Reagan and Revelations About Arms to Iran

Podhoretz compares the Administration handling of the Iran affair with Watergate. He concludes that “even assuming that laws were broken . . . there is all the moral difference in the world between committing illegal acts for personal or political gain and committing them to implement a policy that the President sees as vital to the national interest.” Podhoretz apparently does not understand the lessons of Watergate. Watergate did not prove that what one breaks the law for matters. Watergate proved that even the President is not above the law.

According to our Constitution, it is Congress that makes the law; it is the President’s duty to carry the law out. Reagan swore to uphold that Constitution when he took his oath of office. For a President to disregard the law of the land is not merely “jumping the gun.” It is to usurp the power reserved for the people through their elected representatives, and replace a government of laws with a government of men.

JONATHAN NAGLER

Pasadena