I still remember the video footage taken during the live testimony of Lt. Col. Oliver North (Ret.), as Congress sought to unravel interconnected covert operations that revolved around Iran, Israel and Nicaragua. North appeared on television in full military dress, earing the sympathy and admiration of a large segment of American citizens. There were some who felt he should have been incarcerated and that his actions were a dishonor to the very uniform he had on. Regrettably, his testimony did little to help fully understand what had really taken place. And even my father who follows politics and news religiously did not fully understand what had taken place. What was clear, is that the administration of President Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) had engaged in questionable and possibly illegal activities that sent shockwaves of panic through Reagan’s cabinet and raised alarm bells on Capitol Hill. As more information came to light, the media began to call it the Iran-Contra scandal and even today, it is still known by that description. It remains one of the darkest moments of Reagan’s time in office. Author Malcolm Byrne revisits the Iran-Contra scandal to tell the full truth about how and why it developed, and the actions of a president abusing the powers of the Oval Office.
If you have decided to read this book, I am sure that there is a good chance that you are already familiar with the Iran-Contra scandal. But even if you are not, the story will still be of interest and easy to follow. The story begins by revisiting the events of October 5, 1986, when a C-123 plane carrying arms for the contras fighting the Sandinista government is shot down while over Nicaraguan airspace. Several days later, a revelation on Iranian television sent Washington in panic mode. Nearly everyone began to question the actions of Reagan and his cabinet. The full story was carefully hidden from the public through omissions and in some cases, deception. Here we have the whole account and Byrne take us on quite a ride as he peels back the layers of obfuscation employed by key officials close to the President.
Although prior knowledge of the events that gave way to the scandal is not necessary, I do believe that it will help if the reader has some prior knowledge of the political climate of Central America and the Middle East during the time period in which the scandal took place. In fact, the histories of Nicaragua, Honduras, Israel, El Salvador an Iran are all relevant to the information that Byrne is presenting to the reader. The fear of a communist expansion under the thumb of the Soviet Union, continued to shape U.S. foreign policy following World War II. The rise of left-leaning and popular figures across Latin America had caused Washington to pay close attention and subvert several governments through the Central Intelligence Agency. Central America became the next battle ground and as Byrne shows, Reagan intended to pull out all of the stops.
There are many acronyms in the book due to the complexity of Washington’s design with regards to intelligence and foreign policy. Several departments play a role in the story and Byrne keeps track of them all, keeping the story flowing smoothly. Chapters one through twelve alternate between Iran and Nicaragua. It was a good decision by the author, for it allows the reader to focus one part of the story before going to the next and then back again. The two tracks eventually merge but not before Byrne provides a ton of staggering and shocking information. When the tracks do merge, the book takes another turn as Reagan’s cabinet goes into damage control and the full weight of Congress comes down on his administration.
The hearings and testimony are summarized here so readers should not expect full transcripts but only snippets of the most critical statements. In fact, the section regarding the hearings and prosecutions by the Department of Justice do not make up a large portion of the book. The majority is devoted to the developments in Central American and the Middle East. But that in no way diminishes the importance of the later chapters and they are just as surprising as the rest of the book.
One section in the book that caught my attention was the discussion about Reagan’s health. Putting aside the attempted assassination in 1981, there were other health issues that arose during his presidency that caused many to question whether he was fit for office. His actions and later testimony provide evidence that the conditions he later suffered from, had began to manifest as early as the 1980s. Byrne does not give Reagan a pass because of this but is equally mystified at how he was able to function. He also makes a compelling point regarding Reagan’s mental state and his interactions with subordinates. It is certainly food for thought about the 40th President of the United States.
America has always said that it does not negotiate with terrorist. On the surface it sounds tough and gives off the impression that the United States can take as hardline of a stance as anyone else. However, the events described in this book, challenge that position and Byrne’s research shows that negotiation became as common as public denials. For many Americans, the scandal is an afterthought. Reagan died in 2004 and the suriving members from his cabinet who are still alive had faded out of the public light, well into their later years in age. However, I do believe that the story is still important in light of the recent events regarding the administration of Donald J. Trump. Impeachment and investigations are two words that give rise to fear and concern but the founding fathers knew early on that such a system of governing was needed if the United States would truly be a democracy. Future presidents may also want to read this book so that they too are never accused of abuse of power.
This account of the Iran-Contra scandal lays it all out for the reader to digest. It is an incredible and unnerving story about the very dark side of United States foreign policy. Highly recommended.
ISBN-10: 0700625909
ISBN-13: 978-0700625901
On October 4, 1970, singer Janis Joplin (1943-1970) died from a lethal combination of heroin and alcohol at the Landmark Hotel in Los Angeles. The building is still there but has been renamed the Highland Gardens Hotel. In death, she joined the 27 Club, a group of famous stars who all tragically died at the young age of twenty-seven. In stardom, she had come to symbolize the culture change taking place across America as the ideals of the 1950s and 1960s were replaced by the liberated generation of the 1970s. To some, she was everything wrong with the “hippie” culture and to others she was inspiration and an example of someone who came from humble beginnings to leave their mark on the world. To a small group of people, she was simply Janis, daughter and older sister. This book is a look at her life from the eyes of her younger sister Laura, born six years after her famous sibling.
Recently, I have become more interested in the Appalachia region in the Southern United States. What many of us have come to know as “coal country” is a region with a long story, often underrepresented in discussions about poverty and greed in America. The people of this region are sometimes the butt of jokes with images of “backwoods hillbillies” from the movie ‘Deliverance’ coming to mind. However, the true story of Appalachia and in particular the Cumberland region in Kentucky is an American tragedy with residual effects that continue to this day. The late Henry M. Caudill (1922-1990) looked into the lives of the miners and the region that have called home. And what he reveals in this book is sure to open the eyes to many and confirm for others, beliefs they have long held about coal country.
I decided to change gears and take a look at the former Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (121 AD – 180 AD) who is known for the classic work ‘Meditations’. During his reign he earned a reputation as a stoic philosopher and this book is a collection of 12 of his works taken throughout his life that highlight some of his most inner thoughts with regards to his fellow man, life and the gods. This translation was completed by the late classical scholar George Long (1800-1879). I cannot comment on the accuracy compared to the original work but the book did receive high ratings by other readers. Putting that aside, I did find the book to be a very thought provoking read and a nice break from my usual regimen of historical non-fiction.
On December 31, 1972, a DC-7, loaded beyond its maximum capacity, taxied down the runway at San Juan International Airport in Puerto Rico. The plane had been chartered by Pittsburgh Pirates star Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker (1934-1972), who set out to deliver supplies to the Central American nation of Nicaragua that was struggling to recover in the wake of a devastating earthquake. There were no survivors and Clemente’s body was never found. He was 38 years of age and left behind a widow Vera (1941-2019) and three sons. He was posthumously inducted in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame and his number, 21, was officially retired by the Pirates in 1973. More than forty years have passed since his death, but to this day he is regarded as one of the greatest Latin baseball players to have ever played the game. This is the story of his life by fan and author David Maraniss.
The life of Joseph Stalin (1878-1953), former dictator of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (“USSR”), has been the focus of endless books, articles and documentaries. His tyrannical reign over the Soviet Union resulted in the deaths of millions of Soviet citizens, persecuted for the slightest of offenses. The Gulag known in English as a forced labor camp, was the place most were exiled to in particular the Siberian region known for its desolate geography and brutally cold winters. The very word itself caused fear and stroked paranoia across the USSR. No one was safe, not even members of Stalin’s family, some of whom would find themselves banished to Siberia. This climate of distrust, violence and vengeance would cause a ripple effect that culminated with his daughter Svetlana Alliluyeva’s (1926-2011) defection to the United States in 1967. Undoubtedly, the news was explosive and if her father had been alive at the time, he surely would have issued an order for her death no matter where on earth she would have attempted to find refuge. When I saw the title of this book, I had to take a second look. I knew of Stalin’s family but I did not know the life story of his daughter Svetlana. In fact, in the books I had read that discuss him, his sons are mentioned but rarely his daughter. Rosemary Sullivan has changed all of that with this biography that is simply outstanding.
Martin Scorcese’s recent film ‘The Irishman’, reunited the legendary director with ‘Goodfellas’ stars Robert Dinero and Joe Pesci. Al Pacino also joined the cast, taking on the role of former Teamsters President James “Jimmy” Hoffa (1913-1975). The movie is great cinema and Scorcese delivers the goods with an all star cast. However, Hollywood is known to take liberties with films and here is no different. In fact, there is a lot of Frank Sheeran’s (1920-2003) story that is up for debate. His book ‘
The deaths of nine hikers in the Ural Mountains of Siberia in February, 1959, endures as one the world’s most bizarre mysteries. The official explanation at the time was that their deaths were caused by an extraordinary force. Exactly what that means was never fully explained. As the hikers were found, autopsies were performed which revealed many disturbing facts and do not match the official explanation. The remains of the tragic hikers were buried at the direction of party officials without much or any input from their parents. Almost from the start, Moscow stepped in and gave orders that were to be followed strictly with no deviation. The official explanation still stands today but is that what really happened? Or was there a darker and more sinister reason for their shocking deaths?
The hunger strike at the HM Prison Maze in 1981, captured the attention of the British Government and earned the IRA sympathy around the world. On May 5, news broke that IRA member Bobby Sands (1954-1981) had died after 66 days of refusing to eat. Sands and his fellow strikers were determined to be recognized as political prisoners and earn several other concessions from Margaret Thatcher’s (1925-2013) government. London had refused to give in and Thatcher had earned the nickname of “The Iron Lady”. Today, the “Troubles” as they are known, continue in Northern Ireland. The IRA remains committed to its goal of a unified Ireland and the removal of the British Crown from Ulster County. Sands had risen among the ranks in the IRA and during his incarceration, his reputation as a leader and intellectual grew every day. This book is a collection of his writings which were smuggled out in parts (The IRA prisoners at HM Prison Maze were engaged in a long running standoff with guards and were being kept in bare minimum cells with mainly a mattress and bucket to be used as waste disposal).
I saw this book while browsing online and the cover immediately caught my attention. After reading the cover, I was further intrigued and wanted to know which great war the author was referring to. Needless to say, my curiosity got the better of me and I decided to take the plunge. Author Stephen Bourne has researched the lives of Black soldiers who fought in the British military during the World War I and their communities in Britain during and after the war. Sadly, as the author points out, for too long there was never a major focus on the experiences by Black Britons, who were nearly erased completely from history. But due to efforts by Bourne and others, some of their stories have survived and in this book, they are given their just due for their service in defense of Great Britain.
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