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Encyclopedia > Oliver North
Oliver L. North
born October 7, 1943 (1943-10-07) (age 64)

Nickname Ollie
Place of birth San Antonio, Texas
Service/branch United States Marine Corps
Years of service 1968 - 1990
Rank Lieutenant Colonel
Unit 3rd Battalion 3rd Marines
2nd Marine Division
Commands Marine Corps Northern Training Area, Okinawa
Battles/wars Vietnam War
Awards Silver Star Medal
Bronze Star Medal
Purple Heart(2)
Other work correspondent with the Fox News Channel

Oliver Laurence North (born October 7, 1943 in San Antonio, Texas) is most well known for his involvement in the Iran-Contra Affair. Currently, he is an American conservative political commentator, host of "War Stories with Oliver North" on Fox News Channel. 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 service. During combat service in Vietnam, he was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star and two Purple Heart medals. is the 280th day of the year (281st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... San Antonio redirects here. ... Image File history File links USMC_logo. ... The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing power projection from the sea,[1] utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. ... Lieutenant Colonel is a rank of the United States armed forces which is currently used by the United States Army, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, and United States National Guard. ... 3rd Battalion 3rd Marines (3/3) is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii consisting of approximately 1000 Marines and Sailors. ... The U.S. 2nd Marine Division is a division of the United States Marine Corps, which forms the ground-force component of the II Marine Expeditionary Force. ... // Camp Gonsalves is a United States Marine Corps training base located in 20,000 acres (78,332km²) of single and double canopy jungle on the Northern end of Okinawa. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... The Silver Star is also a passenger rail line run by Amtrak as part of their Silver Service and Palmetto service. ... The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration and is the fourth highest award for bravery, heroism or meritorious service. ... For other uses, see Purple Heart (disambiguation). ... Fox News redirects here. ... is the 280th day of the year (281st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... San Antonio redirects here. ... In the Iran-Contra Affair, United States President Ronald Reagans administration secretly sold arms to Iran, which was engaged in a bloody war with its neighbor Iraq from 1980 to 1988 (see Iran-Iraq War), and diverted the proceeds to the Contra rebels fighting to overthrow the leftist and... Ths article deals with conservatism as a political philosophy. ... War Stories is a military history program on the Fox News Channel. ... Fox News redirects here. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States Naval Academy (USNA) is an institution for the undergraduate education of officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps and is in Annapolis, Maryland . ... The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing power projection from the sea,[1] utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. ... Lieutenant Colonel is a rank of the United States armed forces which is currently used by the United States Army, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, and United States National Guard. ... The Silver Star is the fourth 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 and is the fourth highest award for bravery, heroism or meritorious service. ... For other uses, see Purple Heart (disambiguation). ...


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 sale of these weapons served both to encourage the release of US hostages and to generate proceeds to support the Contra rebel group. 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. The Iran-Contra Affair was a political scandal occurring in 1987 as a result of earlier events during the Reagan administration in which members of the executive branch sold weapons to Iran, an avowed enemy, and illegally used the profits to continue funding anti-Communist rebels, the Contras, in Nicaragua. ... The United States Presidency of Ronald Reagan, also known as the Reagan Administration, lasted from 1981 until 1989 and was conservative, steadfastly anti-communist, employed a foreign policy of “peace through strength,” and favored tax cuts and smaller government. ... The Contras (from the Spanish term La Contra, short for movement of the contrarrevolucionarios) were the armed opponents of Nicaraguas Sandinista Junta of National Reconstruction following the July 1979 overthrow of Anastasio Somoza Debayle (which ended the Somoza dynasty), and continuing throughout the following decade. ... John Marlan Poindexter (born August 12, 1936 in Odon, Indiana) was an Admiral in the United States Navy and the National Security Advisor from 1985 until 1986, during the Ronald Reagan presidency. ...


North is married to the former Betsy Stuart, whom he met while attending the United States Naval Academy. 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. The United States Naval Academy (USNA) is an institution for the undergraduate education of officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps and is in Annapolis, Maryland . ... The Basic School (TBS) is where all newly commissioned United States Marine Corps officers are sent to learn the art and science of being a Marine officer. ... Quantico, Virginia is in Prince William County, 23 miles north-northeast of Fredericksburg, Virginia, near Dumfries and Stafford along Highway 619. ...

Contents

Early life and career

North grew up in Philmont, New York, and graduated from Ockawamick High School in 1961. He attended State University of New York at Brockport in Brockport, New York for two years. While there, he spent a summer at the Marine Corps Platoon Leader's Course in Quantico, Virginia and decided to enroll at the United States Naval Academy in 1963. He received his commission as Second Lieutenant in 1968 (he missed a year due to injuries from an auto accident). Philmont is a village located in Columbia County, New York. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The State University of New York at Brockport, also known as SUNY Brockport, Brockport State University or the State University of New York College at Brockport, is a four-year liberal arts college located in Brockport, Monroe County, New York, near Rochester. ... Brockport is a village located in the Town of Sweden in Monroe County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 8,103. ... The UKs Royal Marines in a Rigid Raider assault watercraft A marine corps (from French corps de marine) is a branch of a nations armed forces incorporating Marines, intended to be capable of mounting amphibious assaults using infantry, armour, aircraft, and watercraft. ... Quantico, Virginia is in Prince William County, 23 miles north-northeast of Fredericksburg, Virginia, near Dumfries and Stafford along Highway 619. ... The United States Naval Academy (USNA) is an institution for the undergraduate education of officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps and is in Annapolis, Maryland . ... Second Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned rank in many armed forces. ...


After receiving his commission, North served a year in Vietnam, then served as 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 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. Captain is a rank or title with various meanings. ... // Camp Gonsalves is a United States Marine Corps training base located in 20,000 acres (78,332km²) of single and double canopy jungle on the Northern end of Okinawa. ...


After Okinawa, North was reassigned stateside to Marine Headquarters in Arlington, Virginia for four years, was promoted to Major, then served two years as operations officer of Second Marine Division in Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. He then attended the Command and Staff Course at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island and graduated in 1981. Arlington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Virginia (which calls itself a commonwealth), directly across the Potomac River from Washington, DC. By an act of Congress July 9, 1846, the area south of the Potomac was returned to Virginia effective in 1847 As of 2000... Major is a military rank the use of which varies according to country. ... Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune is near Jacksonville, North Carolina, on the Atlantic seaboard of the United States. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Largest metro area Charlotte metro area Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 150 miles (240 km)  - Length 560[1] miles (900 km)  - % water 9. ... The Naval War College. ... Newport, Rhode Island Newport is a city 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 in Washington, D.C., where he served until his firing in 1986. While there, he received his promotion to Lieutenant Colonel, which would be his last. During his trial, and for his last two years in the Corps, North was reassigned to Marine Headquarters.... The White House National Security Council (NSC) in the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and cabinet officials and is part of the Executive Office of the President. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ... In the U.S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a commissioned officer superior to a major and inferior to a colonel. ...


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. 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. 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; a Republican who had worked in George Bush's 1980 presidential election campaign) and Stefan Halper (who assisted on the same campaign as McLean, and was George Bush's foreign-policy advisor). It was initially funded with $2.8 million dollars to McLean from Herman K. Beebe. 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. The Iran-Contra Affair was a political scandal occurring in 1987 as a result of earlier events during the Reagan administration in which members of the executive branch sold weapons to Iran, an avowed enemy, and illegally used the profits to continue funding anti-Communist rebels, the Contras, in Nicaragua. ... The Boland Amendment was the name given to three U.S. legislative amendments between 1982 and 1984, all aimed at limiting US government assistance to the rebel Contras in Nicaragua. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Herman K. Beebe, from Louisiana, was a convicted felon and Mafia associate. ... Herman K. Beebe, from Louisiana, was a convicted felon and Mafia associate. ...

North's mugshot, after his arrest
North's mugshot, after his arrest

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. 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." Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... The National Security Archive is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research and archival institution located within The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1985 by Thomas Blanton, it archives and publishes declassified U.S. government files concerning selected topics of American foreign policy. ... {| style=float:right; |- | |- | |} is the 235th day of the year (236th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Rear Admiral John Poindexter USN (Ret. ... For other persons named Noriega, see Noriega (disambiguation). ...


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.S. arms to Iran – for the Panamanian leader's help in destroying Nicaraguan economic installations.[1] The National Endowment for Democracy, or NED, is a U.S. non-profit organization that was founded in 1983, to promote democracy by providing cash grants funded primarily through an annual allocation from the U.S. Congress. ...


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. 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."[2] Herman K. Beebe, from Louisiana, was a convicted felon and Mafia associate. ...


North was tried in 1988 in relation to his activities while at the National Security Council. 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). 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. However, on July 20, 1990, with the help of the ACLU (see [1]), 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.[3] Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... Fawn Hall (born in 1959) is a notable figure in the Iran-Contra scandal. ... is the 186th day of the year (187th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 201st day of the year (202nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... The American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, is a non_governmental organization devoted to defending civil rights and civil liberties in the United States. ...


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. Essentially, North's convictions were overturned because he had been granted limited immunity for his Congressional testimony, and this testimony was deemed to have influenced witnesses at his trial. Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      The Supreme Court of the United States (sometimes colloquially referred to by the... is the 259th day of the year (260th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ...


Later life and career

Oliver North signing one of his books
Oliver North signing one of his books

In 1994, North unsuccessfully ran for the Senate as the Republican candidate in Virginia. Republican Senator John Warner of Virginia endorsed Marshall Coleman, a Republican who ran as an independent, instead of North. 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. North lost to incumbent Democrat Charles Robb, a son-in-law of Lyndon B. Johnson. North's candidacy was documented in the 1996 film A Perfect Candidate. Source:http://hqinet001. ... Source:http://hqinet001. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Type Upper House President of the Senate Richard B. Cheney, R since January 20, 2001 President pro tempore Robert C. Byrd, D since January 4, 2007 Members 100 Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party Last elections November 7, 2006 Meeting place Senate Chamber United States Capitol Washington, DC United States... GOP redirects here. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... 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 Republican senior U.S. Senator from Virginia since January 2, 1979. ... J. Marshall Coleman is a Republican politician in Virginia who ran for several statewide offices from the late 1970s to early 1990s. ... Nancy Davis Reagan (born Anne Frances Robbins on July 6, 1921) is the widow of the former United States President Ronald Reagan and was First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... Charles Spittal Chuck Robb (born June 26, American politician. ... LBJ redirects here. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ...

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

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. He is also a syndicated columnist, 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. 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. In addition, he regularly speaks at both public and private events. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Mission Compromised is a novel by Oliver North that details the story of one of the most secretive military units in history. ... Categories: Television stubs ... Fox News redirects here. ... Wings is an American sitcom that ran on NBC from April 19, 1990 to May 14, 1997. ... For other uses, see JAG (disambiguation). ...


In 1990 North founded the Freedom Alliance, a 501(c)(3) foundation "...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." 501(c)(3) is a provision of the US tax code that provides exempt status, for Federal income tax purposes, for some non-profit organizations in the United States (see 26 U.S.C. Â§ 501(c)(3)). The term refers to: Section 501. ...


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. Dr John Paul Lawrence, Sc. ...


Oliver North has been married to the former Betsy Stuart since 1968, and they have four children (daughters Tait, Dornin, and Sarah North, and son, Stuart North). Although reared a Roman Catholic, he has long attended Protestant evangelical services with his family. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ...


Direct Mail

In his failed bid to unseat U.S. Sen. Chuck Robb in November, North raised $20.3 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 mail haul for a statewide campaign to that date.[4] Direct marketing is a form of marketing that attempts to send its messages directly to consumers, often without the use of intervening media. ...


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 breaking of the law.


Despite, and because of, North's history, he 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.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. The Boland Amendment was the name given to three U.S. legislative amendments between 1982 and 1984, all aimed at limiting US government assistance to the rebel Contras in Nicaragua. ... The Scapegoat by William Holman Hunt, 1854. ... Reagan redirects here. ...


North's critics argue that in a democracy and a nation of laws, one man cannot act above the law regardless of how righteous he believes 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. They mention that along with other Reagan administration players, North has been banned from Central America's leading democracy, Costa Rica, for drug running. For other uses, see Democracy (disambiguation). ... Terrorist redirects here. ...


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. 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. Oliver'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. Sandinista! is also the name of a popular music album by The Clash. ... Ortega addresses the UN General Assembly Daniel Ortega Saavedra (born 11 November 1945) was President of Nicaragua from 1985 to 1990, during the Sandinista government, and is currently the leader of the Sandinista party. ...


In Popular Culture

  • Jay-Z's 2007 single, Blue Magic, also references North and the Iran-Contra affair. "Blame Reagan for makin' me into a monster/ Blame Oliver North for Iran Contra"
  • Rapper Shyne also makes reference to north in the song "What U gonna Do" This S**t is bigger than me though ask oliver North, kill you and use your corpes to transport horse"
  • North took up boxing at the Naval Academy, eventually winning the brigade championship by defeating Jim Webb, the future author and Virginia senator.
  • The Mekons' "Empire Of The Senseless" from the album The Mekons' Rock'n'roll refers to Oliver North and Iran-Contra with the line "boring Ollie North down in the subway dealing drugs and guns."
  • Exodus "A.W.O.L." from Impact is Imminent was about Oliver North. Noting that he was a traitor to the cause and sold out for personal gain
  • It was rumored that on a trip to Iran during the Iran-Contra affair, North and Robert McFarlane took a chocolate cake (shaped like a key to symbolize the opening of improved relations) and a Bible as gifts to Ruhollah Khomeini. This rumor was refuted by North in his autobiography Under Fire
  • In the Michael Moore satire Canadian Bacon, Oliver North becomes President of the United States in the film's epilogue.
  • During the early 1990s, North's mother, Ann Clancy North, called his radio show to tell him that she was out of the hospital, and that her operation had gone well.
  • North was referenced in The Simpsons episode Bart Gets Famous where a biography of Bart was "mostly about Ross Perot, and the last two chapters are excerpts from the Oliver North trial." Then Homer says "Ah, Oliver North. He was just poured into that uniform."
  • In two episodes of the television show Sliders it was mentioned that alternate versions of Oliver North were the president of the United States on the parallel worlds featured in the respective episodes.
  • The film Lord of War has a high-ranking U.S. Marine officer who aids in keeping the main character out of custody; his name is Oliver Southern, a parody of Oliver North.
  • In the episode Exit Strategy of Arrested Development, the narrator explains that the D.A. got their evidence against North by using a scrapbooking sting operation.
  • Two songs by the band R.E.M. reference North: 1992's "Drive" contains the lyric, "Ollie, Ollie, Ollie Ollie Ollie, Ollie Ollie in come free," referencing the appellate reversal of North's convictions. Also, the c.1994 b-side "Revolution" contains the lyric "Oliver North is running for Senate". In both contexts, the band appears to view him negatively.
  • The song Vietnow by Rage Against the Machine contains the lyrics "Undressed and blessed by tha Lord, Tha same devil that ran around Managua wit a sword, Check out tha new style that Ollie found...." in reference to North's involvement with the Iran-Contra Scandal and him now being a right wing radio talkshow host.
  • According to "Editor and Publisher," Marine Maj. Megan McClung, a public affairs officer who became the highest-ranking woman killed in Iraq, had been escorting Oliver North and a FOX News crew through Ramadi on the same day a roadside bomb took her life. She was with Newsweek journalists when she was killed.
  • In one episode of Malcolm in the Middle, the director of the Marlin Military Academy, Comandant Spangler, regards Oliver North as his hero, and is expecting a visit from him. However, he gets drunk out of nervousness, and never gets to see him. Oliver North is never actually seen by the audience either.
  • Currently on the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association.[5]
  • The traitorous Colonel West in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is in part, modeled after North (West/North).
  • Oliver North is referenced in the song "The Greatest Man in America" (a mock tribute to Rush Limbaugh) by Moxy Früvous.
  • Oliver North made a special appearance in 1995 in the U.S. TV series J.A.G. in an episode named "Desert Son" as character "Ollie" who assisted the Judge Advocate General by obtaining space-borne communications surveillance for the investigation team. He is also referred to as "Colonel" several times. In reality he retired as a Lt Colonel, which other military officers would address as Colonel.
  • "A Colder War", a novella by Charles Stross, has North and Fawn Hall as main characters in an alternate universe incorporating both the Cthulhu Mythos and the Cold War.
  • Basque band Negu Gorriak wrote a song called "Oliver Iparra" (Iparra being north in basque). It depicts North as torturer and drug smuggler, apart from supporting the "Contra"-s.
  • The song "Full Metal Jackoff" by Jello Biafra & D.O.A. from the 1990 album Last Scream Of The Missing Neighbors references Oliver North with the lines "Ollie North -'patriotic' hero. The leader for tomorrow is yours today. Finally gotcha psyched for a police state!" The song fades with the repeating line, "Ollie for President, you'll get things done!" accompanied by the sound of goose-stepping soldiers.
  • The television adaptation of Tony Kushner's play Angels in America features true life character Roy Cohn using his inside knowledge of Oliver North to blackmail officials into providing him with his own supply of the antiretroviral drug AZT. Cohn threatens to 'ring up CBS and sing Mike Wallace a song, you know, the ballad of adorable Ollie North and his secret Contra slush fund?'
  • Some military schools and college level ROTC programs teach the concept of an "Ollieism" whereby someone does something immoral or illegal under the justification of the greater good. Cadets are taught this is not acceptable.
  • In the Brett Easton Ellis novel American Psycho, protagonist Patrick Bateman mentions having a poster of Oliver North in his apartment.

Jay-Z (aka the Jigga, HOV and Hova, born Shawn Carter on December 4, 1970 in Brooklyn, New York) is an African American rapper/hip hop artist and record label executive; one of the most popular and successful rappers of the late 1990s and early 2000s. ... For other persons named James Webb, see James Webb (disambiguation). ... The Mekons are a British rock band. ... The Mekons Rock n Roll is a 1989 album by The Mekons. ... Robert Carl Bud McFarlane (born July 12,1937), was National Security Advisor to President Ronald Reagan from 1983 to late 1985 and became one of the administration’s primary scapegoats during the Iran-Contra Affair. ... For the song by rock group Crowded House, see Chocolate Cake (song). ... This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library. ... Grand Ayatullah Sayid Ruhullah Musawi Khomeini ( ) (Persian: RÅ«ullāh MÅ«sawÄ« KhumaynÄ« (September 21, 1900 [1]– June 3, 1989) was a senior Shi`i Muslim cleric, Islamic philosopher and marja (religious authority), and the political leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi... Cover of the first English edition of 1793 of Benjamin Franklins autobiography. ... Michael Francis Moore (born April 23, 1954) is an American political-activist, a film director, author, social commentator, and political humorist. ... For the film see Canadian Bacon (movie). ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... Simpsons redirects here. ... Bart Gets Famous is the twelfth episode of The Simpsons fifth season, which originally aired on February 3, 1994. ... Sliders is a science fiction television series that ran for five seasons from 1995 to 2000. ... Lord of War is a 2005 film written and directed by Andrew Niccol and starring Nicolas Cage. ... Exit Strategy was the fifty-second episode aired of TV comedy series Arrested Development. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... A district attorney is, in some U.S. jurisdictions, the title of the local public official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminals. ... Scrapbooking is a method for preserving a legacy of written history in the form of photographs, printed media, and memorabilia contained in decorated albums, or scrapbooks. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... 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McClung (April 14, 1972– December 6, 2006) was the first female United States Marine Corps officer killed in combat during the Iraq War. ... The Newsweek logo Newsweek is a weekly news magazine published in New York City and distributed throughout the United States and internationally. ... Malcolm in the Middle is a seven-time Emmy-winning,[1] one-time Grammy-winning[1] and seven-time Golden Globe-nominated[1] American sitcom created by Linwood Boomer for the Fox Network. ... This article concerns the National Rifle Association of the USA. For the UK organisation, see National Rifle Association of the United Kingdom The National Rifle Association, or NRA, is a non-profit group for the promotion of marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection of hunting and personal protection firearm rights... Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (Paramount Pictures, 1991; see also 1991 in film) is the sixth feature film based on the popular Star Trek science fiction television series. ... For other uses, see Limbaugh. ... Moxy Früvous was a folk-pop, socially conscious, politically-satirical band (1990-ca. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... Charles David George Charlie Stross (born Leeds, October 18, 1964) is a writer based in Edinburgh, Scotland. ... Fawn Hall (born in 1959) is a notable figure in the Iran-Contra scandal. ... Cthulhu and Rlyeh The Cthulhu Mythos encompasses the shared elements, characters, settings, and themes in the works of H. P. Lovecraft and associated horror fiction writers. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... Basque (native name: euskara) is the language spoken by the Basque people who inhabit the Pyrenees in North-Central Spain and the adjoining region of South-Western France. ... Negu Gorriak (basque for Red Winters or Harsh Winters) is an underground European rock group. ... Eric Reed Boucher (born June 17, 1958) is more widely known by the stage name Jello Biafra. ... DOA has several meanings; did you mean: Dead on arrival D.O.A. (1950 movie) D.O.A. (punk band) Dead or Alive (video game series) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... This is a 1989 punk rock album born out of a collaboration between two punk stalwarts, Jello Biafra and Vancouver, Canada band D.O.A.. The album is notable for a 14-minute, furious, political rant called Full Metal Jackoff. ... Roy Marcus Cohn (February 20, 1927 – August 2, 1986) was an American lawyer who came to prominence during the investigations by Senator Joseph McCarthy into Communism in the government and especially during the Army-McCarthy Hearings. ...

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Oliver North - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (1307 words)
North was born in San Antonio, Texas, and was raised a Roman Catholic in upstate Philmont, New York.
North was assigned to the National Security Council staff of the Reagan administration in 1981, served as the United States government Counter-Terrorism Coordinator from 1983 to 1986, and eventually became Deputy Director for Political-Military Affairs.
North became famous due to his participation in the Iran-Contra Affair, in which he was the chief coordinator of the illegal sale of weapons via intermediaries to Iran, with the profits being channeled to the Contras in Nicaragua.
  More results at FactBites »

 

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