As another Lame Cherry exclusive in matter anti matter.
There is a question and a conclusion from First Lady Nancy Reagan which is relevant, but it begs the first question of, "Did the worst scandal for the Reagan Administration occur, because the CIA Director, William Casey was impaired by brain cancer, and no one knew it?"
This is the assessment of the beginning of what would be known as Iran Contra, an innocent intelligence agency operation in which those involved in John Poindexter and Oliver North thought if the Iranians wanted to buy Hawk surface to air missiles, then why not sell it to them, and with that money, let us fund the Contras in Latin America who were fighting for freedom, as it would screw over two American communist enemies.
That violated the law though and is what would become Iran Contra with the nefarious thread that the funding involved Colombian coke dealers funding the war in Latin America and cocaine appearing in Bill Clinton's Arkansas for the American market.
Ronald Reagan was floored when he began hearing from Attorney General Ed Meese what had taken place, as he never authorized any of this activity. It got so bad that someone was promising the Iranians SUPER HAWKS which could fly higher than regular SAM missiles, but the problem was there was not such a weapon, and the Iranians were furious when they discovered this fact.
All of this shadows thee event in Bill Casey's office when he collapsed and was diagnosed with lymphoma brain cancer.
This type of brain cancer as described by biographer, Martin Anderson, affects the left side of the brain. It is never detected early and can develop for months, up to two years. It affects the mental ability to discriminate, reason and think clearly.
The left side of the brain also when tumors expand and pressure the brain cause symptoms of paranoia, suspicion and distrust. When Iran Contra went into full operation mode, Bill Casey was suffering from the effects, including memory loss and making bad decisions.
It was a reality that someone like Oliver North could have appeared in the office, discussed a proposed plan which was having problems, and came up with a solution which provided shortcuts, which of course should have been stopped, but Bill Casey may have given the green light, and HW Bush could have simply said, "Bill I ran that by you already so we are good to go".
Mrs. Reagan noted that Bill Casey became irascible and explosive. His speech was beginning to slur and Casey took it upon himself to write the President a letter stating that Sec. of State George Schultz should be replaced with Jeanne Kirkpatrick fro not being loyal enough. Mrs. Reagan missed the point as she adored the Rockefeller troll in George Schultz which no Conservatives liked, but it was a warning sign that William Casey overstepped in something he never would do in breaching etiquette in asking a President to fire a cabinet member.
All of this is evidence that good intentions, people coming up with answers, some taking advantage of the Director of the CIA and the Director being impaired is what created the majority of the situation in Iran Contra. Bill Casey never would have allowed anything like this to impugn the Reagan Administration, so that falls to other zealots and shady characters who stepped out of Casey's shadow and made policy themselves.
It is a fascinating reality in how brain diseases and injuries should never be allowed in positions of power. We have seen how incomplete Gabby Giffords was. Tim Johnson of South Dakota is the vote which was cast for Obamacare, and in exchange in that deal his son became a US Attorney which is a crime. John McCain in his brain cancer has been strange in wearing support for a leg injury on the wrong leg, and Joe Biden sniffing babies one Obama heartbeat from the White House, is a reality in the events of Bill Casey that America has been playing roulette with allowing people with brain conditions to be in power or remain in power.
Personally William Casey is one of my favorite CIA Directors and operators. He was a brilliant man in strategic planning and in implementing policy for the United States of America. His end should have been so much better, including Bob Woodward should not have stealthed into his room to grill him on Iran Contra crimes and then write a report as if it were fact from a delusional mind.
This is a piece of history which was deemed a scandal, but in reality Iran Contra was a tragedy which no one could have foreseen, because no one could see inside a man's brain and see cancer growing. The signs were there in part, but everyone has their good and bad days, and in that we all have experience when the teacher is a bit off that day, what children do not take advantage of the situation.
It is of interest and something to keep in mind about what is deemed a scandal by liberals, instead of something which should have been understood with compassion for William Casey and a most innocent Ronald Reagan.
It is time the history was written in this.
Nuff Said
agtG
