# Oliver North and Bin Laden **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 12, 2001, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oliver-north-and-bin-laden/92957 "2001-11-12T18:44:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2001, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oliver-north-and-bin-laden/92957/1 "2001-11-12T18:44:43Z")
Can anyone tell me if this is the truth? I realize [Rense.Com](http://Rense.Com) is not a bastion of unbiased information. Not to mention a bit nuts… [http://www.rense.com/general16/toobad.htm](http://www.rense.com/general16/toobad.htm) I remember the scandal and the hearings but not this. ---
**Author:** ![snac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@snac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snac)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2001, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oliver-north-and-bin-laden/92957/2 "2001-11-12T18:47:50Z")
Get thee to snopes. Look it up under Rumors of War. No, it’s not true. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2001, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oliver-north-and-bin-laden/92957/3 "2001-11-12T18:55:10Z")
[Here’s the link](http://www.snopes.com/rumors/north.htm). The terrorist North mentioned was Abu Nidal, not bin Laden. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2001, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oliver-north-and-bin-laden/92957/4 "2001-11-12T18:58:19Z")
Thanks I had my doubts. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oliver-north-and-bin-laden/92957/5 "2001-11-13T00:10:00Z")
Looks like they updated the site in the OP. It now says that this is a UL and points to the snopes site. Good work, all! ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oliver-north-and-bin-laden/92957/6 "2001-11-13T02:54:02Z")
Just a quick question-some of the terrorists they sold weapons to-are they some of the people we’re now trying to get rid of? To me, Iran-Contra was one of the WORST things ever to happen in America-and nobody even cares. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oliver-north-and-bin-laden/92957/7 "2001-11-13T04:04:41Z")
I emailed them the link that Colibri gave me. ---
**Author:** ![SpiritDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@SpiritDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpiritDog)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oliver-north-and-bin-laden/92957/8 "2001-11-13T12:15:41Z")
Iran Contra was indeed a wake up for some, but then there were those of us who already knew that information was not always “public” when it came to our government’s involvements in covert operations. BTW don’t forget that George, SR. was the head of covert ops for the CIA before he was our president! And to answer your question, YES. Arms and supplies were being given to “freedom fighters” then - who are our enemies now. Not the first time, won’t probably be the last. “he who does not learn from history, is doomed to repeat it” ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oliver-north-and-bin-laden/92957/9 "2001-11-13T13:23:19Z")
Ah, I suspected such. Wasn’t it Islamic Jihad, or some group with a name like that that North was dealing with? (I’ll end my comments on Iran Contra simply because that would belong in Great Debates). ---
**Author:** ![SpiritDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@SpiritDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpiritDog)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2001, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oliver-north-and-bin-laden/92957/10 "2001-11-14T10:31:26Z")
Guinastasia, I think the posts offered to you in the previous posts should answer most of your questions, and if you take advantage of the links to more info. offered by [Snopes.com](http://Snopes.com) you will ultimately have a whole new perspective on current events. Happy researching! ---
**Author:** ![SpiritDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@SpiritDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpiritDog)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2001, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oliver-north-and-bin-laden/92957/11 "2001-11-14T10:36:17Z")
Sorry about that - I meant to say “the LINKS offered to you in the previous posts”