Under Fire: An American Story

New York, NY: HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS, 1991. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. Written in secret as if it were a covert operation, then suddenly released, this is unquestionably the "event" book of the year. Here, finally, we mig ht expect to get answers to our questions about what became known as "Iran- contra." Was Marine Lieutenant Colonel North a "loose cannon" on the Nation al Security Council, making U.S. foreign policy on his own? And just what d id President Reagan really know about Iran-contra? North writes that Reagan "knew everything" about Iran-contra's covert operations. So too did Vice P resident Bush. Unfortunately, there is no specific document in the book pro ving that. What there is, however, is a preponderance of material that lead s to an inevitable conclusion: North was a hard-working, well-trained, loya l Marine incapable of undertaking a covert operation without approval by hi s superiors. For the first time, we hear of and read a document sent to Rea gan by North's lawyers, setting forth a sound legal argument for a presiden tial pardon for North. The letter, we learn, was never acknowledged. There are a number of such chilling moments in this important book.