I want to make it clear that I honestly answered every question put to me during the so-called Iran-Contra hearings. But if they didn’t ask me about something, I wasn’t about to reveal things that would put other people in jeopardy.

Meaning of the quote

Oliver North was questioned about the Iran-Contra scandal, but he only answered questions that were directly asked. He did not volunteer any additional information that could have put other people in trouble, even if he knew about it.

About Oliver North

Oliver North is a retired U.S. Marine Corps lieutenant colonel who was involved in the Iran-Contra affair in the 1980s. He has since worked as a political commentator, TV host, and author. North also ran for the U.S. Senate in 1994 and served as president of the National Rifle Association from 2018 to 2019.

More about the author

More quotes from Oliver North

I think as a rifle platoon and company commander your view is about 1,000 meters in front of you and you hope you can cover that ground and not have to back up and give it up again.

Oliver North

American political commentator

Without any intended hubris, I’ve lead a pretty exciting life. What I’ve tried to do in Mission Compromised is draw on those experiences to create a sense of excitement and realism within the story.

Oliver North

American political commentator

I was provided with additional input that was radically different from the truth. I assisted in furthering that version.

Oliver North

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I’m still in touch with a lot people who continue to serve our country well.

Oliver North

American political commentator

In World War II, the book you have in front of you, it was said and it is probably true, that there was not a single American who did not know the name of somebody serving in uniform.

Oliver North

American political commentator

I came here to tell you the truth, the good, the bad and the ugly.

Oliver North

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I am here to accept responsibility for that which I did. I will not accept responsibility for that which I did not do.

Oliver North

American political commentator

I’m trusting in the Lord and a good lawyer.

Oliver North

American political commentator

In my first book, Under Fire, I wrote that I revered Ronald Reagan. That was a dozen years ago. I still feel that way. I think he changed the world for the better for my children and my children’s children.

Oliver North

American political commentator

I haven’t, in the 23 years that I have been in the uniformed services of the United States of America, ever violated an order – not one.

Oliver North

American political commentator

I was authorized to do everything that I did.

Oliver North

American political commentator

I don’t think there is another person in America that wants to tell this story as much as I do.

Oliver North

American political commentator

And of course there is so much of World War II that is documented that we never have seen.

Oliver North

American political commentator

The terrorists that we are up against today do not rely upon cell phones and SAT phones and emails. They rely on couriers. You cannot intercept what a courier is telling somebody.

Oliver North

American political commentator

I would not trade you a billion dollars for the kids I led to combat in Vietnam or in fact any of the Marines that I served with for a quarter of a century.

Oliver North

American political commentator

Bill Clinton is not my commander-in-chief.

Oliver North

American political commentator

I never considered myself a fall guy. I know what I did. I know why I did it. I’m not ashamed of it.

Oliver North

American political commentator

I thought using the Ayatollah’s money to support the Nicaraguan resistance was a neat idea.

Oliver North

American political commentator

I want to make it clear that I honestly answered every question put to me during the so-called Iran-Contra hearings. But if they didn’t ask me about something, I wasn’t about to reveal things that would put other people in jeopardy.

Oliver North

American political commentator

And so, the youngsters you have today, even though there are far fewer of them – in World War II 16.5 million men and women in uniform, today roughly a million in uniform in spite of the fact that the country is almost twice as large a population as we had in World War II.

Oliver North

American political commentator

Today, only 2 percent of the people know the name of someone serving in uniform. That means 2 percent of your listeners can actually conjure up the image of someone wearing the uniform of the military of the United States.

Oliver North

American political commentator

God knows, we don’t want prayer.

Oliver North

American political commentator