An Israeli, an Iranian, and a Nicaraguan all walk into a bar…
It’s a joke, right?
Not necessarily so… in the most controversial event during the Reagan presidency, the players didn’t walk into a bar, but they covertly sold arms and missiles to Iran, a terrorist-supporting nation, through an Israeli, who upped the price from $12 million to $30 million and placed the $18 million in a Swiss bank account to finance Nicaraguan Contras, after congress had deemed it illegal through the Boland Amendment for US forces to support the Nicaraguan Contras.
In 1986, the story of the Israelis, the Iranians, and the Nicaraguans buzzed around the world, and President Reagan sat down to address the nation via television. On November 13, Reagan explained to the American public that they had in fact undertaken a diplomatic mission with Iran for the simplest of reasons, “To renew a relationship with Iran, to bring an end to the bloody six year war between Iran and Iraq, to eliminate state sponsored terrorism and subversion, and to effect the safe return of all hostages.” Reagan vehemently denied that arms had been sold to Iran, especially for the release of the hostages in Lebanon. “We did not trade weapons or anything else for hostages nor will we.” Instead he authorized “small amounts of defensive weapons and spare parts for defensive systems to Iran.” He did so to promote faith between Iran and the United States after their relationship was breached by such events as the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis, the consequent embargos, and Iranian state sponsored terror.
Reagan also explained why Iran was important to the US, foremost, Iran’s geography and its proximity to the Soviet Union. According to Reagan, the Soviet Union wanted to influence Iran and the other oil rich countries; Reagan’s long term goal was to keep Iran out of Soviet hands.
Twelve days later, in a surprising turn around, Attorney General Edwin Meese in a White House news conference disclosed or admitted, the Iran Contra diversion, but he denied the President’s culpability. (Walsh 525). President Reagan claimed the diversion was done without his knowledge.
Two members of the congressional investigation committee of the Iran Contra affair, William S Cohen and George J Mitchell found that the President’s ignorance brought up more difficult questions. The first was “Had the President failed to manage the affairs of his office to take care that the laws of the land were faithfully executed?” The second question, “Or had an extraordinary usurpation of power taken place within the White House by members of the staff of the National Security Council” (Cohen 2)?
One thing was certain: to unravel the truth, the facts, and the details of this misstep in history, an investigation would ensue. In May of 1987 the congressional hearings began and after the indictment and convictions of Robert McFarland, National security Advisor for 1983-1985; Oliver North, assistant to National Security advisor John Poindexter; four CIA agents and five government contractors, and John Poindexter, current NSC advisor, doubt would also be cast on the President of the United states.
In a C-Span 1990 interview of ex CIA director William Colby on the Iran Contra Affair, Colby makes a logical suggestion:
Well you have to carefully separate the details of that story. It’ not just one story, it’s two separate stories and it was handled in two separate ways. The missiles sent over to the Iranians for our hostages was handled as a normal covert operation beginning with the president and some of his assistants worked through the CIA…the other part of the Iran Contra affair was that taking the money off the edge and sending to the Contras in Nicaragua. Now that was against a direct congressional directive that said no one engaged in intelligence can send aid to the contras.
In studying and trying to put together the facts of the Iran Contra affair, it is necessary to separate the details of the “separate stories.” The stories need context and history to understand why the dealings were so controversial and why arms to Iran and the Contras were a clandestine operation. In this light we will first look at a brief history of the countries and the historical facts that led to the Reagan debacle.
Iran
In the early 1950s, the CIA backed Shah Pahlavi against a radical Muslim cleric. The Shah brought progress and modernization to Iran, but he also brought terror, and when the Ayatollah tried to incite an Islamic revolution in Iran, the Shah sent Khomeini into exile. This environment created fertile ground for revolution and in 1979 the Ayatollah Khomeini, who’d been exiled for 14 years, returned.
The Shah had fled for safety and for health reasons to the United States. Radicals demanded his return, and when President Carter refused, the American embassy was seized and the 444 day hostage crisis began. Iran and the United States were deemed common enemies thereafter.
It is important to know that Iraq invaded Iran in 1980. Saddam Hussein felt threatened by Khomeini’s radical revolution and suspected it would come to Iraq, hence he wanted to destroy them before they destroyed him. There were religious differences and territorial disputes at the core of this invasion. Iran received support from other nations such as Saudi Arabia but support from the United States was solicited especially when Iran might have influence in releasing the American hostages in Lebanon.
Nicaragua
In 1979, the Cuban and Soviet backed Sandinistas took over the nation of Nicaragua. The United States saw them as a communist threat infiltrating South America, so when the Contras, former members of the regime deposed by the coup, stood up to the Sandinistas, Reagan was determined to back them in his inherited fight against the spread of communism. Furthermore, the Contras were financially supported by the sale of cocaine, were guilty of crimes against humanity, and because the United States was caught mining the harbors of Nicaragua without congresses’ consent, congress sought to limit United States involvement in the Contra rebellion. In 1983, congress enacted the first Boland Amendment prohibiting the CIA and the Department of Defense from using funds to overthrow the Sandinistas. But there were loopholes in the amendment and Reagan used them to still support the Contras. The National Security Council wasn’t prohibited by the amendment from filtering money to the Contras.
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