Mr. LIMAN: And were you aware that Colonel North had a role
in getting the airstrip in that Central American country?
Mr. POINDEXTER: Yes. In fact, as I've testified, that issue came up
on the trip that I made to Central America in December of 1985.
Mr. LIMAN: Did you brief the President of the United States on
that airstrip?
Mr. POINDEXTER: I did.
Mr. LIMAN: And is it true that you knew that Colonel North had
arranged either with Felix Rodriguez or, more likely, an official in
the country where Felix Rodriguez was working, to get logistics
support for the Contras?
Mr. POINDEXTER: Yes. I was aware that he was doing what he
could to pave the way for the logistics effort in the surrounding
countries.
Mr. LIMAN: And is it-
Mr. POINDEXTER: I would like to keep that general.
Mr. LIMAN: Is it true you regarded Colonel North as the switching point that made this whole system work?
Mr. POINDEXTER: Yes, that's correct.
Mr. LIMAN: Did you ever have a conversation—sorry.
Mr. POINDEXTER: Go ahead.
Mr. LIMAN: Did you have a conversation with Director Casey
where he said that the Contras would not be alive without Colonel
North?
Mr. POINDEXTER: Yes. I almost said that, but I figured you were
going to ask that as the next question.
Mr. LIMAN: And you shared that view?
Mr. POINDEXTER: Yes, I did. I certainly did.
Mr. LIMAN: And I understand from your earlier testimony that
you did not go into this degree of detail in briefing the President; is
that so?
Mr. POINDEXTER: I certainly did not brief the President in detail
of all of Colonel North's activities. That would have been much too
great a level of detail to cover will all of the other arms control
and United States-Soviet issues that we were constantly struggling
with. But I do think that the President understood that Colonel
North was instrumental in keeping the Contras supported without
maybe understanding the details of exactly what he was doing.