The Iran-Contra Affair was a foreign policy scandal in the United States in the 1980’s. It involved two secret operations by the executive branch of the government. The operations included one, the sale of military equipment to Iran, an enemy of the United States; and two, military aid to contra rebels in Nicaragua, which Congress had banned. The two operations were connected by the use of profits from the Iranian arms sales to help the contra rebels. The foreign policy started off with good intent but soon after became corrupt.
In 1979, the Sandinistas began a revolution in Nicaragua, which they ruled with a communist dictatorship. Who allies were Castro and the Soviet Union. When Ronald Reagan became the president of the United States in …show more content…
In order for the hostages to be set free Iran wanted weapons. At first Reagan didn’t approve of the idea he stated “The United States gives terrorists no rewards. We make no concessions, we make no deals.” (Brown.edu). But he later agreed in hopes to get the hostages released and to restore the relationship between Iran and the United Stated. Many members of Congress were strongly against the idea. To go through with the deal was in direct violation of several laws, including the selling arms to entities on lists of terrorist countries, or terrorist-friendly countries but Reagan still went through with the operation. He had members of CIA arrange a secrete purchase of arms from the department of defense, which were then bought by private individuals, who then sold them to Iran for the exchange of the hostages. But only three hostages were freed during the sale not all seven. The operation came to light when a Beirut newspaper reported on it. Reagan denied the entire story at first, and then insisted that Israel had no involvement, and then he finally acknowledged that the whole venture had occurred, but as part of a strategy for developing ties with “moderate anti-Khomeini Iranians. Eventually it was all publicized. The cover stories, the money
In 1979, the Sandinistas began a revolution in Nicaragua, which they ruled with a communist dictatorship. Who allies were Castro and the Soviet Union. When Ronald Reagan became the president of the United States in …show more content…
In order for the hostages to be set free Iran wanted weapons. At first Reagan didn’t approve of the idea he stated “The United States gives terrorists no rewards. We make no concessions, we make no deals.” (Brown.edu). But he later agreed in hopes to get the hostages released and to restore the relationship between Iran and the United Stated. Many members of Congress were strongly against the idea. To go through with the deal was in direct violation of several laws, including the selling arms to entities on lists of terrorist countries, or terrorist-friendly countries but Reagan still went through with the operation. He had members of CIA arrange a secrete purchase of arms from the department of defense, which were then bought by private individuals, who then sold them to Iran for the exchange of the hostages. But only three hostages were freed during the sale not all seven. The operation came to light when a Beirut newspaper reported on it. Reagan denied the entire story at first, and then insisted that Israel had no involvement, and then he finally acknowledged that the whole venture had occurred, but as part of a strategy for developing ties with “moderate anti-Khomeini Iranians. Eventually it was all publicized. The cover stories, the money