Overview of the Iran and Iraq War of 1985
In 1985, The Iran and Iraq war is feuding overseas and America had an embargo against selling arms to Iran. Our President was Ronald Reagan and the National Security Adviser was Robert McFarlane. “Iran made a secret request to buy weapons from the United States, McFarlane sought Reagan 's approval” McFarlane told Reagan “that the sale of arms would not only improve U.S. relations with Iran, but might in turn lead to improved relations with Lebanon, increasing U.S. influence in the troubled Middle East.” Reagan was having trouble with Lebanon the Iranian terrorist had Seven American hostages being held in Lebanon. Reagan was frustrated that he couldn’t bring these American hostages back home he believed that it was his duty. The U.S. an Iran were going to have to make a deal missiles for the hostages the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State were against making the deal but Reagan, McFarlane and the CIA director were all for the deal. Since Reagan backed the deal 1,500 missiles were shipped to Iran. The Iranian terrorist released three hostages but later captured three more.
When the Lebanese newspaper "Al-Shiraa" printed an exposé on the clandestine activities in November 1986, Reagan went on television and vehemently denied that any such operation had occurred. He retracted the statement a week later, insisting that the sale of weapons had not been an arms-for-hostage deal. Despite the fact that Reagan defended the actions by virtue of their good intentions, his honesty was doubted. Polls showed that only 14 percent of Americans believed the president when he said he had not traded arms for hostages.
Attorney General Edwin Meese was digging into the scandal and found “that only $12 million of the $30 million the Iranians reportedly paid had reached government coffers”. Then and unknown man from the National Security Council Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North, explained that the money was
When the Lebanese newspaper "Al-Shiraa" printed an exposé on the clandestine activities in November 1986, Reagan went on television and vehemently denied that any such operation had occurred. He retracted the statement a week later, insisting that the sale of weapons had not been an arms-for-hostage deal. Despite the fact that Reagan defended the actions by virtue of their good intentions, his honesty was doubted. Polls showed that only 14 percent of Americans believed the president when he said he had not traded arms for hostages.
Attorney General Edwin Meese was digging into the scandal and found “that only $12 million of the $30 million the Iranians reportedly paid had reached government coffers”. Then and unknown man from the National Security Council Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North, explained that the money was
Bibliography: PBS “The Iran-Contra Affair” http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article /reagan-iran/