Fiasco: Iran-Contra – Episode 1: "Get Me Kevin Kattke"

In the inaugural episode of Fiasco: Iran-Contra, host Leon Neyfakh delves into the intriguing and often overlooked role of Kevin Katke, a seemingly ordinary maintenance engineer, in the tumultuous events leading up to the Iran-Contra scandal that threatened to dismantle President Ronald Reagan’s administration. Through meticulous storytelling and compelling interviews, this episode uncovers how Katke became an unlikely pawn in one of the Cold War’s most clandestine operations.

Introduction to Kevin Katke

The episode opens on a fateful day, October 13, 1983, where Kevin Katke, a maintenance engineer at a Macy's department store in Bayshore, Long Island, experiences a series of workplace disasters. Exhausted and frustrated, Katke returns home to an irate wife and the usual familial chaos. However, his mundane troubles are abruptly interrupted by a phone call that will change the course of his life.

Kevin Katke (02:33): "He was really tired, in a terrible mood when he got home and his wife was making a racket in the kitchen."

The Call from the White House

At approximately 7:30 PM, Katke receives a call from a career CIA officer associated with Ronald Reagan's National Security Council. The officer directs Katke to contact Colonel Oliver North the following morning, marking the beginning of Katke's involuntary plunge into the shadowy world of intelligence and covert operations.

Kevin Katke (03:05): "And all of a sudden he got this phone call from the White House."

This unexpected communication sparks Katke’s enthusiasm, as he had long aspired to contribute to America's anti-communist efforts alongside his friends—a stockbroker, a building inspector, and a carpenter—all forming a makeshift intelligence-gathering group.

Kevin Katke (04:42): "They were like a troop of Boy Scouts, you know, they were out there, they wanted to have an adventure and do positive things while they were doing it."

Intersecting Paths with Oliver North

Oliver North, at the time a staff member on the National Security Council, was dedicated to strengthening America's stance against the Soviet Union. Katke’s fervent anti-communist ideology made him an attractive collaborator for North, who was seeking unconventional allies to execute covert operations without direct governmental oversight.

Kevin Katke (05:20): "He believed that Communism needed to be defeated in the world and that we had pulled out of Vietnam and when we should have won the war."

North, characterized as an unwavering anti-communist, found in Katke a passionate, albeit amateur, operative willing to take risks to further the administration's objectives.

The Grenada Crisis and Operation Urgent Fury

The narrative shifts to the geopolitical crisis in Grenada, a small Caribbean nation whose Marxist government had aligned with Soviet interests. As tensions escalate, President Reagan authorizes a secretive military intervention known as Operation Urgent Fury to oust the communist regime and evacuate American citizens, primarily medical students.

Katke is assigned a critical task: to mobilize Grenadian exiles in New York to form a government-in-exile, thereby legitimizing the invasion and smoothing the transition post-occupation.

Kevin Katke (31:28): "When the US Government wants to get rid of a government overseas because we don't like it... you fly them into the country and make a coup."

Despite his enthusiasm, Katke's lack of governmental support and his inability to take time off from his job lead to the failure of his first mission. Nevertheless, North remains undeterred, repositioning Katke for subsequent operations.

Operation Sky Red and the Invasion’s Execution

As the invasion commences on October 25, 1983, Katke is tasked with "Sky Red"—a diversionary tactic intended to create chaos on the island by setting fires, thereby masking the U.S. military’s movements. However, this plan never materializes due to Katke’s prior commitments, illustrating the disorganized and improvisational nature of the operation.

Ben Bradlee Jr. (33:56): "Sky red was North's term for a diversion that he wanted Katke to help create."

The lack of coordination and inadequate intelligence lead to a swift military takeover but also result in significant casualties, including the accidental bombing of a mental hospital and the loss of 19 American soldiers’ lives.

Aftermath and the Road to Iran-Contra

Following the successful yet bloodstained invasion, Katke continues his involvement with North, now shifting focus towards funding the Contras in Nicaragua. His next venture involves a wealthy Saudi prince promising $14 million to support the anti-communist rebel group—only to discover the prince was a con artist, exacerbating the funding crisis for the Contras and propelling the administration into the Iran-Contra debacle.

Kevin Katke (44:53): "And of course North was running that operation."

Reflections and Implications

Fiasco: Iran-Contra uses Katke’s story as a microcosm of the broader scandal, highlighting themes of secrecy, improvisation, and the reliance on non-governmental actors to execute high-stakes political agendas. The episode underscores the complexities and moral ambiguities inherent in covert operations, illustrating how well-intentioned individuals can become entangled in governmental malpractices.

Jane Mayer & Doyle McManus (39:54): "Oliver north embodied that willingness."

Furthermore, the episode poses critical questions about the efficacy and ethical implications of privatizing foreign policy, suggesting that Katke’s well-meaning endeavors were emblematic of a deeper systemic issue within the Reagan administration’s approach to combating communism.

Conclusion

Episode 1, "Get Me Kevin Kattke," adeptly sets the stage for the Fiasco series by weaving a narrative that is both personal and political. Through the lens of Kevin Katke’s involvement, listeners gain insight into the machinations of the Iran-Contra affair, exploring how individual passions and governmental ambitions intersected to create one of the most controversial episodes in American political history.

Notable Quotes:

• Kevin Katke (03:05): "And all of a sudden he got this phone call from the White House."
• Ben Bradlee Jr. (33:56): "Sky red was North's term for a diversion that he wanted Katke to help create."
• Kevin Katke (44:53): "And of course North was running that operation."
• Jane Mayer & Doyle McManus (39:54): "Oliver north embodied that willingness."

Through its detailed exploration of Kevin Katke's journey, the episode not only recounts historical events but also invites listeners to reflect on the intricate web of personal motivations and political strategies that shaped the Iran-Contra scandal.