The foundation's primary activities include providing support for wounded combat soldiers, and scholarships for the sons and daughters of service members killed in action^[20].

Pictures of North in the NSA buildings with former British Intelligence Officer John P. Lawrence were flashed around the world, when the two former colleagues were asked to help the Senate Intelligence Committee. John Paul Lawrence (born 3 July 1958) is the former senior advisor on terrorist organisations in the middle east to the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS

Although raised a Roman Catholic, he has long attended Protestant evangelical services with his family. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation.

North is a board member in the National Rifle Association, and appeared at their national conventions in 2007^[21] and 2008. The National Rifle Association, or NRA, is a non-profit ( 501(c(4) group dedicated to the protection of the Second Amendment of the ^[22]

Political and historical legacy

North is considered a figure of great controversy, with supporters enjoying his impassioned defense of his actions, and opponents disapproving of his actions.

North remains a largely popular figure among conservatives. Many conservatives sympathize with the basis of North's activities within the Reagan administration, due to the fact they believe the "Boland Amendment" — a Congressional act specifically barring the U. The Boland Amendment was the name given to three US legislative amendments between 1982 and 1984 all aimed at limiting US government assistance to the S. government from providing material support to the Contras in Nicaragua — infringed on the constitutional power of the executive branch to conduct foreign policy. Some believe that North was used as a scapegoat for the Iran-Contra affair, and that other top government officials in the Reagan administration disproportionately laid the blame on him. scapegoat was a Goat that was driven off into the wilderness as part of the ceremonies of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement in Judaism during the times

North's critics argue that in a democracy and a nation of laws, one cannot act above the law regardless of what his goals to be. Some point out that his activities substantially contributed to an attempted overthrow of a sovereign, democratically elected government and to terrorism in Nicaragua, and that they aided Iran, a nation that has been militarily hostile to the United States since 1979. Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system Terrorism is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion Nicaragua (ˌnɪkəˈrɑgwə officially the Republic of Nicaragua () is a representative democratic republic and the largest nation in Central America For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. They mention that along with other Reagan administration players, North has been banned from Central America's leading democracy, Costa Rica, for drug running. Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( Spanish: Costa Rica or República de Costa Rica,) is a Country in ^[23]

In October 2006, North revisited Nicaragua in the run up to the nation's presidential elections. Claiming he was invited in a private capacity to Nicaragua by friends, he warned against his old foe, Sandinista leader, Daniel Ortega's possible return to power. The Sandinista National Liberation Front ( Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional) is a socialist Nicaraguan Political party. José Daniel Ortega Saavedra (xoˈse ðanjεl ɔrteγa saˈβeðra(born 11 November 1945 is the current President of Nicaragua. Despite this, Ortega did win Nicaragua's presidency without the need of a runoff. During his visit, he expressed support for the PLC candidate, Jose Rizo, rather than the United States government's preferred candidate, Eduardo Montealegre, a dissident PLC candidate. North's support of Rizo quite possibly helped to further splinter the PLC vote allowing Daniel Ortega to win the first round with 38% of the vote.

External links

• Podcasts of North's recent articles
• Freedom Alliance
• The Oliver North File. The National Security Archive / George Washington University.
• Oliver North's political donations
• Oliver North's Website
• Publisher's website featuring Oliver North's latest book American Heroes

References