Iran-Contra Affair
Posted on | November 2, 2009 | No Comments
The United States sent guns to Israel, who sold the guns to Iranians. The Iranians paid the Israelis for the guns. The Iranians helped to secure the release of hostages as consideration for the right to buy the guns. Israel paid the United States for the guns. The United States, under the direction of Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North, diverted a portion of the proceeds of the sales of the guns to a separate fund to support the anti-communist and anti-Sandinista, Contras, from Nicaragua.
At the time of the arrangement, Iran was under a weapons embargo, so the United States could not simply sell them weapons. Further, the United States could not be seen in a pay-for-play where the United States was seeking to trade weapons for hostages.
While evidence does exist that then President Reagan was a supporter of the Contra cause, no evidence has ever been uncovered that proves that Reagan never anything about the arrangement of guns for hostages. Not so ironically, Reagan’s Vice-President, George H. W. Bush, became president and then pardoned those involved in the affair.
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Tags: colonel oliver north > contras > iran contra affair > iranians > israel > israelis > nicaragua > president george h w bush > president reagan > sandinista
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