It was technically already unnecessary, for money for both lethal and humanitarian aid had been voted by Congress a matter of days before.

"A number of memoranda from Colonel North make clear that the funds were for munitions and lethal aid."

We said no lethal aid, and we meant it.

The result is to improve the chances of President Reagan's proposal for renewed lethal aid to the contras.

To get the deal, the Administration had to abandon any bid for so-called lethal aid.

Let's talk about raising money, obtaining money, for lethal aid.

"They want lethal aid and this situation provides the basis for making that request and gives it some substance."

"We don't want lethal aid," he added.

The choice facing Washington is not how much to increase lethal aid but rather whether to continue deepening its involvement.

Administration officials said no decision had been made yet on how to assist these groups or whether to give them lethal or non-lethal aid.