George Bush: The Unauthorized Biography - Get a Free Blog

oasted in Indiana in late October that he had used a "pilfered copy" of Carter's personal
briefing book to coach Reagan prior to a debate.
Many sources agree that a conclusive series of meetings between Reagan-Bush and the
Khomeini forces took place in Paris during the October 15-20 period, and there is little
doubt that William Casey was present for these meetings. According to the account
furnished by Richard Brenneke, there was a meeting at the Hotel Raphael in Paris at
about noon on October 19, attended by George Bush, William Casey, Don Gregg,
Manucher Gorbanifar and two unnamed Iranian officials. Brenneke says that there was a
second meeting the same afternoon, with the same cast of characters, minus George
Bush. Then there was a third meeting at the Hotel Florida the next day, October 20, this
time attended by Casey, Gregg, Hashemi, Manucher Gorbanifar, Major Robert Benes of
the French intelligence services, and one or two other persons.
According to Bani-Sadr, his reports show that the meetings took polace, and were
attended by Reagan-Bush representatives, Iranians loyal to Behesthi and Rafsanjani, and
arms merchants like Cyrus Hashemi, Manucher Ghorbanifar, and Albert Hakim. Bani-
Sadr's first reports from military officials in Iran specified that "Bush had met with a
representative of Beheshti." Bani-Sadr later elaborated that his sources in Iran "inform me
that Bush was in the discussions in Paris...that his name had been on the document. I have
it in writing." [fn 40]
According to Gary Sick's collation of fifteen sources claiming knowledge of the Paris
meeting, the Iranian side agreed not to release the hostages before the November 4 US
election, and the Reagan-Bush side promised to deliver spare parts for military equipment
through Israel.
Heinrich Rupp, a pilot who often worked for Casey, says that he flew a BAC-1-11 private
jet from Washington National Airport via Gander, Newfoundland, to Le Bourget airport
in Paris during the night of october 18-19, 1980, arriving in Paris at 10 AM in the
morning of October 19, local time. He may also have stopped in one of the New York
airports. Rupp has told journalists that although he is not sure exactly who flew in his
plane, he 's "100% certain" that he saw William Casey on the tarmac of Le Bourget after
his arrival. Rupp is also "98% certain" that he also saw George Bush at the same time and
place. At other times Rupp has been "99.9%" certain that he saw Bush at Le Bourget that
day.
According to Gary Sick, "at least five of the sources who say they were in Paris in
connection with these meetings insist that George Bush was present for at least one
meeting. Three of the sources say that they saw him there." [fn 41]
Bush has heatedly denied that he was in Paris at this time, and has said that he personally
did not negotiate with Khomeini envoys. But he has generally avoided a blanket denial
that the campaign of which he was a principal engaged in surreptitious dealings with the
Khomeini mullahs.