In all, there were eight arms shipments to iran from aug. Behind the iran contra affair is the third featurelength documentary. Despite the damage to his image, the president arguably got off easy, escaping the ultimate political sanction of impeachment. In 1987, amid the irancontra inquiry, investigators found that the scandal fit within a larger republican scheme for manipulating. With elizabeth montgomery, jack brooks, barbara honegger, david macmichael. In the end, norths conviction was overturned on a technicality, and. The lasting effects of irancontra are primarily these, and they are related to our national reputation. The irancontra affairs were covert operations managed by a member of the national security council staff. His diaries, email, and memos on the kerry report, contras and drugs.
President reagan and national security adviser robert mcfarlane. Reagan appoints a commission, led by former senator john town rtx, to investigate the irancontra affairs dec. Irancontra summary executive summary in october and november 1986, two secret u. The irancontra affair popularized in iran as the mcfarlane affair, the iran contra scandal. Behind the iran contra affair loses force as the movie makers run out of. Congress established another investigation, which issued its. The irancontra affair american experience official. The irancontra affair, a serious blow to the reagan administration, combines in its name two far removed parts of the world iran and nicaragua, where the contras are conducting a guerrilla war against the sandinista regime. Cover up behind the irancontra affair is a thorough investigation into information suppressed during the irancontra hearings in 1987 where it was found that senior officials in the united states government secretly facilitated the sale of arms to iran. Through the eighties, iraq attempted to sue iran for peace, but it wasnt until 1988 that iran accepted a ceasefire, and in 1990 final terms to end the war were agreed upon. In 1986, the arms for hostages deal turned into a major scandal in washington and beyond. The first two came from israel, with the promise that the u. Fourteen people were charged with either operational or coverup crimes. Irancontra affair larry gilman in october and november of 1986, it was discovered that for several years, agents of the united states government had been running an illegal operation to sell weapons to iran and funnel the profits to the contras, a military organization dedicated to overthrowing the leftist government of nicaragua.
Behind the iran contra affair 1988 live leak by lasrever what you saw in the iran contra hearings was the exposure of the beginnings of a national security state which believes it has the right to override the constitution of the united states in the name of national security. Belgium, germany, frenchspeaking switzerland, norway and denmark. The 1988 film is updated with information from recent court cases and events. It presents a tale of politics, drugs, hostages, weapons, assassinations, covert operations and the ultimate plan to suspend the u. The iran contra scandal, as this video illustrates in the beginning, is probably one of the most ignored events of the 1980s. Iran and israel the extent of iranianisraeli cooperation that came about as a result of the irancontra affair has been seen by some as even more surprising than the u. Covered are the allegations of secret governments, drugs, cia involvement, assassinations and even a plan to suspend the constitution. The irancontra affair as seen through american, middle eastern, and soviet news sources in early november 1986 a small local newspaper in lebanon broke a scandal that would cast dark shadows of suspicion on the reagan administration, call into question american global. Many nationalist and neoconservatives would see the entire irancontra affair not as a coverup but a good use of political power, an end that justifies the means. At the same time, reagan was looking for a way to circumvent congress and assist. Behind the iran contra affair 1988 what you saw in the iran contra hearings was the exposure of the beginnings of a national security state which believes it has the right to override the constitution of the united states in the name of national security. The irancontra scandal, as this video illustrates in the beginning, is probably one of the most ignored events of the 1980s.
In 1984, the boland amendment passed, which said that the cia and department of defense could not give militaristic aid specifically in nicaragua. President ronald reagan makes his address to the nation on the iran arms and contra aid controversy nov. Congress or violated the stated public policy of the government. Cover up behind the irancontra affair is a thorough investigation into information suppressed during the iran contra hearings in 1987 where it was found that senior officials in the united states government secretly facilitated the sale of arms to iran. The irancontra affair 20 years on the national security archive. The irancontra affair 20 years on documents spotlight role of reagan, top aides. Elizabeth montgomery, jack brooks, barbara honegger, david macmichael, george bush, sam. But if fiers is correct, topranking cia officials not only knew about the operation and did nothing to stop it. Senior administration officials secretly facilitated the sale of arms to the. The story drew on court testimony in 1990 of fabio ernesto carrasco, a pilot for a major columbian drug smuggler named george morales. They would both see the coverup as a necessary way to preserve the political and economical structure inside and outside america and a necessary way to maintain, in their opinion. Irancontra focuses on the period from fall 1983, when congress first put limits on official u. Whenever president reagan shows up in the irancontra pop culture, it is always in the context of questioning the credibility of his stated knowledge of actions of his subordinates. What we saw in the irancontra hearings, was the exposure of the beginnings of a national security state which believes it has the right to override the constitution of the united states in the name of security.
This documentary video looks inside the irancontra affair. The irancontra affair of 19841987 was not one affair but two separate covert foreign policy. Understanding the irancontra affairs the irancontra. The foreignpolicy scandal known as the irancontra affair came to light in november 1986 when president ronald reagan confirmed reports that the united st. To fully understand irancontra, you must know the history behind it. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Many of these acquisitions are derived from the official bodiesinvestigating the irancontra affair, including the senate intelligence committee, the tower commission, the joint select.
North, oliver oliver north testifying at the irancontra. Behind the irancontra affair dvd coverup exposes several of the most disturbing chapters in the history of u. The irancontra affair the tower commission was named after its chair, former senator john tower, and was established by reagan to investigate the irancontra affair. President ronald reagan shortly after the irancontra scandal engulfed his administration in november 1986. It had limited time, and could not question two key agents, north or poindexter. Under the boland amendment, further funding of the contras by the. The irancontra affair popularized in iran as the mcfarlane affair, the irancontra scandal.
Iran contra affair legal definition of iran contra affair. In 1985, while iran and iraq were at war, iran made a secret request to buy weapons from the united states. What links them is that each is an area where us prohibitions apply. Mcfarlane sought reagans approval, in spite of the embargo against selling arms to iran. Each of these termsirancontra affairs, covert operations, the national security council and its socalled staffneeds some explanation, because they are not what they may seem. Reagan announces that profits from arms sales with iran were diverted to support the contras nov. The irancontra affair involved a secret foreign policy operation directed by white house officials in the national security council nsc under president ronald reagan. Behind the iran contra affair west hollywood premiere on june 24, 1988 at the dga theatre in west hollywood, california. Behind the iran contra affair is the third featurelength documentary produced by the empowerment project. Get premium, high resolution news photos at getty images.
In what became known as the irancontra affair, funds from arms sales to iran were diverted through. The irancontra affair, also referred to as irangate, contragate or the irancontra scandal, was a political scandal in the united states that came to light in november 1986. Because the reagan campaign was willing to trade arms for hostages and even bargain to have the iranians hold the hostages until reagans inau. That clash continues under the presidency of george w. Iran contra affair 1983 1988 the iran contra affair began as an internal u. The shadow government of assassins, arms dealers, drug smugglers, former cia operatives and top us military personnel who were running foreign policy unaccountable to the public, revealing the reaganbush administrations plan to. The iran contra affair, also referred to as irangate, contragate or the iran contra scandal, was a political scandal in the united states that came to light in november 1986. Apdennis cook the irancontra scandal, 25 years later.
You will need to download and install the free adobe acrobat reader to view. The film reveals a shadow government of former cia operatives, drug smugglers, top us military personnel and others, revealing evidence. Behind the irancontra affair 1988 cast and crew examines reagans alleged deal with iran that delayed the release of american hostages until after his inauguration. The plan was for israel to ship weapons to iran, for the united states to. Behind the irancontra affair loses force as the movie makers run out of. The irancontra coverup marked the restoration of a cold war status quo in which crimes, both domestic and international, could be committed by the executive while the congress and the press.
Caso iran contra, popularized in iran as the mcfarlane affair, the iran contra scandal, or simply iran contra, was a political scandal in the united states that occurred during the second term of the reagan administration. Irancontras affair legal definition of irancontras affair. Draper explains to us that the iranian revolution of 19781979 brought the. Behind the irancontra affair 1988 examines reagans alleged deal with iran that delayed the release of american hostages until after his inauguration.
The robert gates file the irancontra scandal, 1991 confirmation hearings, and excerpts from new book safe for democracy. The irancontra affair was a clandestine action not approved of by the united states congress. The two policies intersected when profits from the arms sales to iran were used to. The irancontra affair the making of a scandal, 19831988. On october 31, 1996, the washington post ran a follow up story to the san jose mercury news series titled cia, contras and drugs.
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