Capital Times
Vol. 23 No. 3
Iranscam Key Player
Speaks To PSH,
By Nathan Rapelje
Major General Richard V. Secord
(retired) defended his role in the Iran-
Contra affair giving an historical account
of America's covert operations in that
region for more than 4 decades Thursday,
Sept. 29 in the Capital Union Building.
Opening the 1988-89 lecture series
entitled, "Controversey and
Communication" before an audience of
Kimberly Anast
Richard V. Secord, keyplayer in "Iranscam" at a press conference in the Gallery Loung
nearly 250 people, Secord said, "We can
clearly see the Reagan Iran Initiative was
the right thing to do at the right time for
the right reasons."
"The Real World According to
Secord" -- the title of his prepared
remarks -- was questioned by the
audience after a brief 20-minute lecture
that netted Secord $9,000.
Defending against the accusations of
profiteering, Secord said that he did not
profit from the sale of arms though it
would have been legitimate and said that
he was not fully reimbursed for all of his
expenses before the operation was
blown.
In answer to questions concerning the
23-count indictment against himself and
the other operatives, Secord said, "My
defense is, no laws were broken."
Secord blamed former Attorney
General Ed Meese, whom he described as
an outsider who examined a small
number of documents and went public
Community
Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg
proclaiming he had found a smoking gun
before consulting the knowledgeable
sources.
Secord said, "All
statements were wrong."
Secord roots American involvement
in an increasingly dangerous post-war era
that was hostile to the United States and
that was dealt with by President Truman
by threatening the use of newly
developed military weapons. Secord
MERE
described our involvement as "geo
strategic" and "geo-political" due to the
large crude oil reserves of the region.
Secord's involvement with Iran began
as a member of an 80-man, covert
special forces team sent by President
Kennedy in the early 1960 s to support
the Shah's army in the fight against
Soviet and Iraqi-backed Kurdish
nationalist rebels.
Secord served in Iran again in the
middle and later seventies during the
Carter administration until the demise of
the Shah.
Representatives of the Christie
Institute, a private organization that had
filed suit against Secord and others in
Miami, distributed leaflets before the
lecture, which was stayed and peaceful
from beginning to end when Secord
exited for the patrons' reception.
Turn to page 2 for further coverage on
Secord's visit to campus.
Students Want Child Care
--Administration Agrees There's a Need
By Nathan Lee Gadsden
Graduate student Craig Dunigan
wants an on-site child care center at Penn
State Harrisburg.
initial
Dunigan's wife, Christine, works full
time, so the Meade Heights couple
sometimes need someone to watch their
two children.
Noel Williams, a University
Apartments resident assistant, said many
other students face the same dilemma.
Williams is also the acting president
of the Married Student Union, soon to
become the Parents' Student Union.
"Being students, none of
us have a whole lot of
money."
He said the need for child care
services exists at PSH and the
establishment of a center would
"influence the ability of people to come
back to school."
Dr. James South, associate provost
of Administrative Operations, said he
doesn't know of any statistics that prove
the lack of on-site child care prevents
many parents from attending college, but
he agrees that the need exists.
According to South, the PSH
administration has studied the issue over
the last three years and is in favor of the
idea.
If established, such a center would
not be the first at a Penn State campus.
New Kensington's Cooperative Care
Center, currently in its 10th year of
operation, is now recognized as a student
organization.
This year, for the first time, the
Center is eligible for student government
funding, meaning parents will no longer
have to pay a nominal fee to use the
center.
Parents must, however, continue to
match the time their children spend in
the facility, or they must provide
periodic services, such as cleaning,
washing toys, etc.
South does not favor the New
Kensington model for use at PSH
because primary staffing is provided by
student volunteers; many receive
academic credit for their work.
He said state licensing regulations
mandate the use of a professional staff.
The New Kensington center is not
Center on Campus
state-licensed, meaning parents would
have to pay more than a nominal fee.
Liability insurance and safety are
other issues that must be considered for
licensing.
One of Dunigan's main concerns
echoes the sentiments of other parents:
"Being students, none of us have a
whole lot of money."
Any child care system will have to be
affordable to those expected to use it.
Therein lies a dilemna.
South said a properly run center
would incur a $25,000 per year operating
deficit, not including start-up costs and
staff salaries.
Subsidies could be sought, but that's
an option the PSH administration
doesn't want to take.
"The main issue is whether we can
make quality child care available in a
cost-effective way that doesn't require
subsidies," said South.
Although financing problems must
be resolved before on-site child care
becomes a reality at Penn State
Harrisburg, Dunigan, Williams, and
others concerned can be optimistic: The
administration is developing preliminary
plans for the possible renovation of a
Meade Heights unit as a site and it is
actively pursuing the possibility of
hiring a private contractor to provide
services.
Perhaps a concerted effort by all
involved will help move the project even
October 5, 1988