What was the Iran- Contra Scandal?

Answer 1

Basically, when Reagan was president, he allowed the US to trade weapons to Iran in exchange for six US hostages who were being held. This was a problem because Reagan did this in secret and didn't have the authority to do it. After everyone found out what happened, Reagan flip-flopped for a while about whether or not he should claim that he knew what was going on. Then, when investigators tried to figure out exactly what had happened, it was discovered that Reagan's administration had withheld and destroyed evidence regarding the scandal.

That's the short and sweet summary. (:

If you have some time to waste or need more information, here's a more complete description of what happened.

The original plan was to ship weapons to more moderate, influential political groups in Iran, and then the US would resupply Israel and receive payment. In return, the Iranian political groups promised to do everything they could to free six US hostages.

Modifications to this plan were made by Oliver North of the National Security Council in 1985; the new plan involved a portion of the proceeds from the weapons sale being diverted to fund anti-Sandinista and anti-communist rebels, or Contras, in Nicaragua. Basically, they claimed this change was "in the name of democracy". Reagan supported the "Contra cause", but no real evidence has been found showing that he authorized this change.

After the weapons sales were revealed (in 1986), Reagan claimed that the exchange had occurred, but that the arms were not exchanged for the hostages. Later, he denied this and said that he had no recollection of doing so, although no one really knows exactly what Reagan knew or when.

Both the House and the Senate created Iran-Contra Investigations committees to look into the circumstances surrounding the scandal. The committees found several legal violations; Reagan failed to report the first arms sale and authorized them through Israeli mediators and "oral findings" which were not authorized by intelligence oversight requirements. Reagan and members of his administration signed several other findings authorizing the sale of weapons to Iran but later denied or destroyed this evidence.

No investigations uncovered evidence that Reagan himself knew the extent of the dealings with Iran. But in the end, fourteen administration officials were indicted. Eleven convictions resulted, some of which were vacated on appeal. The rest of those indicted or convicted were all pardoned in the final days of the George H. W. Bush presidency. :P

So..... that's pretty much it. Did that help?

Answer 2

President Ronald Reagan

Answer 3

Reagan